2BR

I'm facing an imminent move from my lovely 1BR to move in with my boyfriend (yes, it's terribly scandalous). We're decidedly committed to one another, we've been together for sometime, and the values and moral code I was raised with and continue to follow don't condemn pre-marital co-habitation. And yet, when I tell people that I'm moving in with my boyfriend, I blush. There's a part of me that is embarassed/uncomfortable with the conclusions and assumptions people may be making. Most of the people I know are very supportive of the whole endeavor, but there are always those tales of caution from people whose relationships soured once the couple became roommates. The words of my parents, who rarely give explicit advice, echo loudly: Whatever you do, however often you and your significant other spend time at one another's homes, you should always keep a place of your own - even if it's just a room. It's worth having a place to call your own in case something goes wrong. They have their own reasons for giving this advice - very relevant situtations they found themselves in when they were my age. Yet, they're cheerleaders of this move. I guess it has to do with the level of commitment between S. and I. Things are good between us, we've made the decision to move in together very thoughfully and deliberatly, with lots of talking about what this means to both of us. I guess that the blushing part of me is the part that wants people to know this -- for whatever reason (where the hell did I get this Puritanical monkey on my back anyway?)

Well, in any case, I've now begun the apartment search in earnest. Today brings the total to 16 apartments. 1 application accepted, 1 application pending. 2 more units to see tomorrow. Thankfully, I kind of like the task (as long as it has a happy ending in the next week or so). It's a whole new way of getting to know the city. Peeling back the curtain on what lies behind all those brick and concrete facades. Unfortunately, I've seen a few too many attempts at turning a basement into a "light filled English garden apartment". People, if you've got a basement, use it for storage, or put a pool table and ping pong table down there. Hell, throw ragers there every Saturday night and let the floor turn sticky. But don't try luring people to rent the dark pit by wasting your money on subzero fridges, granite countertops and crown molding. We see through your ruse.