katie's journal

writing from work

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 12:56:54 GMT

I just found out that I can access livejournal from work. sneaky.

I still don't have internet in my apartment yet. Other than that I'm pretty much settled there. Maybe today I'll remember to call the cable and phone guys. But I'm going home on Friday and I haven't thought much past that.

I can't wait to go home. I know I was just there last weekend, but there's just something about being at home. I love it. My siblings and Ed are coing down to visit me in 15 days! Yay!

So last Friday I ran out of work to do at noon and no one else I work with was here to help me figure out what to work on next, so I left. I drove all the way to Atlanta, picked up Ed and his friends at the airport, and then drove on home to Easley. Ed and I had a great weekend. I think two weeks is definitely long enough (if not too long) to be apart. So now, after only being back in town for enough time to get the hours in at work, I'm going back home. This time, though, I get to fly. :)

interrupted internet service

Thu, 12 Aug 2004 03:09:33 GMT

I'm moving into my apartment tomorrow. (Yeah, 11 days straight in a hotel is no fun.) However, I haven't set up the cable so I don't think that I'll be online there for a while. I'm going to try to work that out tomorrow, but we'll see. I probably will buy a tv and then ship it back to easley at the end of this little adventure. I just don't want to be stuck with dial up internet at the apartment. Besides, I'm not planning to get a phone there, so I couldn't do dial up even if I wanted to.

So, siblings, what would you think if Ed came down during Labor Day weekend while you guys are here? It would be fun for the five of us to all hang out. He hasn't bought tickets yet, but he's considering it.

Work is picking up a little little bit. I think tomorrow may be better. I don't have much news right now, hopfully more later. If it will be a while before I'm online in the apartment, I will probably find somewhere in town with wireless. I think there is at least one restaurant/coffee shop in the business district with wireless. I'll have to check it out.

visitors!

Mon, 09 Aug 2004 23:20:42 GMT

Well, I am amazed. My siblings just found out yesterday that they could not come down to New Oreans in October when they had planned because of my cruise. However, I got a phone call today saying that they bought tickets to come visit for the Labor Day weekend. Isn't that awesome? I am so so so excited. That's even better than October because it's sooner! Maybe they'll be my first guests. Now I have Tracy, Michael, and Jill coming in September, the cruise in October, and Elizabeth is talking about coming sometime in November. This is great. I know you're coming to mooch off my offering of free lodging and food, but I can't wait to see you anyway. (I'm just kidding about the mooching part.)

Garden District

Mon, 09 Aug 2004 02:13:00 GMT

Today was sleeping late and touring the Garden and Lower Garden District by streetcar. Overall, very nice. Still lonely. I finally got to talk to Ed around lunch time. I talked to him right after I got downtown, the class he was in was taking a break. It was so good to talk to him. This is strange with me in New Orleans and him in Los Angeles. I'm really looking forward to when we are both home again. Still, I'm glad for him that he's getting to go out to Siggraph. I hope that things are not too wierd for us when I get home in two weeks. Actually, two weeks from tonight I'll be on my way back to New Orleans after my R&R weekend at home. I'm glad my apartment is close to the airport (about 10 minutes away). Some of the other ones I was considering are much further. Another good thing about my apartment that I forgot to mention earlier...right around the corner is a Starbucks and a branch of La Madeleine. :)

Unfortunately, my brother's fall break is the same week in October as the cruise Ed and I are taking to the Bahamas with his grandparents. Michael, Tracy, and Jill were going to try to come down to visit with me during his fall break. It turns out that I won't even be here then. Still, I'm excited about my cruise and I hope my siblings will be able to come down some other time.

new temporary home

Sun, 08 Aug 2004 01:49:31 GMT

I did it...I found an apartment. I finally got in touch with a realtor for the apartment management company. He showed me a few places after I told him everything I wanted in an apartment and my price range. I am getting a one bedroom at a place called Hickory Creek. If you go to the following website and click on the 1 bedroom, you can then view the floorplan and pictures. My apartment windows look out over the center courtyard with the stream and swimming pool. I'm renting furniture - sofa, chair, coffee table, end table, dining room table and chairs, bed, nightstand, dresser with mirror, lamps. I get to go to Target and pick out sheets, comforter, towels, bathroom stuff, dishes, pots, pans, etc. It's exciting.

http://www.1stlakeproperties.com/propertydetails.asp?propertyid=17

I went, by myself for dinner, to a little diner on St Charles in the Garden District. Tomorrow I'm going to go down to the river front and Jackson Square.

When I got home Aug 20-22 I'm going to bring the digital camera back with me. After that I should be able to post pictures of the places I go. I can't wait for someone to come visit me. Of course, that will be easier once I get into my apartment on Thursday (the 12th). come visit. please.

making progress

Fri, 06 Aug 2004 02:48:32 GMT

I moved into a new hotel today. I decided late last night that I didn't need to keep paying all that money for an inconvenient hotel. I'm now much closer to work in a hotel with a fridge and microwave in the room, with a normal parking lot that doesn't cost me a dime, in a well lit shopping area, with wireless internet (very cool), and a free breakfast that actually is open before I leave for work. I am so pleased with this change that I almost want to go tell the desk clerk about how happy I am to be here. I think they might think I was nuts.

I ruled out a couple of apartment optiona today. The one on the north shore of the lake that I could only get into if I called right at 9am is out. When I went over to tour it, it smelled like stale cigarette smoke and all the provided furniture looked sketchy. It was also on the ground floor with the bedroom window on the parking lot/breeze way side. not cool. Out.

The one my friend is staying in is (was) an option. They didn't have any one bedrooms available, but they did have a two bedroom that the landlord would furnish and rent to me at a discounted rate. Still, it's super expensive compared to just renting a normal apartment, renting furniture, paying normal utilities, and bringing a few housewares from home.

That is my plan. I've found two that I am considering now. The first is really really nice. It's a luxury apartment on the north shore of the lake (across the interstate from the cigarette smelling one) in a brand new complex just outside the town of Slidell. It's a one bedroom with a lake front view out the bedroom and living room windows. There is a balcony off the living room that also overlooks the water. The whole community is gated, you have to buzz your visiters in after identifying them on the closed circut channel that is broadcast into your TV. The clubhouse and pool are equipped with wireless internet access. The washer and dryer, microwave, etc, are all included in the apartment. This would be the nicest apartment I would have ever lived in. It's about 25 minutes from work and 40 from the quarter. The downside is that it's far away from the other people I know here. They all live in Metairie or on the south shore of the lake in northern New Orleans. It's also more expensive than my other option in Metairie and the per diem is lower in Slidell. Not as cost effective.

My other option is an apartment in a gated complex in a whole neighborhood of apartments. It's about 25-30 minutes to work but only 10-15 to downtown. It's really convenient to lots of shopping and restaurant areas. It's cheaper than the fancy one and the per diem in New Orleans is higher than Slidell. I haven't toured it yet, but it has a pool and the washer and dryer, etc are included. I'm not sure about the microwave. I'll have to figure that out when I visit.

I plan to make a decision Saturday and try to sign the lease then. The place in Slidell requires a 6 month lease. I just don't know. Nicer apartment vs the convenience of being relatively close to people I know....this is my quandry. If you want to see these places for yourself, check out the following websites...

lakefront luxury in Slidell:
http://www.apartmentguide.com/Property/property.asp?wsv_qsGeoKey=1,19,139&wsv_psPropertyID=43565

convenient to everything in Metairie:
http://www.1stlakeproperties.com/propertydetails.asp?propertyid=24

any thoughts?

I know all these entries seem to be about apartments and are probably very boring. But this is what I'm thinking about right now, so too bad. ;)

I'm going to go talk to my honey. instant messaging is a great thing...

smells of the french quarter

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 03:59:06 GMT

I went out to dinner with a woman from work tonight. She's another company loaner, but from Denver. We walked around Jackson Square and down to Bourbon St for dinner. Every so often, you have to step over something smelly and questionable or you walk through a really smelly patch of air. Overall, I think it would be a nice place to linger in the day time, checking out antique stores and cafes. I'm not impressed with Bourbon St itself. All I saw were dirty looking bars and stores selling cheap tacky souveneir crap. However, after dinner at a restaurant off Bourbon, my new friend and I had dessert at Madeline (a sweet little place right off Jackson square). I'm looking forward to spending some time walking around on Saturday and Sunday. Of course, I still have to figure out where to live. hm.

Overall, this has been a better day than most. Work was ok. I'm going to start working with the statistics folks. I just hope they don't expect too much from me. I'm afraid I've been talked up more than I can deliver. I'm a little scared I'm going to disappoint them. Oh well, have to have faith that I'm here for some purpose.

No real news on the housing thing. I'll have to figure it out soon though. I can't afford to keep parking the car in that stupid valet parking. :)

moving out

Wed, 04 Aug 2004 03:00:03 GMT

Work today was pretty boring - we're still getting set up. I could access my computer but not any of my greenville stuff - email, timecard, expense report, etc. Hopefully we'll get that sorted out by the end of the week. I did get access to the facility's gym.

I went out driving today to find an apartment. I had some good luck, now I have to figure out where I want to stay.

I found one apartment on the northeast corner of Lake Ponchartrain. Its furnished and runs $23/day. The per diem rate in this town is lower than in New Orleans, but the apartment is so much cheaper that it seems worth it. It's about 20 minutes to work and about 30 minutes to the french quarter. There is a grocery store pretty close by and it's really convenient to I-10 which means that my sprint service works there. Lots of people from work live there. In fact, the only way I am going to get in there is if the person that was supposed to check in today didn't show up and I called at 9am and got it. I went by there at 5pm and they close at 6pm. There was a person that was supposed to check in and hadn't by 5pm.

Another one is on the west side of New Orleans in an area called Metairie. It is in an ok neighborhood, full of other apartments. It's really close to the big fancy mall, lots of restaurants, the target store, and the south shore of the lake. The south shore of the lake is great - there is a park all along the shore with trails for walking/running/biking/etc. The park looks great. I saw lots of women running alone, it seems like a really safe place. This apartment is about ten minutes from the French Quarter and about 30 or more minutes from work, but the traffic is not so good. Lots of people live in Metairie and work in New Orleans. This apartment is about $40/day.

One other guy from work is living in a corporate apartment that runs him $75/day. I don't know if they have openings. There is also a possibility of another corporate apartment that runs about the same price. These are nicer places, but you are paying for all the fancy stuff. This other one is closer to downtown where I am staying now.

I'll figure it out tomorrow I hope. Maybe tomorrow will be more interesting at work. So far, we don't have any real work to do. Aunt Bonnie called me tonight. Mom must have told her that I was sad and scared to go out in the french quarter by myself. It was really great to talk to her. No crying tonight. This is a new and exciting development.

more tomorrow. kate.

first day blues

Tue, 03 Aug 2004 02:16:31 GMT

Today at work was pretty slow. First, we waited almost an hour to get checked in through security, then a quick tour and introductions. At the end of the day, I had a desk, a chair and a computer that I couldn't log into. Maybe tomorrow will be more productive.

I'm looking for another place to live. This hotel is not convenient at all to work, has no breakfast or refrigerator, and the only parking is via valet (and costs $22) a day. So, today when I got back to the hotel about 6:00, I had to drop off my car key at the front desk. I didn't feel good about going down so soon after that to get it back. So, I didn't go out at all tonight. I think I've been spooked about the downtown. I'm almost scared to go walking around, even in the daytime, by myself. I'm staying right on the edge of the French Quarter and there are lots of people walking around. Still, if I was here with someone else, maybe we would go out and eat somewhere around here. I haven't explored here at all. I'm a wimp.

I'm making a list right now of apartments to go check out tomorrow after work. It is dark here by 8:30, so if I get to work early enough, I'll be able to leave around 4:30 and have 4 hours to drive around and explore.

more later,
kate

arrived

Mon, 02 Aug 2004 04:08:02 GMT

I finally got into my hotel after getting lost in the scary and dark bowels of east new orleans. However, I'm still hungry and tired. So far, this is not a good start.

I'll have more news tomorrow after my first day of work.