[ in my car i'm in control ]

Today was the day.

I went to the DMV (or I guess the MVD, as it's called here) this morning. Forty-five minutes, a crapload of money, and an awkward picture later, and I'm more officially an Arizona resident. I now have an AZ license, license plate, registration and title.

Woo!

[ in my car i'll be the driver by shania twain ]

All moved in, ready to work

Well, I am completely moved in (except for a few small things I need to buy containers for & the boxes of books headed my way next week). The apartment is looking good. Jesse will be here in two weeks. I officially have two jobs equally 40 hours a week. Life is going pretty well right now.

I've got assignments from Stuart for this week because he's out of town, and I'm starting work with Brenda also. I'm really really excited to work for both of them, and also to work on setting myself up: new website, new work, new logo, new everything. It should be funnnn.

The bedroom, complete with my Tigger stuffed animal until Jesse finally arrives.

The kitchen & porch. You can't see my PorchBuddha or PorchCacti from here, but I'm sure they'll both make appearances soon enough.

Bright, and beautiful, and huge kitchen.

Living room, loving it.

Living room & television from the entrance.

All the furniture either came from Ikea or Target, and I justsobarely went over the budget we set for ourselves. But I'm okay with it. Because I LOVE everything we have.

Almost there

I am soveryclose to being completely moved in. Technically, I have all my furniture. However, there's a huge hole punched in the headboard of my bed, so a new one is coming today. I lovelovelove my apartment. It's fabulous. Photos to come!

Made It!

Well, I've officially made it to my new home! The car load of stuff that was in my car is in my apartment, although now there's a load full of stuff from Target in there. However, I'm going furniture shopping today, so hopefully it will feel more home-like, as opposed to right now, when the only room that looks like an actual room is my bathroom because I had to take a shower last night after moving all my crap into the room in the blistering heat. Holy moly.

Fort Smith to Santa Rosa

About nine hours. I think about six hundred miles. Three quarters down, one to go.

Nashville to Fort Smith

Eight hours. About five hundred more miles. Lots and lots of super flat farmland. Halfway there.

Raleigh to Nashville

Nine hours and fifteen minutes. Five hundred and fifty miles. Good times. One quarter of the way to Phoenix.

Ready to drive...

Well, this is it. My last morning as an east coaster. As soon as I get out of bed, and hit the road with my mom, it will all start.

Oooooooh jeez.

All packed up...

Well, not really. I've still got to pack my clothes and the other random stuff lying around my room, and then actually pack the car, but I'm basically there.

I'm leaving tomorrow for Peoria, Arizona. After twenty-two years of East Coast living, I'm striking out on my own for the West. Well, not really on my own. My mom & dad are helping me move in, and then my boyfriend is moving in with me in July when he gets back from Israel.

I'm going to be working as an assistant to at least one photographer, hopefully two. And I'm going to slowly, slowly be working on a creating greeting cards and other such paper goods. Maybe I'll learn to make jewelry, or seriously start knitting again. Who knows.

Everything is new now. Hopefully I'll keep up with this. I feel like I'll need it.