Responsible

I had an unexpected windfall today--I knew I'd get some of my original deposit back from my apartment, but I had no idea I'd get nearly all of it. When I moved in three years ago, I paid a $500 security deposit and a $500 pet deposit. (When I adopted Harley six months later, management told me my deposit was good for up to two cats, so we were golden in bringing my little Golden Doodle home.)

Today, the check came. My lease officially ended last week, so I was on the lookout for final correspondence from Marina Village West. There it was in today's mail, and I eagerly opened the envelope, expecting maybe $600 back at the most. Three years in an apartment means a lot of wear and tear--the traffic pattern of filth by the front door, the bit of base board I accidentally chopped off while vacuuming a year ago, spills, marks on the wall, etc. So imagine my surprise when the only money they took out was my final water bill.

Leaving me with $945 to spend as I like...in addition to my benefits, which arrived this week.

My friends said, "Shopping!" and "Buy a plane ticket to England!" How I'd love to. But I have responsibilities, and after a year of letting my hospital bill from last October and my credit card balance just stagnate, it is time to start making huge payments. I have no rent, no bills, and though I did buy some peanut butter and eggs today, I really don't even have to buy groceries. So tonight, I pulled out my checkbook and made a huge payment on my credit card and a huge payment on the hospital bill. I still have money left over to put some in savings and have a little on hand for gas and other incidentals.

I'm quite pleased with myself.

And that savings account will be a good thing next year, when it's time for me to find a new place to live--but in the meantime I have one little goal. It seems Keane will probably be touring next year, and I'd really love to see them more than once. England may be a bit out of my price range, but a certain crazy actress in New York City has been begging me to visit, as has my pick for president (in 2016, 'cause her baby is coming in 2012!) in Michigan. So I'm thinking that I might just be able to take a big, crazy trip next summer, seeing Keane first in Oakland (if they follow the same pattern they've gone the last two times they've visited the US, they'll start in Oakland) and then a week or so later in Detroit, and a few days after that in New York City. Between Summer (Oakland), Lindsay (Detroit) and Maayan (NYC), I have places to stay, eliminating hotel costs.

So moving in with Mom and Dad continues to be the best thing I could have done. It's tight (we joke about my Bat Cave) and there are some inconveniences (I really miss walking to the gym). But the advantages--having money, paying off big bills, not throwing $1,045 away each month in rent, etc.--far outweigh the disadvantages, and I have a new-found freedom because I have not only a lot of time, but a little more money to do things.

For example, last night, I attended a movie night in downtown Sacramento for the local chapter of Amnesty International. It was fascinating and I met a few new people who are interested in some of the same causes I am interested in.

I went to my second rehearsal for Sacramento Choral Society on Monday. I've been completely nerding out over the Bernstein piece and while it is incredibly difficult, I am loving every minute of it. Everything about it--rhythms, harmonies, the language (Hebrew), and the melodic progression--is difficult or unexpected in someway. Bernstein was truly a genius in 20th Century music, and his Chichester Psalms are an amazing example of this.

So things are going well. I've been feeling a bit politically inspired of late--the Troy Davis case still has my attention and I hope to attend some sort of rally or vigil for him on Friday if I can find one that is local (my other option--braving the morning rush hour on Interstate 80 to attend one in San Francisco...I want to show my support, but that is just way too much traffic to deal with). In the meantime, I've been Tweeting like crazy.

With all of this, my eBay and Etsy shops, and my daily runs, I am busier now than I was when I was working!