Monday, March 18, 2019

Living in a shitty room in Hellertown, PA and moving out of the shitty room


3/18/19 21:41 Hellertown, PA

Yesterday, was a busy Sunday.  I attended a service at the UCC in town, this is the progressive UCC compared to the conservative UCC and felt welcomed and comfortable during the coffee hour.  It’s not very common when I’d accept the coffee and the company of strangers.  I spoke to some of the men.  It’s not a good idea to socialize with the women, unless they’re above a certain age and the safety net is tossed. I smiled at the kids and babies.  The generations in the room who had grown up in the church.  I met two men named Kurt which is an uncommon name on Long Island.  I may go back and may get involved in their garden.   I ran 7 miles yesterday through the Saucon trail and was impressed with how many runners were out.  Some were running hard and others were out for the clean air.  Watched two hawks circling in the warm air, glanced at the streams flowing under the bridges. Song birds were out.  The first day of Spring is on Wednesday.  I’m finding my name is not that common in the area, but I digress.  I am tired.  It’s that time of the night when I can either do something productive of get lost in the internet, for instance finding a yoga studio.  I was looking for one in Bethlehem since I am moving.  Yes, I am moving again.  This is one of those examples when I should have listened to my gut and passed on the place where I am currently living.  I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I feel deep down, this shit hole would be warmly welcomed by a young Charles Bukowski.  He would be comfortable, with a door without a door knob, without a real lock, the hook and eye is all I got to block any intruder.   There is carpet on the floors.  The carpet is stained and loose.  So what, the window is cracked and was taped over, perhaps it was taped over decades ago with that thin brown translucent tape, and someone pulled it off - maybe - seven years ago, leaving dried brown strips, now etched into the dirty surface of the glass.  It is still cracked, like a tree branch.  What caused it?  A fit of jealous rage?  I asked the landlord a few times since being here, when was he going to fix it.  He will hire a handyman.  He had a busy week at work.  He had an excuse.  The handyman is busy as well.  So what, there is a draft coming through the shitty windows. So what, the advertised phrase – quiet – was not that accurate for this house…on a busy street…trucks and endless commuters pass by starting at 0500, they are driving to the main highway in the area.  There is 78 with all of its lanes and there is the road in front of this house with two congested lanes.  I should have listened to my gut.  The landlord wanted me to share a mini fridge with the other roomer up here, wanted me to hang my clothes on something since there is not a closet.  So, I wrestled with the idea, having two different curtains, sealing the windows with foam, which I bought.  It was all a good motivator to buy something in the area.  The only problem is the room is not quiet or peaceful and I don’t sleep very well on the shitty twin bed that came with the room.  Like new it was advertised.  Maybe when Hank Aaron played for the Milwaukee Braves, then and only then it was new. There is not a dresser, nor a desk, nothing to put my clothes in.  I pull the different color curtains over the shitty windows and sit on a hard chair in the kitchen.  I was motivated and found another place.  Yesterday.  It all took place yesterday.  This one is in Bethlehem.  Get this, the rent is the same.  There is a living room, a dining room and a big kitchen.  There is a back yard and I am in walking distance to Main Street, to the brewery and the yoga studios, the book store, the oldest in the world, and I can go for runs through the town and I will sleep soundly in the bigger bed and quiet room.  There are new windows in the room, and the curtains are the same color.  There is a huge closet and a dresser and in a few weeks, I will move into this place since I made the wrong choice when I picked this dump.  Reminds me of when I lived in Coram for a month, 24 years ago. Same deal.  I knew I made a mistake, but moved in and regretted each morning I woke up there.  So, maybe a month is not bad after all?

Thank you for reading this.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

Writing from a rented room in Pennsylvania


3/11/19 22:20 Hellerstown, PA


This is my first entry in my new place.  It’s alright.  I’m renting a room on Main Street.  The street light shines in the room.  There are two other men who live in the house, we all rent.  The roomer who I share a bathroom and kitchen is quiet.  He works at night, which mean I have the second floor to myself for the most part. The landlord is a nice guy.  Young guy who just might be younger than my youngest sister?  I assume.  It’s quiet in this town, barely any traffic is passing the house.  Yet, this morning there was the rush hours, from 5:30 on I assume it was that early.  I woke up at 5:47, which is the time I wake up on most days.  It’s alright.  I fell asleep after midnight, after speaking with Meli who in Mexico City is 2 hours behind.  Most of the time, it’s only an hour.  Two hours make the distance even further.  I flew back last Thursday from Mexico City.  Landed at JFK at 15:00, picked up a rental, drove out to my parents and packed a few things both for business and to drop off a few things at this house since the plan was to move in over the weekend.  I was in Bethlehem by 20:00 and in bed by 22:00, exhausted from all of the traveling, the meeting went well on Friday.  I met the landlord’s dad and gave him a check, had my keys and moved in.  Drove back to Long Island and picked up a falafel at Venus in Northport, $10 for the thing and ate it quickly over the sink at Ma Pa’s…up on Saturday.  Blood work for the insurance and met Emma, Matt and Joe for a late lunch.  Ate dinner at Lou’s, pizza in front of a roaring fire and yet I missed Meli.  It seemed like a whirlwind, I was there with her and back in Northport and gradually we were getting on with our lives.  The same can be said with this new place.  I am here and getting on with my life.  The goal is to locate an inexpensive house for us.  I want to be close enough to see the kids and yet far enough to afford something reasonable.  I can feel myself babbling in this entry or maybe it won’t be anything?  I went into the office today.  It’s the first time in years I went into the office to work and it felt good.  Saw familiar faces, had a coffee, participated in meetings, face to face and sat in a cubicle and worked.  Actually, I enjoyed it.  On lunch break I came back to this area and picked up a few things at the supermarket, made a sandwich and ate quickly before getting back into the office.  The commute is only 10 minutes.  I may do this more often until I buy some plastic bags or plastic wrap for my sandwich and drinks.  I’m looking forward to learning more about the business I am in; all of the facets while still maintaining my selling goals.  After work, I ran for about 6 miles through a converted railroad line which is now a nature trial.  I saw a blue bird, never before have I seen the state bird of New York – this was the first time in Pennsylvania.  I crossed over bridges, which covered cold streams that led to streams, carrying melting snow.  I saw couples walking, a man walking his dog who ignored my hello.  A woman who ran past me, way to go since she had a great pace, and then it was growing darker and the end of trial was in sight and I was grateful to discover my new path.  I think my love is out for the night.  I’ll call her before I slip to sleep.
 Thank you for reading this.  

London Calling

  January 28, 2024 Flying to London tonight for our sales meeting.   First time traveling out of the country for the job.   First time in ...