A Lovely Place to Live

I truly love where I live. I have dreamed for years about having my own place that I can decorate and clean and organize (what can I say, I'm a stage manager). And this teeny tiny little apartment couldn't be more perfect. I even love it through all of its faults. Sure there's some cracked tile in the bathroom, paint flecks on the floor from the last paint job, overhead lighting that could make a super model look like an ogre, and a shower that tries to be mighty but usually fails but I love it through all of that. It's great that everything is within 20 steps of each other. My bathroom directly leads into my closet and my dressing table stands right outside the door. The kitchen can hardly hold anything but it's just the right size for my meager necessities. Every corner is filled with something though the room never feels crowded. I sit at my desk to do work (which is new--I haven't used my desk for work in years but sitting near the window inspires me) and I also have a lovely reading corner, complete with ottoman and a side table shaped like a movie reel topped off with my "stage manager's make it happen wand" grad school edition, courtesy of Linda. My windowsill is the perfect spot to sit and read as well, especially when I need to cool off and don't feel like running the fan. My walls and bookshelf are covered with memories of those I love and miss most in the world. Everywhere I turn there is either a meaningful quote, a picture, or a memory from home. And everything has a place. We have managed to fit so much elegant storage in this little room that nothing feels cluttered or out of place. It inspires me to clean, which I do frequently. Having both a hard wood floor to mop and a carpet to vacuum is considered joyous, though I'm still figuring that one out. I'm even enjoying the neighborhood. I've never lived downtown before and the sounds and character of living here is very interesting and educational. Sometimes you learn more walking down the street than you do sitting with your classmates. The houses and buildings here are just so unlike any I'd live near in California and I adore them. I've always had a thing for beautiful houses and although most of these could use some TLC, they still have their original character. They manage to have a hint of elegance amongst their deteriorating exterior. Overall this is the best living situation I've ever experienced and I look forward to this being my safe haven when life gets busier and inevitably more overwhelming and over stimulating. For now I'm just enjoying the peace.