Okay, Now It's Official

I just settled on my lease. I'm out of the old place, and have freed up lots of $$$. Anyways, as promised, here's pictures of my new digs...It's not as big as it looks! BUT, it's big enough for me. I have everything I need. My HD-DVR should be working sometime this weekend (hopefully) and all will be good. And I'm even eating less than before. Way to go!

Okay, check out my boy-themed room. Cause I'm a boy.

Welcome to Your (My) New Home

I moved. I did it. Right down the street, say, about five miles. But it's done. (Almost) officially. I have everything moved, you see, I just haven't paid the moola to break my lease. I won't have the money until Thursday.

I went to the office on two different occasions to confirm that, yes, I can show up the day I want to break my lease, and yes just pay the money, no questions asked. That better be the case or I don't know what happens then.

My apartment is empty. I cleaned it out yesterday. I was hoping to have some help, but my help came down with something. I ended up getting help where necessary, but the rest I did on my own. Man, I must've taken 100 trips up and down that staircase to my front door.

So how do I go from a one bedroom apartment to a...one bedroom bedroom? It's not easy. I thought, well, I moved into my apartment from a bedroom in an apartment in college. I couldn't have acquired that much more, could I? Well, I must've. I somehow managed to fit it all, though. I may have to put some boxes in the garage to make it a little more comfortable, but it'll work. I even took a trunk load to Goodwill.

The furniture I acquired in November was from my new landlords. Well, neither of us knew we'd be roomies and I wouldn't need the furniture nor have room for it a few months later. A waste in hindsight. Since I didn't have room for the sofa-sleeper and the dresser, nor help to move it, I had to get rid of it. I originally wanted to take it to Goodwill, but that was a more than one person job. A little birdie told me I should just craigslist it and it'd be gone by the end of the day.

Sure enough, within 30 minutes of listing it, I had a call for each. Within an hour, I had 3 calls for each, 1 for both. Within 2 hours, they were both gone.

The first buyers (although I was giving them away for free) were a Russian or Slovakian couple or something. The lady was as manly as her husband and had construction worker hands and a deep voice with a think accent kind of like Nikolai on 'Six Feet Under.' It was great.

The second buyer was this fella named Gao. He wanted the dresser. He came over with his wife. He came in first and looked at it and said he better make sure his wife wants it before he decides to take it. So she comes up. I was a little worried they wouldn't want my generous gift when they realized not all the drawers worked. Thankfully, they didn't try them out first...until we got the unit in the car and were like "there's no room for the drawers!" But of course, Gao is all "lets pull out the dresser and put the drawers back in, then it will all fit!" And I am all "oh I hope he doesn't want a refund!" But before they finished he thanked me and I went back inside and locked the door. He never came back. Success!

I don't know if you've ever used craigslist before, but it was my first time. Next time I think I'll hire a secretary to make all the arrangements for me. Once things got rolling I bet I got 10-12 calls in the matter of 60 minutes. It was nuts.

I've only spent one night in my new digs, so it's too early to say how it's going to be. I have a lock on my door, and bathroom to myself, and we're getting me a HD-DVR box this week, so I think that's a good start. Plus, oh yeah, I'm saving $800+ a month on rent. You just can't beat that. For now.

Pictures to come.

I Should Be a Writer

At least that's what people tell me. But taking advice like that is how you end up on American Idol having Simon tell you you're the worst bloody singer he's ever heard. Here's how it would go down...

Simon: What is it that you do for a living Brett?

Me: It's Brent.

Simon: No, I asked what it is you do for a living.

Me: I'm an accountant.

Simon: Well if you're as good at accounting as you are at singing, a lot of people will be amending their tax return.

Me:

Simon: Off you go, Brett.

Granted, I'm not a tax accountant, but most people default to that when I tell them I'm an accountant. And I couldn't think of anything else.

The point is, I have to really take people's praise with some grain and a little salt. Sure, I enjoy writing, but people's comments are based on my free-thinking semi-regular observations and anecdotes. These days, blogs like mine are a dime a dozen. Back in the...'90s, I could have maybe used my musings to land me a column in a local rag but these days...pffft. This may be my only outlet.

I do have ambitions to write a novel some day. Thing is, I can only seem to write about what's real. I have a hard time coming up with anything that could actually develop into something. I'm sure if I spent a lot of time on it, I could learn the proper form and how to develop my ideas, but that's going to have to wait. I need to make money for awhile.

I would absolutely love to write a novel that is a smash and allows me to just quit doing the 9-5 and maybe buy a bungalow near the beach while I try to come up with my follow-up novel. Hey, it's been done.

I had this idea for a story once. It actually came to me in a dream. And I remember dreaming that it would be a good story to write about. When I woke up, all I remembered was that I thought it would be a good story for a novel. I can't do much with that.

Another idea I had the other day was this: I wonder if anyone has ever called the wrong phone number, and through a series of events, ended up dating and marrying that person. How would you get from point A to point B? I have no idea. That's the story, but I'm sure it's had to have happened out there somewhere. Or maybe it's a stupid idea.

Now don't steal it.

I suppose I should start small by writing short stories or a novella. I have no idea.

In the mean time, I'll just keep writing on my blog and hopefully you will continue to enjoy it.

For those of you who compliment me on my writing, don't stop (unless you're just sucking up to me so you get a shout-out on the World Wide Web). It's people like you that keep the hope alive that maybe some day I can do something with it.

Pizza the Hut

I've had pizza the past 6 out of 7 meals. I don't eat breakfast, so don't figure that in.

Here's how it went down...

Friday I wanted Digiornos after a long week of auditing. And some beer. Well, I ate half of it that night and thought I'd eat the rest for lunch on Saturday.

Saturday I went into work at 10AM. Well, there was a bunch of us there, so we bought pizza. There was way too much.

I ate the rest for dinner Saturday and then for lunch and dinner Sunday. It was so good. Fresh parmesan cheese. No lie.

Tonight, I still had my Digiornos left. And that's all she wrote.

And I had Chipotle for lunch cause I have a gift card to use up (which I ended up spacing on and forgetting to use!).

So no wonder my belt almost doesn't fit anymore.

Oh, and kudos to T.K. and Rachel (of Huntington Beach, Calif.) for winning the Amazing Race last night! Woo!

I'm Going to Miss This View

This was taken from my balcony on Saturday evening. My last Saturday in my apartment. Sad.



That there is Saddleback Mountain. I will be able to see the same mountain from my new place, just further away. You'll probably see it once I get moved next week.

Don't Be Hatin'

Gettin' Busy

It's very sad that I have such a boring day-to-day existence that I blog about work 3/4 of the time. I suppose since I spend 40+ hours a week working on work, it makes sense though. The problem is, I can't say too much about work because my website is all public and everything.

Well anyways.

Busy season has officially begun. Although I was pretty stinkin' busy the last 2 months of 2007, it really picks up steam this month. Looking at our work schedule, it seems I'm pretty much out of the office mostly until sometime in March. It goes by so fast, though, it's not bad. I'm trying to mentally prepare for working nights and weekends. This weekend will be the first of many. I need to go in tomorrow for a half a day. And to be ahead of the game so I can be more useful to my colleagues, I even went in tonight and spent a couple hours finishing up my junk.

This is how workaholics get their beginnings.

I'm going to try and think of some old stories to blog about in the near future so I don't have to write about work just for the sake of blogging. Because, really, work is work. You work. I work. It's all the same but with different jargon and pay scales. Who wants to come home from work to read about someone else's job?

Enough of that.

I move out next weekend.

I need to keep packing.

The Day Has Come

I've finally had to loosen my belt up a notch. It's been about 5 years on this belt. Hasn't budged. What's happening? Is 25 the age one starts to lose that high metabolism?

I guess I won't start to worry until I run out of notches to use on the belt. But my buddy Don just tells me to use a hole-puncher to make it bigger. Desperate times...

I'm Moving...

...down the street.

It's true. What? Did you think I was moving back to Minnesota? Alas, it is a wonderful place, but it was 72 degrees here today and completely awesome outside. It smelled like spring. I came home for lunch and opened my windows to air the place out. I love that spring smell. Especially in the middle of January.

But yes, I'm moving in with some family friends. A dad, mom, three kids, three turtles and one dog. I'm going to be saving major money, so I'm not completely insane. I'm paying $2000 to get out of my lease 3 months early. Sure, it sounds like a lot, which it is, but I will be up by $2000 by June for getting out.

I'd stay where I am, but I'm a auditor. I like to mitigate risk. Such as, my car is old and broken in and right now I have no money to fix it and/or replace it. Moving will change that. I need to go to the dentist. I'm pretty sure I need a crown or two. Moving will allow me to fix them chompers. I need to buy the review course for the CPA exam. It's expensive. Moving will free up some cash to pay for that.

See what I'm gettin' at? It's a no brainer. Plus, I'll be gone so much working that it's not worth paying my huuge rent when I'm not even here.

I move out the end of this month. I plan on staying with the family for at least three months, probably more if both parties are satisfied.

Now it'll actually feel like I really make what I make. College budget gone; real job budget here. The high cost of living in California will essentially be eliminated.

Christmas Photos

Here are the best of the pictures from Christmas 2007:


Grandpa Watts and Me



My siblings, their husbands, and their kids.



Me, cousins Brad and Blake



Kyleigh and Grandpa with his new hat (she purchased at the $1 store!)



An experiment I learned from David Letterman. Diet Coke and Mentos.



I will never wear these again.



ItalSteam!!! I've only seen these in Vegas. Santa tracked down the kiosk at Planet Hollywood Casino and picked one up for me.



It's never to early to domesticate (the big one's still learning).



Dad, Me, and Mom.



Kyleigh and Makenzie.



Mom, Dad, Aunt Karen, Uncle Tom



Heidi, Me, and Krysti.

Welcome Back!

Well, thank you very much. If I do say so myself.

Two weeks in Minnesota for Christmas/New Years. The two most popular questions I was asked:

1) How do you like California?
2) How did you get so much time off?

And the bonus question:

Do you have any women in your life?

I'll just answer the first one. I love California. I guess I didn't really realize how much I feel like I belong here until after my trip back home. Of course, it has nothing to do with my family. I would love for them to be closer, I just know that the Midwest is not for me. The weather aside, I was yearning to get back to Cali for reasons I can't explain. There's just something about it - SoCal in particular - that is unmatched. And that's what I missed. Now that my oldest sister is moved back to Minnesota, and I really am all alone out here, I feel like a loner. Aloner. Alone. But I have goals I want to accomplish, and those goals co-star Los Angeles with me in the leading role.

I achieved a lot in 2007. I finally graduated from college. I landed a real job. I moved across the country (again) with no one to lean on but myself (again). And I'm making it. 2008 is going to be even better, but if all I do this year is pass the CPA exam, I will still be on track with the 5-year plan. It's also a goal of mine to aggressively attack some debt. More on that at a later time.

Okay, I'll answer the bonus question, too. No. I don't. And I won't. I'm enjoying the single life too much. Plus, no time. Or money. Seriously, if I had a woman in my life right now, I think I would be miserable. I have too much I am focusing on without having to spend my time, attention, and $$$$ on a woman. Maybe in a couple of years. That's not to say I'm not looking, it's just a passive search. Extremely passive.

What else... I read about 1.2 books a month in 2007. I hit the 20,000 song mark in my iTunes library. I watched 30 less movies than in 2006. I'm assuming it will be even less this year. How depressing. It forces me to be more choosy though, which is good.

Oh, and I bought a Blu-Ray disc player. It's the bomb. And now that Warner Brothers announced they were ditching HD-DVD completely and going with Blu-Ray, it's only a matter of time before Blu-Ray wins and we have one hi-def DVD format. Hooray!

How many of you did I lose there?

Anyways, Christmas was great. I had a wonderful time spending with my loved ones. I look forward to seeing them again. In the meantime, it's time to tear up 2008 and make this my best year yet.