Moving Down Memory Lane

Yumi and I found a new apartment today and will move into it in February. We're both quite happy with it. Right now we're in a 3 LDK (3 small bedrooms, Living/Dining room, and Kitchen) and will be moving into a 2 LDK. We're moving pretty far south -- away from Tokyo and into Yokohama where we both work. My commute will go from 45-50 minutes to 35-40 minutes each way and Yumi's will go from about 1 hour and 15 minutes to about 15 minutes! Needless to say she's quite happy about that. Other differences include the walk to the station going from 20 minutes to 5 (although I actually like the exercise I get from my daily walks), a rent reduction from ¥128,000 to ¥100,000 per month (roughly a $250 savings at current exchange rates) and a 5 minute walk to the seaside and nearby shopping! I will miss the shinkansen (bullet train) right outside our window and our proximity to Tokyo (although we only go about once a month). As for why we lived so far from our jobs originally it is because when we got the place we knew where I'd be working but not where Yumi would be. She wanted access to both Tokyo and Yokohama, thus Kawasaki.

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Anyway, moving led me to think....
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For the first 18 years of my life, I lived at one address in University Heights, Ohio..
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Next month I'll be moving into my 15th place in the 17.5 subsequent years (and that doesn't count short 1-2 month stints in Washington, D.C., Houston, and Goroka)...

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1. 1990-1, Pittsburgh, Hammerschlag Hall (It was as good as it sounds -- all male freshman dorm.)

2. 1991-2, Pittsburgh, Doherty Apartments (I can't believe I shared a bedroom with 3 other guys!)

3. 1992-3, Pittsburgh, (Great first apartment with a great roommate in a rehabbed former whorehouse -- too bad I didn't get much action there!)
4. 1993-4, Pittsburgh, Donner Hall (A great gig as an RA.)

5. 1994-5, Los Angeles, Silver Lake (First place as an adult on a hill when the area was more gritty than trendy.)

6. 1995-6, Los Angeles, Hancock Park (A place no one would believe complete with swimming pool, tennis court, and Natalie Merchant's keyboard player.)

7. 1997-8, Lae, Papua New Guinea, Bugandi Secondary School Campus (Another great roommate, Eric.)

8. 1999-2002, Cleveland, South Euclid (A great house in which I lovingly restored the woodwork and was rewarded with a leaky basement and selling for a loss.)

9. 2002-2005, Belfast, Northern Ireland (A long 3-year stint in a great place by University area standards. Best feature: a 5-minute walk to QFT, the art house movie theatre. The trade off was sharing with 4 others for cheap rent which allowed me to be able to travel all over Europe.)

10. 2006, Cleveland, Shaker Heights (Living with generous friends who received my gratitude and babysitting services.)

11. 2006, Chicago, Oak Park (A serendipitous place given how things in Chicago ended.)

12. 2007, Cleveland, South Euclid (Thanks Mom!)

13. 2007, Cleveland, Highland Heights (Thanks Deb, Brian, and Ben!)

14. 2007, Kawasaki City, Japan (Konnichiwa, Japan! Living with my best roommate ever.)

15. 2008-??, Yokohama, Japan (Hopefully for at least 6 months! Although it may not be apparent, I hate to move!)

While I'm strolling down memory lane, I should mention my former high school classmate, Mel Tucker, who was just named the defensive coordinator of the Cleveland Browns. High school was long enough ago that I don't have strong memories of Mel but I do generally remember him as a smart, athletic, good-looking, and genuinely nice guy. He stood out as popular and an athlete who was actually nice to nerds like me. Congratulations and good luck, Mel! Not only for you but all of us fans, especially my long-suffering brother-in-law, Brian.