#1 Reason NOT to move to Queens

The

Commute

Blows

I had the distinct displeasure of travelling out to Forest Hills in Queens for an 8:30am appointment with my new property manager on Friday. For those of you who don't know where Forest Hills is, let's just say it's at the end of the line. The E line that is. I had to get up extra early to travel an hour out there, so I was already annoyed when I started out for the day. I arrived expecting an interview and was there for 5 minutes. 5 minutes! I can't believe she made me do that. Was there something about looking me in the eye which somehow proves I'm not a serial killer that talking to me on the phone couldn't? I would understand if she took a half hour to ask me some questions, but there was none of that. The most probing question she asked was how to pronounce my last name. Mostly I was just trying to plead my case to let me sublet the apartment to avoid all the hassles they are causing because they are annoyed the current tenant is breaking her lease and they are taking it out on both of us, which is so not fair. So at this point it's 8:45 and I'm pissed.

And yet, as ridiculous as this journey was, it wasn't the worst part of the morning. Getting back on the subway at the height of New York rush hour was. The E train is a serious express train, making very few stops before it gets to Manhattan. Express = crowded. And the E trains are all old trains, with poorly placed poles to hang on to leaving everyone teetering on each other the entire ride. It was gross and smelly and definitely invaded my personal space. Grrrrrrr..... Then I went to transfer to the 6 train. Big mistake. The line to get on the escalator to the 6 was so long I didn't even realize it was for the escalator. Once I figured out the quicker line was for the stairs I fought my way there. When I got to the base of the stairs I looked up couldn't see the top. Apparently the E train is five flights below the 6. I made my way up huffing and puffing and finally got over to the 6, which was then equally crowded. But they run newer trains so that was a slightly better ride. By the time I got to the office I was close to a rage, and it was only 9:45.

My office situation didn't help my mood. We've hired a few people lately and had to reorganize to accommodate. The day before I was uprooted from my comfy corner in the back to an office in the front. So now I'm stuck in a glass office in front of the entrance where it's ridiculously loud with everyone having meetings and yelling through doors. Not to mention that we keep all the marketing/shipping/etc supplies in this particular office so people are constantly traipsing through. Oh yeah, and my computer is the only one hooked up to the fancy printer and scanner so I keep getting kicked off for other people to do work. They tell me it is temporary, but I don't believe them.

I got the call in the middle of the day that the property manager won't let me sublet, but that I can move in June 1st. The current tenant left this weekend giving them 3 weeks to clean/paint/etc. I asked to move in on the 31st and she said that's really pushing it. There is maybe a week's worth of repairs and they won't give an inch, because they just don't have to. Jerks. I'm nervous about signing the lease, but this is the norm in NY so I just have to get in and then I'll never talk to them again since the building has a Super.

On top of all this it was Day 5 of the headache sent to suck my will to live, which would indeed continue through to Day 6 and for a short stint of Day 7 (as I write this now, on Day 7, it seems to have finally died away).

My weekend was actually a huge improvement, despite the headache. I had dinner and saw Spiderman with Jerry and got all of my non-essentials packed in my apartment, which makes me feel good to be ahead of the game. I have to be completely packed by the 24th when I leave for my mom's wedding, and will move just a few days after getting home, so I don't really have much time left. I hope to get an answer out of the property manager tomorrow on the date so I can book movers.

Sorry to unload on all of you, but damn, Friday was a bad day. I feel much better now.

And seriously, don't move to Queens. Bad days will follow.