I'm so glad I'm moving

[rusty_halo]

So I get home today to find that my roommate has broken my lamp. It's in the kitchen, and he tripped on its wire while doing laundry. Okay, but the glass part around the top shattered, and left shards of glass everywhere, and he did a crappy job of picking it up. There were bite-sized shards of glass next to my cats' food bowl. And he offered to pay for another glass rim part "if I could find one." Why do I have to find it? He's the one who broke my lamp!

Oh, and the reason the lamp was in the kitchen? Both of the kitchen lights stopped working. I replaced the bulbs; they still don't work. Something with the wiring. And I can't call maintenance because of my cats. Apparently I'll be cooking in the dark now.

And then I got my lease renewal notice. Rent is increasing by $200/month for one year, and $400/month for two years. $2800/month for a one-bedroom with a leaky roof and lights that don't work? I know Manhattan's nicely located and all, but I don't mind moving anyway because the culture is really going to suck when only insanely rich people can afford to live here.

Fuck it. Brooklyn, here I come.

Comments

[chase820.livejournal.com]

I read an article about that recently: that soaring real estate in Manhattan means all the cool, funky, creative people who really give the place its juice are being driven out by soaring rents. All that will be left are the white, rich, and boring.

Which means 20 years from now Brooklyn will be the coolest place on earth, and the entire island of Manhattan will resemble Disney World for millionaires. Blech.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Yep! Except that then all the rents in Brooklyn will go up and no one cool will be able to live there either. >:(

Which is why I'm going to buy something... just as soon as I win the lottery. *sigh*

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Oh, and Manhattan really is turning into Disney World for millionaires. First Times Square, now the whole place. I swear it's every single day that I hear about somewhere cool, interesting, and independent being pushed out by a greedy landlord and replaced with a Starbucks or Chase Bank.

[aea]

Butting in-
Brooklyn rent is already getting higher, and in my neighborhood the banks are taking over. It's ridiculous.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Note to self: GET A RENT CONTROLLED APARTMENT.

*sigh*

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Holy Moses, 2800/month????? Good Lord, that's ridiculous.
The four of us live on that kind of money, rent and food, and all....
So, what is the rent going to be like in Brooklyn?

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Well, that's with the $400 increase. And I have a roommate, so I pay half of the rent and bills.

The cost in Brooklyn will depend on the location (closer to Manhattan = more expensive) and whether I get a place on my own or with another roommate. On my own, I'm hoping for around $1100-$1200; with a roommate I'd like to find something between $1400-$1800.

I'd really like to get something rent-controlled, so that I don't get kicked out of yet another cool area as it gentrifies, but I know that's a long shot. And I'm hoping to avoid a broker fee (which is something like 15-20% of your yearly rent), but I don't know how feasible that is either. So I'm frantically saving every penny for this summer.

[estepheia.livejournal.com]

Makes me wonder, how much I'd earn in the US. Are the wages so much higher?
I suppose you guys don't get as much deducted for taxes, health insurance and pension funds...

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Well, New York City is *insane*. Other people in the U.S. also look at me like I'm crazy when I mention how much it costs to live here. But the culture/atmosphere/energy here is so wonderful and diverse and interesting--I'd never be willing to go back to suburbia or Middle America.

[soundingsea.livejournal.com]

I hope you find something reasonable in Brooklyn. It sounds like Manhattan is doing its darndest to become totally unaffordable. And who needs that?

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I've got my fingers crossed!

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Your roommate is a pillock.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

He's actually one of the better ones so far. :(

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

You can probably still get a studio around my neighborhood for $1100 or so. (And dude, for $2800 you could get a two-bedroom DUPLEX in my neighborhood, which is two stops to Union Square. Our new place is way less than that.)

Maybe you should come and scout out the neighborhood one evening and then come over and watch TV :)

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

I would SO be up for that.

I'm concerned about being both close to a subway stop and not too far from Manhattan, which I know makes it harder. And I want a nearby grocery store with a decent selection of vegan food, and nearby laundry (or even laundry in the building *sigh*).... and it would be so nice to avoid a broker.

So, hey, let's schedule a Sean Bean night. Maybe a Friday or a Saturday? How about April 13/14, or 20/21?

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

I have someone staying over on the 13th-14th, but I think the 20th works fine. (There's even a really good vegan restaurant right near me, so you can order in with no fear :P)

I would check Craigslist for no-fee apartments - both Prospect Heights and Fort Greene are very close to multiple subways and not so far from Manhattan (although you'll want to make sure you're not looking at anything near the big stadium development.) Brokers = anathema! Park Slope is also really great (and huge) but a little further into Brooklyn. There's also Brooklyn Heights (which is pricey, though) and Boerum Hill and Caroll Gardens as well. If you see something you think is interesting, let me know, because I might be able to give you more info on the exact location.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

My parents just invited me to a last minute trip to Disney World... on the 20th. Dammit. And I'm busy the weekend after.

Maybe... what's the weekend after that? May 4-5? Or anytime after that?

Sorry about this. I didn't realize it was going to be so complicated. (Damn our busy social lives... oh, wait, no....)

What's the name of the vegan restaurant, btw? I'm curious which one it is!

WE WILL SEE SEAN BEAN EVENTUALLY!

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Actually, I think May might work out better for me anyway! So let's plan for that - May 4th or bust.

The vegan restaurant is called "Red Bamboo" - it was very good.


WE WILL SEE SEAN BEAN EVENTUALLY!

Hee! This will be our BATTLECRY!!

[irfikos.livejournal.com]

Somebody I was talking to recently mentioned that all the cool, hip people in NY are moving to Brooklyn becaus Manhattan is too expensive.

Apparently, this is indicative of your hipness, so go you. Literally, I guess.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Dammit, I HATE HIPSTERS. But they congregate in the same places that the vegan restaurants pop up, so I guess I'm eternally stuck with them.

[irfikos.livejournal.com]

i can send you an "i'm in scenester hell" sticker if it would help.

[irfikos.livejournal.com]

my mom has a friend whose son apparently works for one of those graphic design job placement agencies somewhere in booklyn. she offered to pass on my resume/portfolio if i want.

i dunno though. ny is so damn foreign to me. i think i'd want to visit before i ever considered moving there.

plus, i know nothing about those agencies since we don't have them here. and my odds of even getting job are slim.

though on the pro side, i would now know 2 different people in brooklyn.

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

You would love New York. There is so much diversity of thought and culture here. Seriously, I could *so* see you thriving in a place like this.

But, yes, you should visit first! (And you definitely have at least one place to stay if you decide to visit for a few days.)

[tazical.livejournal.com]

Kitchen lights? Ah, something I can try and help with!

Are they striplights? If so, have you replaced the starter motors? Next to the tubes, that's the most common problem and a lot of people don't realise there's something else there to check. Also make sure that the pins are fully engaged as some style lights need twisting clockwise before the tubes will fully lock in.

Failing that, check your fuseboard and see if any of the switches are down or, if it's the older type of fuseboard, check if one of the buttons has popped out or if any of the fusewire is broken (the lights will be on one of the 5amp circuits). If that's not the problem then yeah, you have a wiring issue.

p.s. Your roomate sucks!

[rusty_halo.livejournal.com]

Um ....

*stares hard at what you wrote for about five minutes with zero comprehension*

...what?

Thank you for trying to help, but I'm technologically clueless. I will try asking one of my more technologically astute friends to look at it!

[irfikos.livejournal.com]

i think the first paragraph refers possibly to fluorescents. maybe. (also quite clueless.)

the second is about blown fuses. i think i know about that. there are 2 types of fusebox. one that has switches for the circuits & one that has fuses. y'know, they screw into the box like light bulbs. if you have access to your fusebox, you can check to see if a) one of the switches has flipped to the off position or b) one of the fuses looks like the fusey goodness inside is broken (i'm less good with fuses).

if a switch has flipped, just reset it by flipping it back. if the fuse is bad, you can replace it. they're not expensive.

i may not make any more sense. you may already know what i'm explaining, too. if so... never mind.