Apartment Hunting

It's a beautiful day outside and I think I'm going to get off my computer for a bit to enjoy the sunshine. I feel like I've been chained to the dungeon that is my office working on a mainstream project (ie. no boobies) and constantly refreshing Craigslist for apartment rentals. I need to find a new place to live in a safe, quiet area that takes dogs and isn't ridiculously expensive. You wouldn't think this would be such a tall order, wouldja?

I'm starting to look at moving way out in the boonies, but then that kind of defeats the whole purpose of moving to the coast. Right now I live close enough that I can ride my bike to the beach. If I move somewhere more affordable, it will be at least a 30 minute drive (depending on traffic) & I know I just won't do it. At least not on a regular basis like I do now. I love being able to throw the dogs in the car and head down for only an hour. If it takes me an hour to get there & back? It will have to be an *event* to make it worth doing. And if I don't do any of the things that make living here worth living here, I might as well move back east where rent is half the price and I have family. *sigh*

I'm not quite ready to give up yet because I do really love living near the water, near the amazing forests and hiking trails. I love the climate, even our rainy winters. Hopefully the perfect place will come up today, with a sunny space for my painting studio, a patch of grass for the dogs to run around and in a friendly neighborhood. Or I'll start making a LOT more money.