theMediaman.com

So, yeah. As Simone posted, we’re moving in together at the start of June. There was a rather unfortunate spell of people responding with “am I the last to know”. It gave us the impression that far too many of our close friends and family feel low on the totum pole. Usually focussing on how this effects them, Simone and I started feeling bad about how this big of an emotional leap we were asking those around us to make.

We finally realized that, “HELL! This is about us, not them”. We did our best to position the news, the order of who we tell, and when, as much as possible. After that, if they still feel somehow upset, then that’s an emotional journey they have to make. I think we did a pretty damned good job of telling people our news.

As we expanded the news to a wider circle of friends, we found more who were willing to congratulate us without any strings attached. Later I would understand that this group didn’t have as much invested in how this would effect them directly. It was still nice to stop telling people the news on pins and needles, awaiting a backlash.

So, the plan is, stay where we’re living until the end of May. Compromising with our current roommates, this seems like the best time for everyone involved. June 1, if Paul’s going to Trent for September, he’ll be moving out there, while staying with family here in the city during the week (for work). Simone and I are looking at a few different places, but the mid-town location (near the Annex) just seems ideal for our lifestyle.

After meeting a lot of friendly people moving Simone’s sister, Sabrina, into a co-op on The Esplanade, we started looking for someplace like that. There’s a collection of nice-looking co-ops only a few blocks east of where Simone lives now.

One of the many difficulties I’m going to have moving downtown is that I’ll have to find an alternative to Rogers Videos. Currently, there aren’t many in Central Toronto. However, there are semi-underground alternatives. Nothing nearly as good as GenX in Waterloo, but I’m still looking. And the co-op is a very short walk to the Blockbuster. I may have to recind my boycott of that chain for my own convenience. Morality? fehh!

One great benefit to living downtown is that the TTC will take me right to the door of the office building I work in, even though I work in Markham. It’s a longer commute, and I have to cram on a bus-then-subway-then-subway-then-bus with several dozen familiar strangers, but it gives me an excuse to catch up on some reading, listen to music, watch videos…

…in other words, buy a PSP

There will also be a significant savings on gas. Because I’m usually up late, I can fill up for between 80 and 86 cents per litre. With gas prices continuing to go up, I’ll go from about $140/mo. just in gas, to about $90 for a TTC pass. Even with trips to visit family and friends on the weekend, my maintenance costs on the car will plummet…

…by about as much as I’ll need to buy a PSP