On the Road

A couple of weekends ago I ventured to southern North Dakota for a friend's wedding (and what a lovely wedding it was). I had never driven to this small town before and I was navigating it alone, but I was prepared with my Google Maps directions. So on a beautiful summer morning I hit the highway in my Honda and ventured into uncharted territory...or at least uncharted to me.

I had no problems arriving at my destination, but there were moments of doubt in my head that I was on the wrong road and that I was going the wrong direction. I knew I wasn't, but still I had reservations from time to time and panic would pang my heart. I thought this was interesting because how often in life do we feel this way? We know where we need to go and how to get there and when we start progressing towards our destination we think we're all wrong and that we should go back.

It'd be so easy to go back. Easier yet, to stay where we are. That fear of getting lost, of getting it wrong can be paralyzing. The misleading comfort in routine can be intoxicating. But I think we need to trust ourselves more. We need to trust that we are prepared for adventure and lean on our faith. We need to believe in what we feel so deeply about in our hearts and not disregard it as silly--or let others do the same. Because if we do succumb to that fear and turn back, or we stay put our souls are hungry for more and we end up maintaining a life instead of really living life. We feel empty, inadequate, fake. We feel lost even though we know exactly where we are.

Maybe we need to get lost in order to be found. Maybe we need to get it wrong in order to understand what is right for us. And maybe the journey will be treacherous, long, and dangerous, but doesn't that sound a bit thrilling? Doesn't that sound like a wonderful opportunity to learn more about ourselves, our faith, our world?

Road to the Lake

Women Changing the World

Okay, so I snapped this photo "out of context", but please note... Ted Kennedy is a woman changing the world. It cracks me right up.

16 September 2009 - Update: Just want to say that Senator Kennedy was a man changing the world. Rest in peace, sir.

The dear deer...

Yesterday, while driving home, I saw a herd of deer grazing on small patches of grass where the snow had melted at a mini-gold course and go-cart track. I don't know if herd is the correct terminology for a group of deer, but truly they were a herd. There were approximately 20 young deer resembling Bambi and I was completely amazed.

So yeah, I know deer are commonly found in the NoDak... (Often on the sides of the highway, sadly.) And I know there are a lot of them... But, I don't know... This was just so cool. I've never seen that many wild deer in one place together. Nor at a mini-golf course. They were beautiful. Truly.

I'm a sucker for wildlife. What can I say? They bring a specific joy into my life, making me happy in a way nothing else can. I just think that their purpose in life is both simple and complex all at once. That purpose being survival.

We share that purpose, but we make our survival in this world more difficult than it has to be. To get back to the basics of survival, to living... To live off of the green earth with our loved ones. To take our time in our journey. To take notice of beauty around us along the way. Well, I think that'd be splendid.

Would-be renters please take heed...

I'm a leasing agent and I know that many people would put me right up there with car salesmen, but it's my job. It's not a job I ever wanted, or a job I ever dreamed of. But it's my job. It pays the bills, keeps food on my table, clothes on my back, and a roof over my head. Today, that's something to be very grateful for and I am.

As a leasing agent I'd like to disperse a bit of knowledge and share some tips with would-be renters. I admit that this advice isn't only beneficial to prospective tenants. A smooth rental process is also beneficial for my sanity as a human being. So please, if you're looking to rent, take heed...

1. If you don't have money to rent an apartment or house then don't go hunting for a home. I can't barter with you and I can't donate one to you. Let's save both of ourselves some quality time.
2. If you're a creeper, can you just buy your own home please? I really don't want to be alone in an empty apartment or house with you--particularly in an unfinished basement of an old house. So either uncreep yourself, or just stay the heck away from me.
3. Sex offender? Hell to tha no. You will not rent from me. Sorry. Wait... No I'm not.
   
4. I do not need your life story. Let's keep it professional. Let's keep our convos short and and to the point.
   
5. When reviewing an availability list, do just that... Review it. Read over everything and come prepared.
   
6. If an apartment is noted as occupied, that means it's not vacant. If you don't know what either of those words--occupied and vacant--mean, look them up. Please. I beg you.
   
7. Do not come to an appointment thirty minutes early. You'll be waiting a long time and I'll be fuming for a long time. Trust me on this, five minutes is plenty early. Plenty. Early.
   
8. Do not come to an appointment thirty minutes late. You'll be lucky if you get to look at anything. You're better off to call and reschedule if you're going to be more than ten minutes late.
   
9. Make one appointment. So you want to look at a few apartments or houses? Great. I'm happy to show you. But I sure as heck do not want to show you the same exact properties multiple times. Make sure you and your roommate(s) can come together at the same time if you all want to see them. If you need measurements, remember to bring that tape measurer with you the first time so I don't have to escort you back there. Whatever it is that could possibly make you want/need to look at the same place twice, I would greatly appreciate it if you could get all of that organized for the first and hopefully last appointment.
   
10. Unless you're a first time renter, do not bring your mom and dad with you. Okay, that may be a bit harsh... How about... If you're over forty, don't bring your parents with you. You're an adult. You can make a decision.
    
11. If you have four kids or more, it'd be best if you didn't bring them with you on a tour. I love kids, I really do. But let's face it, some kids are not well behaved and if a home is occupied they can get into things. And that's not good. Not good at all.
    
12. Treat an appointment to tour homes like you would a job interview. Now I'm not saying you need to come in a suit, but it's always nice when I don't see your underwear and, you know, you're clean.
    
13. Speaking of clean... Keep it clean by watching your language. I swear, I do, but I don't do it around you so please don't drop the F-bomb in front of me. And definitely don't say, "I'll have to watch that step when I'm drunk! Ha ha." Seriously.
    
14. Use the bathroom before you go on a property tour. I once had a creeper use the bathroom of a vacant apartment and he left the door wide open, this was after he asked me out. So again, I plead with creepers to stay away.
15. If we're in an apartment or house, please don't plan where every piece of furniture would go for thirty minutes..especially when it's still occupied. I don't want to be in anyone's home longer than I need to be. It's plain awkward. And I don't mean to be rude, but I could really care less where your recliner would go.
    
16. Please, please, please don't hem and haw whether or not you and your significant other, or roommate want to rent the apartment or home in front of me for thirty minutes while still in the home...especially when it's still occupied. Again, it's awkward. It's also infuriating. I have no say with your personal business. I also don't have the time (or patience) to listen when you're not even talking to me. I've got paperwork I could finish, people! Talk amongst yourselves and then let me know if you have any questions. I'd be happy to answer them at that time.
    
17. Don't lie. If you have bad credit, have been previously evicted, owe people money... Fess up to it. It's going to show up in your credit report anyway. So now not only are you a risk, you're also a liar. That's not a good one-two combo.
    
18. Fill out your application fully and clearly. If I have to hunt for needed information and try to decipher your chicken scratch, not only are you going to frustrate me--you're going to delay your pending approval.
19. When filling out an application, don't ever note that your reason for leaving your current residence is because your "ex was a whore". He or she may have been, but there's no point in sharing that information with me. Seriously. No point.
    
20. Do not put a deposit down unless you are 100% certain that you want to and can rent the apartment or house. Plain and simple.

There you have it. My twenty golden rules for a smooth rental process.