Silver Lining
Ok. So it's true I just got laid off from my job, and yes, it's also true that the one-time $39/share stock is now at 90 cents. If that's not enough, I was recently informed that my rent is about to go up $400/mo. Last but not least, the $400 increase is justified by the wonderful renovating that is currently occurring in the apartment complex. Starting at 8am, the constant hammering, drilling, sawing, and yelling Mexicans totally drown out the sounds of things like... the phone, TV, Max, or even my own thoughts.
So why am I smiling? Well, tonight I came home to a sparkling new kitchen and bathroom. It's amazing what $400/month can do to change your entire living environment. Follow me while I take you on the tour...
Replacing the white kitchen counter, is a new dark marbly countertop. The white counters were fairly new, and in perfect condition, but as you can see, the darker countertop adds so much to the kitchen area, enabling a much more exciting and rewarding cooking experience. I expect standing in the kitchen, waiting for the microwave to beep, will be a much more enjoyable time than before.
The same beautiful pattern adorns the north side of the kitchen. The black marble fills the room, and in the middle of the day, because the sunshine never enters this apartment, the counters retain their dark appearance.
Of course, having these beautiful counters installed did not come without a price (besides the $400/month rent increase). The entire kitchen had to be emptied onto the livingroom floor.
Now onto the bathroom. The old white counter top was replaced with a brand new white counter top. It's almost impossible to tell the difference between the two, but just knowing that it's brand new offers a wonderful sense of satisfaction. I wouldn't be surprised if I found myself brushing my teeth and washing my hands more often.
Of course, the contents of the bathroom, too, had to be placed in another room.
And speaking of bathroom contents... I came across 20 empty vicodin bottles from my stomach surgery days. No wonder I was always so happy then.
Before leaving the
bathroom, let's not forget a small but significant addition that makes the
whole bathing experience that much more pleasurable. That's right... a brand
new towel rack. Finally, the extra $400/month starts to seem insignificant.
And finally... the piece
de resistance... the kitchen cabinets which once required the opener to
place his or her fingers at the side of the door, are now complete with
cabinet knobs! The knobs are very large, making cabinet opening easy
for even a blind man. Visually, the large protruding knobs are quite appalling,
but here's an example of practicality outweighing beauty.
Well, that's the end of the tour and my story. If there's a moral to be had, perhaps it is that no matter how bad life gets, there's nothing like a good set of knobs to cheer you up.