What a relief!!! Monday night I looked at three places and I think I found one I like! I thought the day would never come.
#10 - Incense Headache
The first place I visited Monday night after work was in a happening part of Richmond, just a few kilometers from the office. The location was pretty great being so close to the city with trams super close to the house and a grocery store just down the street (things you think about when you have to walk to the store and CARRY your groceries home). Brett is the guy who lives there who e-mailed me a map and directions both from the city and from St Kilda where I live now. It seemed like a lot of effort, which made a good first impression. We instantly hit it off, had a great conversation, lots of things in common. The house was older and a bit cluttered. Brett had burned incense before I arrived, which I hate, and left me with a headache for the remainder of the evening. No plans to live there, but maybe we can hang out...
#11 - Hippie Enviro Freaks
The next house was a pit, which I should have expected based on the low rent. The girls were really environmentally conscious (over the top), one of whom is in fashion and designs and makes clothing out of recycled garments and materials. The other teaches kids about the environment/recycling/etc. The house felt just as you may imagine it would - like the inside of a goodwill store. You know how much I love those! I felt as though hemp and an herb garden would grow uncontrollably and strangle me in the night.
#12 - Dream Chasers
Ahhh!!! Finally! I think I found a place!!! It's a house in North Fitzroy/East Brunswick. It's a little further north than I thought I wanted, but it's a cool house, and best of all, I LOVE the people who live there. The guys from work are all telling me that it's a really great location, one where many of them have lived before, and they're telling me all the good stuff that's nearby. It's a four bedroom house. Three other people live there - a girl and two guys. Jade (26) works for a TV show ("Thank God You're Here" - most similar to "Whose Line is it Anyway?" - it's funny), Heath (27) is in a band that's signed (it's called Children Collide - they have a myspace page), and Daniel (26) does hair education at Aveda. I love that they all have jobs doing what they really want to do in life. It's so inspiring to see people pursuing their passion. I first went to their house Monday night and met Jade and Daniel. We had a really great conversation and I REALLY liked them. They texted me five minutes after I left saying that they really liked me and wanted me to meet the other guy if I was interested. So I went back tonight to meet Heath. We shared a couple bottles of wine and Jade had cooked a squash, spinach, feta pie. Again we had so much fun - easy conversation, lots of laughter. Daniel asked if I wanted to be a color model. Ummmm, YEAH! Bribery, it works. They are supposed to let me know in the morning for sure if they want me to move in, but I feel good about it. I think this may be the one! The kitchen is huge and beautiful - wood floors, granite counter tops, wood cabinets - NICE - and it's open to the dining area which has two huge glass doors that open to a very well landscaped good sized courtyard, which will be so great in summer! The living room is in the works, and my room is kind of interesting (may have been a formal dining room at one time??). It has doors to the living room (closed obviously) and a rounded entrance for which a door is being installed (curtain only for now). My bedroom is pretty big, has really tall ceilings, and a chandelier with a dimmer. The carpet is really dirty (stained, not needing to be vacuumed). I've found dirty carpet to be the case in a lot of homes in Melbourne - especially rentals where they just don't care, so I think I can look past it. I have no built in robe/closet, but Jade has an extra one in her room that I can use. There is an oddly placed shower opposite a toilet back by the kitchen on the first floor - my room is on the first floor and the other bedrooms are all upstairs with the other bathroom, so I'd have the shower to myself, or can share the one upstairs. The best part is definitely the housemates - I really like them and can see us having so much fun. I feel so good about the place. I was so excited last night that I couldn't sleep (and that is NEVER a problem for me).
