Well. I have some nice news. I'm moving in with my boyfriend. Yes, yes, it's happening.

We made the decision a week or two ago. We were talking on the phone about the struggles and challenges of my living arrangement - I live in a tiny basement with a cat and a roommate and my bedroom has no light at all and it's cheap but it's a pretty dreadful apartment and I've lived there for 3.5 years because the price is TO DIE FOR - and we were also talking about how the hour-long commute between our two apartments has really been wearing us out.

We didn't want to make a big life-choice like this just to soothe logistical issues. So even though it's always seemed like a good idea in the past, we've been putting it off at least until his current least is up in October. We just wanted to be certain it was for the right reasons. We're both fiercely independent people who love our own space, time alone, and lives as solitary adults. It's a miracle that we ever fell in love in the first place because we were both ridiculously against it from the beginning. But we did. :)

So during that chat about the commute, etc. he randomly asked me if I wanted to move in. And it suddenly seemed like the right time and like there's no time like the present. This excited energy shot through my body and I instantly thought "Yes!" He said it just dawned on him on how silly it was he was sitting all alone in his huge apartment and I was sitting all alone in my tiny apartment and we were on the phone. We endeavor to spend every night together as it is. So we're gonna do it! And we're gonna do it sooner than later, just to be done with the move. Probably the first or second week of July.

We're both really excited, now that the wheels have been set in motion. My roommate was okay with it, luckily, and my mom, who is historically very cautious about big decisions like this, is really happy for us and gave us her complete blessing. That made me feel really good. We each have a cat who're going to have to get to know each other. Of course our dream is that they fall madly in love, become the best of brothers, and cuddle up on the couch together for years to come. But we'll see. They're both pretty wild and have quirky personalities so it will be interesting to say the least. My cat, who wants nothing more than to run around big open spaces and interact with other animals, will be thrilled. Kevin's cat - well, we'll see.

ANYWAY. So that's that. A major shift in my life. There are moments when I don't even think about it beyond anything other than the logistcal implications. I.e. gotta change my address for my bills, gotta rent a van, gotta read up on cat introductions, it'll be a longer commute to work, I can cook more because his kitchen is really great, we'll need a new this and a new that and where will we put all our shoes?! etc. etc. etc. But there are also moments when I'm like Whoa. This is LIFE. And it's happening. And it's a little scary. It's good. But it's a little scary. I've been a single, independent woman for a long time. And I'm not exactly 21 anymore. So I've grown really comfortable in and happy with my lifestyle right now. Kevin has been a huge, daily and nightly part of that lifestyle for years now (we've been dating for 1.5 years, but we were really close see-eachother-almost-every-day friends for years before that) so it's not as though this adjustment is going to be some huge shock to my system. But it's still a big change.

I've lived in the same apartment with boyfriends before but never like this. Never in the way where we decide it beforehand in some official manner and move all our shit in together, etc. It's always just been circumstantial before (i.e. college dorm situation, or he's staying with me for a few months, etc. etc.) and never a life choice of an adult nature. So this is kind of a first for me. Kev, for better or worse, HAS been down this road before. So it will be interesting for him in a whole different way. (Like, how not to repeat the mistakes of the past...)

The most important things to me are that we are able to create for ourselves a partnership where each of our needs are being met and we're both happy and content but not co-dependent. I don't want to become a practically-married couple to spends every night on their couch watching tv. I'm not ready for that yet. I feel like we have the rest of our lives to spend nights on the couch watching tv. Luckily neither of us are prone to that - we're both too active - busy with things all the time. So we'll see. This is just the chatter in my brain right now. And I haven't been talking about it outloud too much. It's good to write about.

I'm SO excited to cook more. That is going to be a HUGE change in the most positive of directions. Before I moved in with Daniel (current roommate in very small basement apartment) I lived in my own huge wonderful place just a few houses down from Dan. I was still finishing up my degree at that point and the loan amount I got each semester allowed me enough extra cash to pay for the place by myself. It was wonderful. I adopted my cat while I lived in that apartment and he had plenty of room to run around. I also cooked a lot because I had a gigantic kitchen and I always kept my fridge fully stocked with good shit. I kept the place clean and tidy and there was so much closet space - it was just a really lovely time for me. Unfortunately, as soon as I graduated and got a real job, the loans dried up and I couldn't afford the place anymore. I moved in with Daniel for a fraction of what I'd been paying in rent. We agreed it would only be for a few months while we saved some cash, but of course that turned into almost 4 years. Our fridge now is always barren, or filled with spoiling food. We never cook, the hot water in the kitchen sink barely works, the floors have huge holes in them - the place is a mess. It's not conducive to wanting to care for your living environment. It just feels like such an uphill battle to try to make the place feel homey. So any attempt I've ever made seemed to fall falt.

Point being, I'm very excited to have a big kitchen with a nice big fridge and plenty of space and feng shui for cooking and preparing food at home. Prospect Park is also one block away. And it's a huge gorgeous park with so much to do (there's a zoo inside!) and it's like 4 perfect miles to run around it, which is great. There are always so many people running, walking or cycling. It's feels like such a great community. So that's nice too.

So that's that! :) Good and scary and exciting and weird and good. And scary. And a big adjustment. And I'm really going to miss Astoria (which is in Queens, Kevin lives in Brooklyn). But the lease at the Brooklyn place is up in October. So we might eventually move back to Astoria. We'll see!

In other news, food/exercise is going well. I'm eating relatively lightly and got in a good lifting/abs session yesterday. I'm really feeling it today. I hope to run around Prospect Park tonight and cook dinner in and then tomorrow we're going away for an surprise overnight! A gift I'm giving Kev for his bday.