Spring is in the buds.
The buds are everywhere.
They stretch open.
Suddenly spring is everywhere.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
NOT EXACTLY EVICTED
On Thursday we received our renewal lease in the mail. And we received a brutal lesson in NYC real estate.
My husband and I moved into this apartment in 2005. At that time our rent was $1200/month. In the past 4 years our rent has increased to $1385/month, each year increasing by the city-mandated percentage.
On Thursday we opened our renewal lease to find that our new rent will be $1725/month.
Ummmm...what???
Geoff called the NYC housing authorities to find out if it is legal for the landlord to increase the rent so much. And here's where that brutal lesson comes...
If you are in a rent-stabilized building and paying "preferential rent" - your rent is lower than the listed market value - the landlord may increase the rent to the market value upon renewal of your lease. No warning necessary. No explanation necessary.
It feels like a slap in the face.
This is our home. We've been good tenants. Our rent is always on time, we help our neighbors, we don't complain about the shitty state of the building. We have even brought other tenants into the building when apartments became available.
But here's the magic of the world in play - yesterday during the rainstorm, the windows in our kitchen & bathroom started leaking into the apartment...as they often do when it rains, because our management company has not, in almost 5 years, been able to fix this problem.
What incredible timing!!
It was a little bit like the universe reminding us that we do not want to continue living in this shithole. I was so angry that the landlord would hike up our rent...until the dripping started.
Those drips nudged me into a place of acceptance & peace.
Thanks for the memories, 171. I'm happy to leave you behind.
My husband and I moved into this apartment in 2005. At that time our rent was $1200/month. In the past 4 years our rent has increased to $1385/month, each year increasing by the city-mandated percentage.
On Thursday we opened our renewal lease to find that our new rent will be $1725/month.
Ummmm...what???
Geoff called the NYC housing authorities to find out if it is legal for the landlord to increase the rent so much. And here's where that brutal lesson comes...
If you are in a rent-stabilized building and paying "preferential rent" - your rent is lower than the listed market value - the landlord may increase the rent to the market value upon renewal of your lease. No warning necessary. No explanation necessary.
It feels like a slap in the face.
This is our home. We've been good tenants. Our rent is always on time, we help our neighbors, we don't complain about the shitty state of the building. We have even brought other tenants into the building when apartments became available.
But here's the magic of the world in play - yesterday during the rainstorm, the windows in our kitchen & bathroom started leaking into the apartment...as they often do when it rains, because our management company has not, in almost 5 years, been able to fix this problem.
What incredible timing!!
It was a little bit like the universe reminding us that we do not want to continue living in this shithole. I was so angry that the landlord would hike up our rent...until the dripping started.
Those drips nudged me into a place of acceptance & peace.
Thanks for the memories, 171. I'm happy to leave you behind.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
EMBRACING CHANGE
Here's the big news...
In October I will be heading out on the road with the National Tour of HAIR as one half of the company management team.
The tour will go to many places, including Washington DC, Chicago, Arizona, California, Florida, Boston, Seattle, Minnesota. There is a possibility that we will even head to Japan for a few weeks. I am beyond excited to start this journey, and know that I will learn so much. Plus it will give me a foot in the door of the union I need to join to be a full Broadway manager.
Details will follow, but suffice it to say that I am blessed.
In October I will be heading out on the road with the National Tour of HAIR as one half of the company management team.
The tour will go to many places, including Washington DC, Chicago, Arizona, California, Florida, Boston, Seattle, Minnesota. There is a possibility that we will even head to Japan for a few weeks. I am beyond excited to start this journey, and know that I will learn so much. Plus it will give me a foot in the door of the union I need to join to be a full Broadway manager.
Details will follow, but suffice it to say that I am blessed.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
FINAL PERFORMANCE, BUT NOT REALLY
Today is the final performance the original cast of the 2009 Tony winning revival of HAIR will have on Broadway.
Beginning Tuesday we will have a brand new cast rocking the Hirschfeld each night.
I'm excited for the shift, mostly because of the amazing opportunity it gives the original cast to bring this show to London.
And I'm excited to see our new cast in action - they are quite a talented group.
But I am also sad.
I like this company of actors very much, and I love the work they do together on stage, and I feel a little like a junior in high school when all of your senior class friends graduate and move on together, and you're left remembering how cool it was to be friends with those folks.
But, if I follow that metaphor through, then I'm about to become a senior, and I'll very soon be caught up in planning the prom for this new class. And the graduation.
It must be tough to be a high school teacher. Always saying goodbye.
Beginning Tuesday we will have a brand new cast rocking the Hirschfeld each night.
I'm excited for the shift, mostly because of the amazing opportunity it gives the original cast to bring this show to London.
And I'm excited to see our new cast in action - they are quite a talented group.
But I am also sad.
I like this company of actors very much, and I love the work they do together on stage, and I feel a little like a junior in high school when all of your senior class friends graduate and move on together, and you're left remembering how cool it was to be friends with those folks.
But, if I follow that metaphor through, then I'm about to become a senior, and I'll very soon be caught up in planning the prom for this new class. And the graduation.
It must be tough to be a high school teacher. Always saying goodbye.
Friday, March 5, 2010
PROCRASTINATION
Today I'm having one of those days where I just don't want to go to work.
There's no reason - I love my job - I just don't feel like going.
So it's now 16 minutes before I like to leave and I'm writing this entry. I've looked at my Facebook page at least twenty times (nothing has changed...) and have caught up on all of my friends' blogs. I've scanned the online sale at Crate & Barrel and checked my email, personal & business accounts. So what to do now?
I suppose the only thing left is to turn off the computer and get dressed for work.
That's the problem with procrastinating...you eventually have to do thing you've been delaying.
Shucks.
There's no reason - I love my job - I just don't feel like going.
So it's now 16 minutes before I like to leave and I'm writing this entry. I've looked at my Facebook page at least twenty times (nothing has changed...) and have caught up on all of my friends' blogs. I've scanned the online sale at Crate & Barrel and checked my email, personal & business accounts. So what to do now?
I suppose the only thing left is to turn off the computer and get dressed for work.
That's the problem with procrastinating...you eventually have to do thing you've been delaying.
Shucks.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
SECRET
It's hard to have a really exciting secret that you just can't share yet (and no I'm not pregnant).
I just keep remembering that my life is progressing exactly as it should and that the people around me love me and that I love them and that soon I can share my exciting secret and start writing about the journey that follows.
We are all one.
I just keep remembering that my life is progressing exactly as it should and that the people around me love me and that I love them and that soon I can share my exciting secret and start writing about the journey that follows.
We are all one.
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