mmmm, that's the smell of clean

I cleaned my apartment today. I started in the bathroom and moved my way out. You can't tell exactly when you first open the door, because the two projects I left for another day (hopefully this weekend) are my cd and movie racks and my desk are in plain view. But if you keep walking and go to my room, you'll see everything has been picked up and put away, dusted, curatins (including blackout drapes) have been hung, and even new framed items are on the walls. In the bathroom, the stains that I inherited in the bathtub when I moved in are heavily lightenend (maybe gone on the next round), different stuff is on the wall that actually makes it look I have a decorating theme in there. Everything is beautiful! In the kitchen, I moved some things around in cabinets so I could put some stuff away and clear up some counter space. I cleaned my table and did all the dishes. I hung some stuff up in there too. I took out the spill guards from the burners on the stove and cleaned those as best I could until it was just hurting my fingers too much be scrubbing that hard. They look TONS better, but I should go back to that as well.

Basically, now when you walk into my apartment, it looks like I LIVE here. I don't know why it took my so long to make that happen, but regardless, it looks great. I have six months left on my current lease and I really have no idea what my plans are when August comes around. Until then though, this is my home and it should look and feel like it.

After I was done with my cleaning extravaganza, I drove down to Barnes and Noble and picked up a new journal that I know I will actually write in. K got me this awesome journal for my birthday. I kind of started writing in it, but I haven't been able to keep up with it. It's intimidating. It's a journal a grown-up would buy and use because they had some idea of what to write in it. It's a Moleskin and it's unlined. That's the other thing that is throwing me. I used to LOVE unlined journals but I haven't been able to get back into writing in them for the past few years. I have no idea why. Also, the day after my birthday when I was still hungover (and this was my first real hangover and it was a doozy, let me tell you--I still haven't been able to have more than two drinks in a bar since then), K almost broke up with me. I can't help it, I think of how my heart cracked every time I pick up that journal even though obviously things worked out. But the point is, I have a new one that is boring and unintimdating and already has more written in it than the other one.

How?

I went to Johnny Carino's and sat and ate dinner and wrote. Don't be decived, it was a side salad and an appetizer, but it was a delicious treat. I haven't taken myself out for something in quite some time. I like to go during unpeak times so it's not a big deal that I have a table by myself and I always tip well. Unless the waiter says stuff like "Oh, you couldn't get anyone to come with you? How sad!" (true story, happened in SoCal). I had a good time and got some thoughts that were pounding through my head down on paper and that's just really good for everyone.

So today was awesome. :)