We want to go check Portland out and see if it's a possibility

A friend of mine lives there and he absolutely loves it, although he says it is a bit gray in the winter.

Aimee should move to Philly

If former company hadn't been so stingy about not paying for moving expenses, I'd be living there RIGHT NOW.

And we don't even live in LA proper. We want to go check Portland out and see if it's a possibility.

DUDE! DUDE!

Portland OREGON, Portland??????

Please! Yes! Move to PDX! It rules!

There is a lot to enjoy, but we don't do any of them.

This is the problem for us - we do a lot. We go to lots of shows, we do the Museum of Radio and TV Paley festival every year, we go to Comic-Con every year, we hit all the cool stores and stuff. So that would definitely be missed. That being said, though, we are much bigger homebodies than we used to be, so our priorities have changed. Every time we travel to other states, though, we are so glad to get back "home" (GF has been known to sing "I Love LA" once or twice). Maybe we are just talking out of our asses, who knows. The plan would be to keep the condo and rent it out so that if want to come back, we can.

and all the scorpions you could eat.

See, that's a perq that you just don't get in most parts of the country, and Arizona landlords really ought to be charging for that.

Okay, Today's Pet Peeve of Customer Service: I Don't Need to Know That. OR: "Shut up! Shut up! Oh, why don't you shut up?"

Me: "Hello, (company), this is Joe, how can I help you?"

Stupidhead Customer: "I need to check a PO."

Me:"Okay, what's the PO number?"

SC: "(blah)"

Me: "Okay...(typity typity typity)..."

SC: "Because I want to make sure you have it."

Me: "Uh-huh...(typity typity typity)

SC: "Because I faxed it in yesterday."

Me: "Yeah. We did receive that order and it is scheduled..."

SC: "It's a big job, see, and we really need those..."

Me: "Well, it's scheduled to ship..."

SC: "This lady's designing her house around this, see..."

Me: (grinding teeth) "Okay, well, it'll ship..."

SC: "So we need it pretty quick."

Me: "IT WILL SHIP BY FEBRUARY 20TH!"

SC: "Okay. Good. Because..."

(phones ringing that I should answer)

SC: "...and then they didn't like the first samples, but we called you and so and so assured us that the color..."

Me: (jawbone about to snap from pressure of muscles keeping screaming fit internalized) "Yeah, uh-huh..."

(so many phone lines ringing)

SC: "...and she's really this nice lady, but, you know customers..."

Me: (Oh, do I.) "Is there anything else I can help you with, ma'am?"

SC: "No. Oh, yes! I have seven more P.O.s to check..."

Me: (has a stroke)

You have my sympathy, MM.

My 4th floor walkup 750 sq ft 2BR with no doorman, that had lots of mice when I moved in and still has the occasional roach problem, is $2000 a month. Which is an AMAZING deal for the neighborhood - we applied for a smaller one in the same area for $2300 before finding this one.

that had lots of mice when I moved in and still has the occasional roach problem

Roaches are the one thing we've never had to deal with in this apartment, for whatever reason. Maybe the mice are eating them.

Are you in Manhattan or an outer borough, Gris?

Come SE Florida! 2br in Delray Beach - $1200 for a house [link] $1300 with pets and pool [link] or $1400 for the condo beach thing [link]

No snow, I promise.