When I relocated from the Bay Area to up-north I found the most inexpensive but relatively modern domicile quite by accident. This is a depressed area, and to find something built within the past 40 years isn't easy. There is a shortage of housing so even the claptrap, rundown Victorians and the other shacks available are still relatively pricey for what you get.
It's a duplex, but the other side is a temporary rental and isn't always occupied. I can keep my stuff here, sleep here, and prepare my food and come and go all I want in exchange for $1300 to the landlord. I estimate that it is about 650 ft.² The living room is so tiny that we decided we will not use the front door just so we can have a wall wide enough to put our 55 inch flatscreen. We come and go through the garage.
I moved up here first and then my wife moved in a month later from Portland with all of the rest of our stuff. Soon became apparent that even if we wanted we could not fit it all inside the house. The majority of our things, or perhaps I should say about half of our things, are still in the garage and will never be coming into the house.
I mentioned to DW to start thinking about what to get rid of, as we are not moving to a bigger place. She was agreeable. That's a big first step. I'd like to throw it all out but hey, that's just me.
Slow Burn, Slow Death
Re: Slow Burn, Slow Death
Heading back from the bay last night I was stymied in my valiant attempt to drive north because of the fires trying to wipe out Santa Rosa. I had to take winding mountain road to the coast and drive up north through Fort Bragg and then get back to 101 somehow, as the fires had decided to cross over 101 at several points. The authorities closed the freeway to dissuade any daredevils from trying to make a desperate run in trying to get home.
Part of my attempt saw me driving through the town of Santa Rosa searching for side roads to get me around the blockade, and what I saw was eye-opening. There was no electricity anywhere, everything was closed, people standing out on their sidewalks looking bewildered, smoke hanging in the air and cops everywhere. I saw some cruisers from Berkeley.
I did manage to make it around Santa Rosa and continue north on the 101 but about 15 miles north of Ukiah I was forced to go back and head for the coast on Highway one. This added about 2 1/2 hours to my trip, which I didn't mind because I was being paid for it, but what I found out today is that many of my coworkers in Santa Rosa lost their homes.
One lost his home in a fire while back in another part of the state; he moved to Santa Rosa so that it wouldn't happen again. And now it has happened again. I heard tales that both he and his wife were sobbing on the phone, absolutely devastated to have to go through this again, getting time off and trying to regroup somehow.
It's true that I hate my job with a holy passion and I'd almost rather be a street-living person begging for money rather than having go to work, but it could be worse: my house and everything in it could've burnt to a crisp. Twice. Santa Rosa is enjoying no natural gas now because with houses burning down the explosive dangers are obvious.
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2017/oct/9 ... s-south-w/
Part of my attempt saw me driving through the town of Santa Rosa searching for side roads to get me around the blockade, and what I saw was eye-opening. There was no electricity anywhere, everything was closed, people standing out on their sidewalks looking bewildered, smoke hanging in the air and cops everywhere. I saw some cruisers from Berkeley.
I did manage to make it around Santa Rosa and continue north on the 101 but about 15 miles north of Ukiah I was forced to go back and head for the coast on Highway one. This added about 2 1/2 hours to my trip, which I didn't mind because I was being paid for it, but what I found out today is that many of my coworkers in Santa Rosa lost their homes.
One lost his home in a fire while back in another part of the state; he moved to Santa Rosa so that it wouldn't happen again. And now it has happened again. I heard tales that both he and his wife were sobbing on the phone, absolutely devastated to have to go through this again, getting time off and trying to regroup somehow.
It's true that I hate my job with a holy passion and I'd almost rather be a street-living person begging for money rather than having go to work, but it could be worse: my house and everything in it could've burnt to a crisp. Twice. Santa Rosa is enjoying no natural gas now because with houses burning down the explosive dangers are obvious.
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2017/oct/9 ... s-south-w/
Looking and Smelling Good
Working is like taking on a tough exercise regimen, isn't it? I've had two days off in three weeks, today being one of those days. It isn't bothering me that much. I just get up, shower the filth off myself, brush my snags and head off to the office. Every day is like the day before. No life outside work, chores at home getting further behind, cat feeling orphaned, but I no longer want to hang myself. I think about retiring from this job every single day, but it's a longing more than it is a torture. My gross income for the last two weeks is over 8400 dollars. If this keeps up till the end of the year, and I don't think it will, but if it does I guess this will be the year that time forgot but helped out my indebtedness considerably.
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classical_Liberal
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Re: Slow Burn, Slow Death
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Last edited by classical_Liberal on Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Grind
Yes! That's it exactly.
A couple of co-workers are helping with the wildfire damage in CA and are making around 2000 dollar per day at 20 hours per day, and have been for 7 days in a row. I go from being jealous to being thankful I'm not doing that, but I wasn't given the option because of one cert I haven't earned yet.
I work with a 60 year old guy who hates OT with a passion and would never work it if he could get away with it, but sometimes we must. He'd much rather have a life than extra coin, even though he'll be working till 67 probably. The guys working all those hours are 32 and 36. Just seems like it was a lot easier then than it is now. Not sure what it is, really. Maybe the notion that I'm running out of days and don't want to spend them doing this?
A couple of co-workers are helping with the wildfire damage in CA and are making around 2000 dollar per day at 20 hours per day, and have been for 7 days in a row. I go from being jealous to being thankful I'm not doing that, but I wasn't given the option because of one cert I haven't earned yet.
I work with a 60 year old guy who hates OT with a passion and would never work it if he could get away with it, but sometimes we must. He'd much rather have a life than extra coin, even though he'll be working till 67 probably. The guys working all those hours are 32 and 36. Just seems like it was a lot easier then than it is now. Not sure what it is, really. Maybe the notion that I'm running out of days and don't want to spend them doing this?
Re: Slow Burn, Slow Death
The boss man asked me if I wanted to work this weekend. I heard myself say yes when every nerve in me was screaming NO!! I do believe I have lost my mind.