I dunno – maybe. I have a great apartment. It’s large, it’s fairly private in a small building with most of my neighbors all living here for many years and it’s under rent control. I couldn’t find any place in L.A. as cheap as this at this point.

Hassle is right. I’m still recovering from the day of moving desks, printers, a large bookshelf loaded with too many books, washing the blinds and pitching in to help paint some trim. I am about to plop on the couch for the night and watch Kite Runner.

How did I do what? Coerce my landlord?

Oh and next week we get to start moving my bedroom furniture around and painting that room. I have way too much stuff and have lived here way too long (15 years).

The good news is, I even got to choose colors and steered away from the yucky “Swiss Coffee” which is the staple paint color in my building. My living room and dining room are in two lovely shades of pale green with a light ivory trim. Bedroom will be deep rose and light rose with the same ivory trim. My daughter is going to have her room done with the pale green and the pale rose this summer when she’s home. Then it’s on to paint the hall, kitchen and bathroom — all a shade of ivory a little darker than the trim. The fun was picking the colors. It’s looking good, after living for over a year with patches all over the walls and ceilings.