LeahAndMark.com

Sunday morning and we went to Pastries-A-Go-Go for a small breakfast. This has become our go to place for breakfast on the weekends, mostly because it’s a no-brainer and going there is practically like stepping out our door and into the restaurant. Sort of.

I think some of the servers are beginning to recognize us too - they’ve always have the same people working there - so you know it’s a good place for servers too apparently.

This is Leah. She’s reciting Chinese phrases and tragically failing at getting me to repeat and learn much more than the little that I know at the moment. But I guess I’ll load the Pimsleur lessons I have onto my .mp3 player and just listen to that for part of the 20 hour flight to China and re-activate the little bit that I do know - at least it’ll acclimate me to listening to the language again.

Packing a little today - but mostly doing all the laundry that we need to do - which is quite substantial since ummmm… well, it just is okay? We were going to do some yesterday but it rained the entire day yesterday and well… we have an odd setup at this current house.

See… this is the back of our house. We rent the upstairs and no one lives downstairs. Anyways, downstairs is setup for a stackable set of washer/dryer however, have you seen the prices for stackables? Insane. So we have a regular set.

Except the washer is upstairs, and the dryer is downstairs. Yes. I wash the clothes, load them up, walk down the stairs and throw them in the dryer. Then bring them back up when they’re done.

On the side of the building there is this long plastic pipe I bought from Lowe’s and hooked up myself so that the water could drain all the way down to the ground since it wasn’t originally set up that way - I can be handy in a half-assed sort of way - I’ll make it work… but it won’t really be pretty and definitely not correct for sure (most of the time).

So it rained all day yesterday and it’s pretty wet and gloomy today but there is no more time - we must battle the laundry!

Oh yeah. Today is ummm… the ING marathon and our friend Deanna J. is running the half marathon, 13.1 miles! Wow! I ran 8 miles once - but I didn’t really train for it - and then I slept for the next two days and didn’t really feel good for 2 more - ha. Yeah.

We crossed the street and went over the railroad tracks to check them out.

First of all, I would like to say that I am Awesome. And that Superman Dean Cain is really just the less asian version of ME.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s run down the events of this morning. First we woke up, then went down to the BofA and got our traveler’s checks and some cash. That was pretty easy and painless - swipe your bank card, sign here, and there and everywhere else and here ya go!

So we had some time to kill before we went to check out our potential living space and we decided to stop by Dancing Goats Coffee for a second. They have great coffee and the space is big and open and OMG. They have some of the most best (yes I know) plain sugar donuts.

And then after that we went to go check out our possible new apartment. It’s located deep in the historic Inman Park district and deep in the area where the Inman Park Festival occurs. Like literally right in front of our house. These are some of the houses next door to where we’re gonna live:

Apparently this is the house they used for the fortune teller’s house in that um, awesome movie Love Potion #9. But Yeah.

Below is the view through the dirty kitchen window into the neighbor’s back yard - apparently this was one of the primary Woodruff homes for a long time. (Inman Park has a lot of history that I have no clue about - but if you’re not from Atlanta, just know that the Woodruff family are like the Carnegies - except for Atlanta.)

Oh yes. Here’s our apartment! Isn’t it $&$(*#*# Awesome!

…no just kidding - it’s that apartment in the back over there. hahaha. We live behind this house. Here’s our actual place.

We basically live above a three-car garage - but we get one of the car spaces so that’s cool. And even then, if I have to park on the street - no big deal. It’s a one bedroom with washer/drier, central heat/ac, a dishwasher, AND they’re repainting everything, installing new bathroom fixtures/sink, two walk-in bedroom closets, AND they’re putting down all new WOOD FLOORING. It’s insanely awesome.

How does that compare to our current place? Well. Take away the washer/drier, central heat/ac, dishwasher, insulation, painted walls, a vanity sink in the bathroom, walk-in closets, did I mention insulation? and add rotting wood frames around the windows and you basically have the current place we live in now.

So yeah. Big upgrade and seriously for only $150 more a month. INSANELY good fortune.

We’ll be moving in July - two months after we get back from China. So look at all of these happy occurrences. If I was a less confident and deliriously positive/stubborn person, I would think that something bad is bound to happen now - except this ride that Leah and I have been on together ever since we met has never stopped and although many ups and downs have occurred, nothing can possibly stop us.

Even during the hard times or the worst moments, when brought down to a realistic perspective - we’re way better off than many - but that doesn’t mean that we haven’t worked insanely hard - and will be forced to continue working even harder - because obviously life, the universe and everything else that moves you will keep raising the bar and Leah and I definitely don’t have time to think about anything other than how to beat those expectations.

Ah, and now a cat picture - hey, I’m not gonna see my cats for a month, don’t make fun of me!

Oh yeah, one more thing. I caught these two people taking photos as we were passing through L5P - which by the way if I may brag just a little more - is less than a quarter of a mile from our new house. Okay I’m done.

After a grueling day of work (more preparation in general for the telecommuting from China, and then also just general stuff that I had to get done that… is actual work but it’s the type of thing that no one knows you do even though it saves everyone a lot of extra work if you do it) and then it was time for the Yelpy Office Hours Event @ Java Vino.

This event was run/submitted by the regional Yelp boss, Deanna J. and she rocks - because when it’s an official yelp event (or somewhat) you get free stuff, like free drinks and then of course… there’s always free yelp junk like um, yelp stick, stickers, buttons, and all this other stuff that I never really take. But it’s still cool cause again, we get to hangout with people that we can have great conversations with and who actually have lives and goals. It’s just so different from other online social groups - AND it doesn’t have that whole ‘networking’ feel that most ‘events’ have for people in our age group.

Deanna is the one in red wearing the I *heart* Yelp - of course.

Java Vino was a nice spot for this, especially since it was a small group of around 7 people and we had a good time talking to each other about stuff - even though as far as guys, it was just me and one other guy. But our friend Yuna was there and it was really great to get a chance to talk to her for a bit about Korea and just getting to know her in general. (She’s the one the first picture with the blurry hands.)

We also got to talk to Laura D. - the person there sitting on the table. Here’s the thing about Yelp events, you never really have to worry about not getting around to talking to people because eventually, you’ll get a chance to actually talk to them beyond the ‘hello I’m Mark T.’ introduction. You initially want to have some sort of conversation with these people who you’ve known ‘online’ but then if you’re awkward like me, you freak out when you actually have to meet them in person the first time… so usually I don’t actually talk to these people until at least the 2nd time I meet them at a yelp event.

I know. This may have been a totally boring entry. But still. I can’t keep talking about China - it’ll get better when we actually fly out on Tuesday morning.

Oh yeah. I got a haircut - by my favorite Cambodian lady who cuts my hair at the GreatClips on Windward Parkway.

Oh, and one more - This is Three-Four, I’ve been giving him reiki everyday since I got my chakras attuned. He’s really come around. Whereas when I first started, he really wouldn’t sit still for it, and he didn’t really absorb any at all. But now he totally relaxes and stretches out - more than he’s ever done before in his life - and these last few days he’s been absorbing A LOT of energy. It’s an interesting feeling and when I reiki either of our cats I feel them pulling much more energy than any of the actual humans I’ve given reiki to… anyways… it’s just cool.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to get up and do any real work on the weekends. The days (and nights) are simply too packed now and when Friday night, or Saturday morning come around… I want nothing - or rather, I want to do nothing. Nothing at all. Except hang out, with other people or even just myself, all of it is all good.

Whereas we used to wake up around 5,6, 7am on Saturday, the clock has been pushed back and it’s usually around 8am when I finally get up… to make coffee and fight back doing anything for as long as I can. Since moving to Atlanta, I can say that weekends are better, slower, and I just feel more alive on Saturday and Sunday than I ever did in Phoenix.

Maybe it’s just where I am in life at this point, because I’m looking forward to so much more, both with Leah and for me individually. With the China trip rushing at us, even though I have my finances literally planned out on paper through the end of October… it’s all open to everything that may come our way.

So on this early Sunday afternoon with writing assignments gnawing at me and school projects sitting there waiting to be taken care of, everything else is at the front of my head and the urge to run and live is always fighting the structure of preparation associated with work and school.

This was breakfast today. After getting up, I went down the street to pick up some supplies:

• Eggs
• English Muffins (Wheat!)
• Tomato
• Avocado

Total: $8.72 + Cheese we had, and coffee we also already had… breakfast for both of us!

It made us ask the question: Why don’t we do this more often? - we really should.

My new camera is great, and while I’m not the best at taking great (good) shots… it doesn’t seem to stop me from snapping photos forever and ever… and ever.

-Mark

We have a chance to live in an apartment deep in Inman Park. Sure the rent will be $800 per month, but if the apartment is in good condition, with onsite washer/dryer and central air/heating… well… $800 is a bargain compared to the space we’re currently renting, which has no insulation and rotting wood frames around the windows.

What started out as a great deal, is now a sad space that we’re just waiting to leave. Hopefully it won’t get too hot in June before we leave in July. Last year, it was so hot that we could only live in half the house at a time. And for only $150 more per month we’ll be able to live in a relatively modern (well, a historic home with modern amenities)… is something I definitely prefer.

On my regular paycheck alone I can cover the $650 amount we pay now if we needed to, but then for the extra $150 to get to $800, I’ll just keep doing my freelance writing, and google ads for some extra money.

Sure Leah won’t be working full time, but if we cut out other expenses, like DVR/Cable TV, and then we don’t eat out nearly as often as we do now… that alone will save us $150 or more per month. Seriously. It’s a good deal and I hope it works out.

-Mark