So, that happened.
Thomas Ptacek | August 23rd, 2005 | Filed Under: Uncategorized
For the most part (please?), my moving nightmare appears to be over. I believe I am now a resident of Oak Park, IL, and no longer a resident of Ann Arbor, MI.
Oak Park is basically Chicago (it’s directly adjacent and connected via the el train, meaning that on any given weekend I am one transfer from dim sum. That, plus the fact that I was born and raised in Chicago, makes the move a step forward.
Brief thoughts on the move, which is my seventh in eight years:
Renting a 24’ truck is very expensive (well over $500).
Hiring moving labor to load and unload isn’t very expensive (under $200, each end).
Renting your own truck and hiring labor eliminates the most painful part of the move and costs less than a quarter of what full-service movers charge.
So I recommend that strategy.
Renting a car carrier trailer is somewhat expensive (just shy of $200).
Securing a car to one without professional help (either mechanical or psychiatric) is difficult.
Driving a 24’ truck with a car carrier at 45mph on the Borman Expressway is absolutely terrifying.
So I don’t recommend that strategy.
Three things I will miss about Ann Arbor:
Zingermans, which is well worth the money and which I will maintain going forward as my sole source of artisinal marshmellows.
Angelos, even though the deep fried french toast reminds me of a Burger King breakfast entree; I’m not sure I’m going to find a better breakfast place in Chicago.
I’m not sure right now that there is a third thing I’ll miss about Ann Arbor.
Those who know me well will be happy to know that I’ve sold the car, which, for those of you who don’t know me, appears to contain that tiki statue from the Brady Bunch. I’ll post-mortemize the M3 in a future post, but for now, suffice it to say that I purchased it three times and owned it twice concurrently.
I have some catching up to do and more stuff to write about. I promise to spare you the obligatory pictures of the new house. For now, I recommend you chew on this, which is the coolest link I’ve followed this week.
