Okay, the news.

By mutual consent, Chris and I are splitting up.

And really... there isn't much more I can add to that statement. It's been evident for a long time that things were not working out, and he finally realized that, I think.

The next few months we're going to be walking on eggshells, though. He has offered to stick around here until January so we can get the financials squared away. I accepted. (Although I'm thinking November sounds more likely, and thus taking care of the problems of the holiday season. And I think it will get too painful to be around each other.)

Yesterday we verbally decided on who gets what, furniture-wise. I get to keep my computer, too, even though it is technically his.

So. There are a couple of things hanging out there in the ether that will determine where I end up, but for right now, I will stay where I am and concentrate on paying off bills.

Those couple of things include:

1. Where to move
Which is determined by the fact that I don't know if the dealership can finance my truck yet, and the fact that my office may be moving downtown where I would have to pay over $3000 a year for parking if I drove myself to work.

If I get the loan for my truck (and can afford the payments, since the interest rate will no doubt be sky-high), then it is my preference to move out in the country and commute to and from work. (Anyone remember Lithopolis?) But if my office is moving downtown, I would need to be on a busline, because I don't want to have to pay over $3000 a year for parking. I mean, that's a huuuuge pay cut.

If my office stays where it is (which could happen; it's a budget thing) then I have two choices there as well, move closer, so I can ride my bike to work (emminently possible; it's the campus area and there are no shortage of apartments) or move farther out. I'm about fifty-fifty on this one. While I love the idea of living out in the country again, I also have always wanted to be able to walk or ride my bike to work. And a daily bike ride of four or five miles would take care of the exercise problem quite nicely.

And I'm not going to be there forever, either. The current plan is 2005 to quit working and write full-time or write part-time. So I think I would look for an apartment closer to work first, if we stay where we are now. But I'm not sure I want to stay in Columbus until 2005.

And then there's the problem of the lease, which (I believe) is up in October here. Do I want to sign another lease at a different place in January (if it ends up being January) thus kind of forcing me to stay up here another full year?

Fold into the mix that if I get a job in Cincinnati and move back in with my parents, I will not have to pay as much for rent, utilities, etc., and I could concentrate on paying off my bills faster. I get along with my parents just fine. It would be an ideal financial move, I think. (I know my mom wants me to move back home, and my dad probably does too. And wouldn't it make sense to save money where I can?)

But that means getting a new job, and everyone knows how much I hate to do that. Still, it's something to think about. If the goal is to get rid of the debt, then finding a job in Cincy might be the best way to go.

We shall see. Anyway, that's the update I promised.

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