Saturday, May 28, 2011

Where’s the Kleenex Go?

By “kleenex” I mean “generic facial tissue,” though often enough I use Kleenex brand. As for where it goes, just where, in my apartment, does it go?

The issue is a simple one: When I need a facial tissue, I want to be able to get one quickly and easily by reaching for one in one of the standard places. Having just moved, I need to establish those standard places for standard things – wallet, keys, pen knife, facial tissue. The new standard places will, of course, be comparable to the standard places from my previous apartment, but perhaps not exactly the same, as the new apartment has a different layout. Still, now that my computer desk is set-up, I’ve got a box of tissue – not, in this case, Kleenex brand – on a small swing-out shelf on the desk, just like I had before. And there’s another box on the small stand beside my bed, as it was in the apartment before the previous one. And a box in the bathroom, though not on the toilet tank. This box is on the window ledge above the bathtub.

And so it goes, finding places for the standard objects. After a week-and-a-half the furniture layout is more or less worked out. But only more or less. I had to junk an armoire that got damaged in moving, for example. Probably won’t buy another. But I’m not sure what I’ll do with the things that would have gone in it. Perhaps some simple storage bins.

The things that go in drawers, and on shelves, that’s a mess. I’ve got lots of books and lots of CDs. I just took them from boxes and put them where convenient. They’ll need to be put in order. I suppose I’ll do that gradually, as I use them. ‘Cause I’ve got to find them to use them. Having found them, I’ll want to put them somewhere so I can find them again, without a full search. The same with pens and pencils and paperclips and paper. I know where those things are, sorta’, but the exact order needs to evolve. That’ll take time.

That’s just inside the apartment.

What about external places and routes?

I found a post box about three blocks away, though that took a bit of doing. Had to walk around and ask folks. Now I know where to go to mail a letter.

I’m not sure just which of the various delis and bodegas I’ll be patronizing. There’s a handful within walking distance. Haven’t tried them all for sandwiches. So that’s got to be worked out.

Many of them have ATM machines, so that’s in place too. Though I’d like to find a local branch of my bank so I don’t have to pay an extra fee just to get cash; also need a place to deposit checks. There’s a branch on the way into the City (that is, New York City). I suppose I’ll use that often enough as I go into the City once a week or so. But it would be nice to have an alternative. I saw a branch while I was driving around a couple of days ago, but I’m not sure just where it was. I guess I can look it up online and figure it out.

Groceries? Where to make my main weekly buy? There’s a large one half a mile from here, but it’s depressing. I could go to the A&P I went to from my previous Jersey City apartment. I like it, the produce is decent, as are the cold cuts. It’s a bit further away. Perhaps that’s what I’ll do. Go back there. It’s only once a week or so, and traffic’s pretty light on Sunday mornings, which is when I generally make my main buy.

So: mail, money, groceries, little eats – all seem to be shaping up.

What about photographs? What am I going to shoot in my new neighborhood? I’m not sure about that. Haven’t found any really nice flower beds like the ones on 11th street in Hoboken. I suppose I could continue to photograph them, perhaps when I make my weekly food buy. I can also go back to my old graffiti spots, there doesn’t seem to be much locally.

Liberty State Park’s about half a mile away, that is, just to get into the park. You’ve still got a way to go to get to the shore where you can see New York Harbor. I’ve walked there once. That’s nice. But not as convenient as the Hudson was to Hoboken.

Now, there seems to be a problem with the mail. Mail’s not getting forwarded. Some seems to be hung up in Hoboken. Other stuff . . . don’t know where it is. Maybe I’ll have to look into the on Tuesday – Monday’s a holiday, remember. Wonder what folks do around here for Memorial Day?

And then there’s the Brownstone Diner. Three quarters of a mile away. A nice pancake house. I’ve known about it for a long time, been there a time or two. But now it’s at the edge of my neighborhood.

Good times?

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