Jess

I’ve been following Tim Ferriss’ method of weight loss, noted here: http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2007/04/06/how-to-lose-20-lbs-of-fat-in-30-days-without-doing-any-exercise/

And have loved the results so far! I’ve been following it for roughly 3 weeks, and have already lost 14 lbs! Granted, I could have lost some of that easily by cutting out the “eating out” I was doing almost daily.

I was 0.8lbs away from the 200lb mark. Once I hit it, I will be halfway to my goal :)

So a little story about my move.

I originally rented, for 3 years, a 3-br apartment at a highrise apartment complex. It wasn’t until I was there for about 2 years that I discovered apartmentratings.com, where others shared in my misery. The complex had an average 16% rating (out of 100%). Old/broken elevators, barely any guest parking (and a shark-like towtruck), no security, odd smells, disrespectful neighbors.. the whole 9 Yards.

So, about 6 months prior to my lease ending, one of the two roommates (good friend of mine, pleasure to live with) gets engaged, so he and his fiance find a place together. So, I needs to move!

I talk to a coworker of mine (same interests, but hours that would leave us home alone a lot).. he was really into looking for about 2 weeks, but totally slacked off. I kept suggesting, he kept denying. We checked places out, he didn’t like them for X, Y, and Z reason. Hard to get a hold of, just not really a great experience. Nothing against him or anything, but he could have told me he really wasn’t interested earlier on.

So, I’m burning the midnight oil trying to find a decent place to live that’s closer to my work, or at least closer to fun stuff.. can’t find anything thats available and not $2k/month for a 1 bedroom :/

So, I was down to the wire. I figured I was going to have to pay rent for another month (3bedroom apt, utils, everyhing solo.. would probably be $2100). At the least minute, I find a guy who seems decent, renting a bedroom in a GORGEOUS condo that he (his parents :/) bought, within my budget.

So, I had a total of 6 days to pack all my stuff and move (working 2 of the 6 days), including getting rid of furniture and a WHOLE lot of junk that was just piling up in my spacious closets. Plus, the new condo didn’t have an elevator available for moving until MONDAY (meaning I had to take the day off, rent a uhaul sunday so I could get some help loading it up, and no help moving it out on monday because everyone was at work!).

So, I show up with the u-haul on monday, thinking I was going to have to move everything with my 110lb girlfriend.. and lo-and-behold, the condo provided us with two non-english speaking gentlemen to assist us! It took us THIRTY MINUTES to move all my furniture. Score! I would have tipped them, but I didn’t have any cash and didn’t realize I was going to be provided help.. bah.

On top of that, one of the 2 elevators at my old apartment was “closed for repair” for 12-16 WEEKS, of which included moving things down on Sunday. So, that took longer than necessary.

For the next few days, I ran carload after carload of the stuff that wasn’t packed / wouldn’t fit into the uhaul (Had to get it back or pay for another day—in retrospect, I should have just kept it)... driving back and forth till six in the morning for another 3 days. Awful.

While the experience sucked, I’m glad to be out. The new place is much, MUCH nicer.. the staff is more friendly, everything is brand new (I moved in the first day they actually allowed it!).. about the same distance to work, but closer to some of the nightlife.

Recommendations: Plan further ahead, including reserving elevator times, U-Haul and Friend rentals. Consider hiring movers. Start trimming down your excess baggage months prior to your move.. it’s amazing how much stuff that you really DON’T NEED that builds up!

Good luck!

Virginia, North Carolina, Washington DC, Kentucky, West Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, Washington, Oregon, Florida

16 down, 34 to go.