Matt’s News / Blog

I’m now living in my new apartment! I spent last Tuesday loading the moving truck, Wednesday driving to Westmont, and unloading the truck. Thursday we finished unloading then I drove back to Indiana and helped Alisse pack on Friday. My dad flew down from Michigan to help me move — he was a big help.

Saturday was Alisse’s graduation. It went pretty well, but there were two disappointments: it was inside and her professor mis-pronounced her name. We finished packing Alisse’s stuff yesterday and drove back to Chicago. It was weird to think of driving up to Chicago as driving ‘home’.

Today, I got TV and Internet hooked up. I was please to find that U-Verse was available in my apartment complex, so I got that again. It’s much nicer and cheaper then Comcast.

Well, tomorrow is my first day of my new job. I’m really excited!

Don’t worry, I will post pictures of my new apartment soon (once things are unpacked).

Currently, I have two phone lines, a cell phone and a Vonage VOIP phone line. Both have Muncie numbers. I’m trying to decided what to do with them.

Should I try to get a new Chicago-area cell phone number? Or keep my Muncie cell phone number. I might be able to get a new number then transfer my old cell number to Vonage, so people could still call me at the new number.

I can change my Vonage number to a Chicago area number, but they give you an option of keeping your old number and forwarding it to your new number. Seems like this might be work the $5 a/month until everything is switched.

I’m am just about finished packing up my apartment. The things that are left I will need in the next day or so. My dad is coming down from Michigan to help me load the truck and drive the truck and my car up to Chicago. We’re loading the truck tomorrow then driving up on Wednesday and unloading in the afternoon / evening. So, it’s going to be a busy next couple of days.

This morning I woke up and checked my bank account. Just as promises was a deposit of $600 from the government. I’ve been a little skeptical of the whole stimulus plan. First, it’s not all really free money, it just an advance on next years tax return. When next spring rolls around will we be de-stimulated? It’s just a short term band-aid for the bigger problem. Second, will really stimulate the economy? The main economic problems deal with the mortgage and housing industries. Sure, the money will probably help some families for a couple of months, but it doesn’t fix the real problem. Thirdly, with our national debt ever rising, where is the extra money coming from? Is the U.S. borrowing it? Or making new money? Either sound like bad ideas with the current state of the economy.

Well, you may be wondering what I’m doing with the money. Essentially, it will go towards savings — but it probably won’t go to my savings account. Let me explain, since I’m transitioning to a new apartment and job I have needed to borrow from my savings account to cover things like a 69% increase in rent and moving expenses. So, with the stimulus check in my account, I won’t need to borrow as much from savings.

Maybe I should buy this instead. I think it would do a better job of stimulating the economy :).

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to go for a run. It looked a little like it might rain but the radar looked clear. I headed over to the park along the White River. When I got there, it was cloudy, but no rain. So I started to run. I didn’t get very far when it started to sprinkle. I thought, this is okay so I kept going and it kept raining hard. It was a light rain, so I kept on going. It was actually pretty nice — somewhat refreshing. For the rest of my run, it varied from light sprinkles to moderate rain. By the time I got back to my car, I was soaked — not so refreshing any more. As I was heading home, it stopped raining.

While dodging rain drops I ran past my old office. It still seems pretty weird to think of it as my “old office” and to think my former co-workers working on the same things I was working on just days ago while I sleep in, pack my apartment and go for a jog in the middle of the afternoon. There are a lot of great people that I’ll miss working with. But I’m excited for my new position and the opportunities it has and for living in the Chicago area.

I’m not just referring to to the impending primary election in Indiana tomorrow (I’m voting in it) but also to several big events in my life.

Alisse is graduating in two weeks. It’s hard to believe that she’s done! That also means that our wedding is approaching quickly.

Tomorrow is my last day at work. That’s right, I resigned two weeks ago and tomorrow is my last day. “Why did you resign?” you might ask. Well, I’m moving to the Chicago-area and I’m starting a new job in two weeks.

This past weekend, Alisse and I were up in Chicago-land looking at apartments. We found one that we are really excited about. It’s a large 1 bedroom (800 sq feet, my current 2-bedroom is 825 sq feet), has new appliances, cabinets, carpet and bathroom. Oh, we are also excited about having a gas stove — they are much nicer for cooking then electric. The best part, it’s within budget (rent is ridiculous in Chicago)! It’s a mile from the Metra station and 8 miles from my new office and very close to just about every imaginable store. In case you’re wondering, it’s in Westmont. I’m moving in next week!

Alisse and I were in an open-air mall this weekend. We were walking along and she turn and said, “Is that a fake goose?” Nope, it wasn’t, it was a real, live goose, in the mall. I thought it was funny.

“HONK” (in your best goose-like voice)

Oh, yes, I realize the last “Goose on the Roof” installment was quite boring. I am sorry.