Build a New Life Around Your New Home

Moving to a new city can be equal parts exciting and nerve-wracking. Whether you're moving for a new job or a fresh start or just a change of scenery, the city where you move to might offer you a better quality of life or the general cost of living could be a lot lower than where you are now. Where do you begin when you're looking to move?

Choose the Best Neighborhood for You

The area you move to is very important because duh you'll be living there. In my life, community, diversity, proximity to the library, public transportation, and walk-ability are important. Price, of course as well. Figure out what tops your list and what areas might suit you. When we were looking to buy at the shore walk-ability and price were our top considerations. In Philly proximity to public transportation was at the top of the list. 

Give It Time

Your first few days in your new home might feel very strange. Even when I've moved two blocks the first few months felt weird. Getting settled into a new place takes time, so sit with it and reassess your feelings in six-ish months. Hopefully by then you'll have found some favorite spots, made some friends, gotten more comfortable in a routine and geographically will know the city a lot more, so you should feel settled in.

Join Something

Grounding yourself in your new space is important in order to form attachments. Once you know a few people and start to create a social life, it will feel more like home. Book club, gym, clean up crew, volunteer organization, pool league, whatever...join something and meet some new people using groups that relate to your interests. 

Keep Up To Date With Local

It’s also advisable to keep up to date with local goings-on. You can see what is going on at your local clubs and organizations by checking their sites, such as arlingtonnewsnetwork.com or the zillion facebook neighborhood pages. Of course there's always the local newspaper or local news online. Keeping up to date with current affairs and local news will tie you to your new local area.

Figure Out The Transport System

As soon as you arrive in your new home, you should take a look at the public transport information. Most cities have sites dedicated to this, such as Portland’s travelportland.com  which is superior to the SEPTA site, trust me. This will help you get around when you are exploring, and you won’t be so dependent on your car. I am glad I can use public transportation to get to work in Philly but I love being able to walk or bike most places at the shore. Bottom line if I don't have to use the car, I won't.

Are you coming up on a move? What's important to you when you're looking for a new place to live?

Wishing you a wonderful Easter Weekend, Chag Sameach, or just a good and restful weekend if it's not a holiday for you. Happy happy birthday to Gail today also! 

Thursday Thoughts - in full FI mode

1. My attitude this week, for no specific reason aside from a possible link to the summer Fuck It Phase:

2. I am a 40 year old woman who consistently gets zits in the same two spots. The latest in my attempt to throw money at the problem. I got a great deal and honestly? I've always felt like I was washing my face poorly. This has a timer like my Sonic toothbrush. It's like learning to care for yourself all over again as an adult who should already know this shit. 

3. Things that have annoyed me on my neighborhood facebook groups this week: eleventy billion people reporting that their trash has not been picked up to all of us on facebook but only seven to 10 people actually reporting a problem to the city (Philly page); eleventy billion people asking what to do with kids on a rainy day at the shore (OCNJ page, question has been asked and answered 203948203948023948 times in the history of the page). You?

4. Immediately after I said I haven't watched TV forever last Thursday I started watching Ozark. I have one episode left. I love Jason Bateman and really like Laura Linney in this too. I can't recall loving her in anything in the past. Everyone in town is crazy or has a sneaky side hustle or weird secret. My kind of show. 

5. I've already purchased a new sweatshirt, pair of leggings, kicking around shoes I can wear at work, athleisure shoes, and old lady black comfortable enough to commute in shoes for the fall. If you can't tell, I'm turning over all of my shoes right now and those that are not comfortable for old lady feet must go. Aside from a new sweater or two, I'm probably set for the season though thanks to some good Nordstrom sales. Someone remind me of this later when I want to buy shit I don't need because it's pretty.  

6. Is anyone else concerned that two man toddlers are in a pissing match over nuclear war and we have no one working our State Department right now? In a world where everyone has nukes, we need diplomacy. Not threats to use them. A president must be able to de-escalate conflict, not disregard advisers in favor of doing and saying whatever the fuck he wants in public to ramp it up and endanger the world. That's what Kim Jong-un does. We're so worried about him because he's crazy and unpredictable. Those traits describe our own leader. He is unhinged and mentally unfit to hold the office. It is time to invoke the 25th Amendment. But never mind this paltry shit. Let's go back to discussing her emails. I'm alarmed by how many people seem A-ok with nuclear war. You guys, what are we even fucking doing?

7. Two things to keep your eye on: a) State TV is coming your way soon via Trump TV - just like North Korea and Russia, you will hear what the government wants you to hear! Have you brushed up on your 1984 lately? I see many of you have. If you don't like the sound of any of this, you can call the FCC at 1-888-225-5322. B)  The U.S. Global Change Research Program Climate Science Special Report that this inept administration will undoubtedly try to label as fake news being that they are science deniers is out for you to peruse.  

8. I never thought I'd be an avid reader of a pastor blogger but damn if John Pavlovitz has not been resonating with me, one of the least religious people on earth. Take some of these excerpts (below) from a recent blog post about why he opposes Donald Trump - I feel like they were written from my own heart, especially about the reasons why I continue to call out what I see and how this goes far beyond one man and even beyond politics in general. And this reverberated so fiercely within me: I'm probably not going to apologize for being passionate about people. Me neither, John. But in my case make probably definitely. That's a promise.

9. Reminder:

10. E-card of the week: Some weeks. Like this one. LOL

Congrats to Christy P for winning my $60 six year anniversary giveaway. 

Today is my Friday.
shanananaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Neighborhood facebook groups are on my last fucking nerve

Neighborhood facebook groups are on my last fucking nerve recently. They've degenerated from places to share info or ask questions into places to bitch incessantly. Those who live in the neighborhood and have no lives hang on every post to add their two cents, even when their contribution is off-topic, and the next thing you know there are 590 bullshit comments.

I swear over the past three months for every 10 posts, nine of them are negative. And in the comments of the one positive post lurks someone trying to turn the conversation towards the negative because they just can't help themselves.

People seem to spend 97% of the time lamenting over how things are changing and it's everyone else's fault but theirs, 3% of the time ignoring what posts are about and going off on their own diatribe, and 0% of the time thinking of what they could personally do to make their communities better places. Sweet Jesus what a positive impact it would have on the community if people acted with as much fervor as they posted. Reminder: posting on the internet in private groups doesn't count as working hard to be a good member of your community.

There are a few types of people in these groups. The person I hate the most is the one with big internet balls who acts tough and calls people out online instead of knocking on their door and discussing things like adults do. You know, those if you have a problem, you know where to find me people. All the eye rolls, you attention whoring idiot. The person on these sites I love the most is the one who is a comedian in the comments and who keeps up neighborhood running jokes. We need someone to lighten things up and you are heroes.

I'm on a page for our neighborhood in Philly and one for the shore. I literally spend most of my time reading them with my mouth agape. People are fucking crazy and judging from what they post, they don't care who knows it. I have to watch my consumption of these groups because too much has me hating my neighbors and where I live. Don't get me wrong - I know the comfort that comes with commiserating over a common problem, but when it tips too far into everything is a problem and we're all going to die, it's time to get out.

Is this everywhere? Does your neighborhood have one? Does good come out of it or is it Debbie Downerville?