...because I know you're all waiting with baited breath to hear the latest update.

I passed on the house I went to look at the other day. It was really cute and certainly big enough for me and my home office, but it only had an evaporative cooler, which is fine in Tucson until the monsoons roll in mid-summer.

Look, I have a fat cat who probably already has respiratory problems because he doesn't get enough exercise. I don't want to come home one day to find Leif soaking wet and passed out from choking on humidity. That's a thing that happens, right?

Seriously, my cat is the only creature in the known universe that makes lying around doing nothing look like a chore. He's doing it right now on the floor next to my bed. What's the matter, Leif? Having a hard time holding the floor down?

But I digress. It looks like I'll probably go to a month-to-month lease starting in April, which does help take some of the pressure off. More housing should open up as the snowbirds and students start to leave. You'll certainly be reading more about this. Keep your suggestions coming and thanks for all the help and support you've provided so far!

Labels: housing, personal, rent

I'm having some difficulty identifying a new place to live. This wouldn't be a source of much stress if not for the stipulation in my current lease that I give 30 days' written notice of my intent to vacate. I'm afraid of giving notice and then not having a place to live, or worse, settling on a new place that doesn't meet my admittedly high standards.

I've been all over Craig's List and the pickings are slim. I paid my $50 for a printout from REDI. Not much quality there either. I stopped by Apartment Locators and got only one hit in my price range and very broad geographic range. Hillary walked all up and down Armory Park with me yesterday and what was there was either really run down or way too big for my needs.

So I'm left with some not very appealing options: stay put and sign another 8 month lease here (the shortest available nowadays - they used to offer six-monthers, but no more), give my written notice on Thursday and pray real hard, or decide to try out the whole homeless thing while saving enough for a down payment on a house. Since that last option really isn't one, I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place. Actually, a viable third option would be to give notice that I will be going to a month-to-month lease (and paying $150 more per month to do so, which would be good motivation) and ease some of the front-end pressure off me.

I appreciate all the help and thoughtful suggestions I've received from my friends and faithful readers. Please keep passing your leads my way. I'm sure something will turn up eventually.

Update (9:48 PM): About a half hour after I posted this, I received a call back from a landlord who has a two-bedroom house near Fifth and Columbus that I'd driven past over the weekend. I'm going to check it out tomorrow. If the inside is as promising as the outside, I may jump at the opportunity (she has a couple who is also interested, but they have big dogs and she doesn't really want dogs after previous tenants' dogs). It's at the very upper end of my price range, but would still be a marginally smaller percentage of my monthly income than my current place was when I was working for the Center Against Sexual Assault. Stay tuned...

Labels: fear, housing, personal, rent

(Hat tip to Breaking Blue for the good link)

New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson raised a whopping $2 million in one night of fundraising. The guy's a former Congressman, former UN Ambassador, and former Energy Secretary. Oh, and he was just re-elected to his second term in NM. How long before the mainstream media begins inanely asking if America is ready for its first Latino President?

I mean, if Matt Santos can do it, why not Bill Richardson?

Labels: Bill Richardson, Pres-08

Jay Brannan makes me smile. I hope he makes you smile too. Enjoy and happy Thursday night.

Labels: contentment, Jay Brannan, self-care, SHORTBUS, the arts

If you're in Tucson this weekend and looking for something to do, please attend a performance of "The Vagina Monologues" at the Fox Tucson Theatre. ALL proceeds benefit the Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault. Tickets are available at the Fox website.

Please. It's for a good cause.

Labels: V-Day

Because I know you're all just clamoring to know what's on my mind and leave your own comments...

• Everybody sing along..."When I was just a little girl, I asked my mother, 'what should I be? Should I be pretty? Should I be smart? Here's what she said to me...'"


• I may have a slight Target problem, but I can quit any time I want. Really.


• For what it's worth 10 months before a single vote will be cast, I'm supporting black horse candidate and current New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for the Democratic nomination for President. His resume is more comprehensive and impressive than any of the other candidates - former member of Congress, former Secretary of Energy, former UN Ambassador and now Governor of a rapidly growing state in the mountain west. I got behind Howard Dean five years ago because of his experience and record as Governor of Vermont.
  
  Also, the last time a Democratic member of Congress won the Presidency, we were at the start of the Cold War and career options for women were limited to nurse, actress, teacher, model, ballet dancer and airline hostess(see item 1 above). Not a reason to vote for Richardson above the others in itself, but history can be instructive.


• I can definitely feel the difference when I go to yoga class versus when I don't. I went last night and this morning and I feel better than I have most of the rest of the week when I didn't get to go. So who's joining me tomorrow or next week?


• I'm still house hunting, and very little of what's on Craig's List or in the papers meets my needs. Who wants to go riding around town with me hunting For Rent signs?


• V-Day Tucson 2007 is next Friday and Saturday at the Fox Tucson Theatre. Publicity has been less than visible this year, so please consider purchasing tickets (available through the Fox's website or at various retailers around town). It's for a good cause and some really deserving people are being recognized for their work at intermission on the 16th.
  
  Please note, I no longer manage the V-Day Tucson website, so comments about the layout and/or outdated content can be directed to this year's organizer.


• I meant to post before Progressive Lobby Day at the Arizona legislature on Tuesday but didn't get around to it. I have to say I was pretty impressed, having participated in my share of lobby days back in Albany. Giving credit where it's due, AHRF did a hell of a job herding the progressive cats. We were also graced by the presence of a number of legislators from both parties, demonstrating that our common causes may not be as hopeless as we're sometimes led to believe. Thanks to those legislators who broke bread with us, and especially Senator Aboud for introducing our group, which filled the Senate gallery, from the floor.


• Are these not the cutest shoes ever? They're totally mine come next payday.


• My dear sister wins a prize for correctly guessing (or remembering!) who Ilene Graff is, without the assistance of IMDB. I don't know just what that prize is yet, but kudos to you, Deb!


• Speaking of both my musical sibling and fellow IC alums, don't forget to tune into "Grease: You're The One That I Want" tomorrow night (NBC, 7/6c) and vote for Kevin Greene to win the role of Danny in the latest Broadway revival. I'm going to tune in despite the fact that Andrew Lloyd Webber is a guest judge.


• A childhood dream come true.


• Speaking of movies I intend to see when they come out...


• And finally, since I'm on the topic of movies, the SHORTBUS DVD comes out on March 13.

Update, 4:42 PM: I meant to mention this when I wrote the original post, but Leonard Clark, the Iraq War veteran who tried to mount a primary challenge to Jim Pederson for the Senate nomination last year, is working on filing a petition to recall Senator Double-Talk himself. Cliff Schecter's original post mentions that there's no legal mechanism for recalling an elected federal official. Based on a cursory glance at state laws, this does not appear to be true, as Arizona law does apparently provide for the recall of any elected official: see these three statutes (that last one in particular specifies that members of Congress are included among those who may be recalled). If I read the law correctly, Clark would need to get signatures from a number of registered Arizona voters equal to 25% of the number of total votes cast in last year's Senate election for all candidates for the recall to make the ballot at the next statewide consolidated election. The recall would be an almost vertical uphill battle, but it sure could put a dent in the ole Double-Talk Express.

Labels: alumni, AZ Legislature, Bill Richardson, gift giving, Ithaca College, moving, musicals, personal, Pres-08, Progressive Lobby Day, self-care, social justice, Target, V-Day, women's rights, yoga

After being encouraged by several different people to attend an expanding class, I decided to bite the bullet this morning and just do it. I was pleasantly surprised. The class was definitely a little more intense, but I had no problem keeping up. Some of the sun salutations are still too much for my legs if they're held too long, but the duration I can hold them is getting longer each time I practice. A day of rest also helps.

So look at me, taking the intermediate classes already. That fairly well rocks.

Labels: personal, yoga

I just got done giving my about page a long-overdue overhaul. In clicking through the links to make sure they all work, I headed over to my alma mater's website.

Ithaca College produces some kick-ass graduates (if I do say so myself). Two of them are currently in very unique and distinct spotlights:

Gino Bona '95 is the winner of the first-ever NFL's "Pitch Us Your Idea for the Best Super Bowl Commercial Ever. Seriously" contest, and his ad will air at the two minute warning in the fourth quarter tomorrow. I may actually tune into the Super Bowl for the first time ever to try and catch a glimpse.

Kevin Greene '06 is one of the finalists currently appearing on NBC's reality show "Grease: You're The One That I Want" about the casting process for this summer's new Broadway revival of the most popular musical ever. "Grease" isn't my favorite musical, but it's cute and fun and I'll start watching the show so I can vote for Kevin. I don't know him, but we Ithacans have to stick together. This isn't the first audience-selected casting that an Ithaca alumnus has participated in.

Speaking of Ithaca alumni and "Grease", there's another notable alumni who I DO know. Matt Cavenaugh '01 is currently appearing on Broadway in "Grey Gardens" as Joe Kennedy. Matt and I were the same year at IC until he took a year off to appear in the national tour of "Grease". We really didn't know each other until my senior year, when he was cast in the lead role in the mainstage production of "Babes in Arms" and I happened to be the Wardrobe Supervisor and his personal dresser. He certainly deserves all the success he's earned so far. You really couldn't ask for an easier actor to work with.

And to think, the most famous IC alumni I used to brag about were Gavin MacLeod '52 and Ilene Graff '70 (you get extra points if you can identify in the comments who she is and what she's known for). There are now many other notable IC alumni doing wonderful things all over the country. I'm proud to be one of them.

I'm still not willing, however, to publicly admit that Bob Iger '73 is one of ours too.

Labels: alumni, fame, Ithaca College, personal, pride, success

My lease expires at the end of March and after three years in this apartment, I'm ready to move on. The neighbors have become progressively ruder as the years have worn on, and it often feels like the guy who lives right above me has opened a bowling alley in his apartment.

So I'd prefer to move to a house that's in central Tucson or even downtown. I'd like a two bedroom or a one bedroom with a den/office space. I've been browsing the listings on craigslist but haven't found much that fits my criteria so far. I've also posted a "housing wanted" ad on there that I thought was crystal clear, but apparently some people were still confused.

I am NOT looking to live with another person. I make a bad roommate. I am NOT looking to live in a trailer, even if the park is gated.

I am looking to pay about $800 or less a month. Preferably less. Preferably much less.

I am looking for a place that is unfurnished.

I am looking for a place that will welcome my grumpy, fat, but otherwise affectionate (and non-declawed) four-year-old cat.

So if you have any leads or know of an available place that would suit me, please get in touch with me ASAP. I'm looking for a move in date on or before April 1. Preferably a little before, as I like to have a little leeway with moving and cleaning time.

E-mail me at michael -at- m2powered -dot- com or leave a comment below. I appreciate any help you can provide!

Labels: housing, Leif, moving, personal, rent