Well, after battling with it on two PDAs and laptops, I can finally use my phone as a modem for my laptop! Insert sheepish thanks to Chris for pointing out that the "Activate" button isn't just there for decoration. This is particularly good because Comcast isn't coming until the 8th  :)  

Business opportunities are shaping up nicely for Chris here as well... still working on luring him down here as soon and full time as possible  ;)  To say it's a complicated situation would be an extreme understatement.  It's all very fuzzy until a few more things get worked out.  But we're working on it.  We call it our reality creation machine.  We're both people who make things happen, and having two of those working in unison is a powerful force. 

Perhaps I'm just getting used to not knowing what my life and the lives of those around me are going to look like in the near future.  Hell, I've never even had mismatched dishes before.  My birthday this year will definitely be good timing.  My dad always agonizes over what to get me... I've finally got to the point where I'm pretty blunt and specific so I don't end up with country music concert tickets (yes this happened), so Ikea or Home Depot gift certificates will be an easy suggestion. 

Speaking of Ikea, I'm finally admitting that I'm a complete Ikea whore.  It's strange... I remember when I was 12-13, Ikea was exotic and wacky and uber-modern.  It was the only place around (in Toronto at least, which seemed to be one of the pockets, like California, where Ikea is popular) where you could get cheap furniture that wasn't like a K-Mart special.  Steve hadn't even heard of Ikea when we first met.  But here, and in Toronto now, it's huge and seems to be a symbol of crappy mass production.  Some things are really good deals, and some aren't, by comparison.  Also, it's like the amazon.com of home stuff -- great for inspiration and one-stop shopping.  I certainly don't want that "furnished by Ikea!" look, but I love it on the whole  :)  Between that, eBay, and CraigsList, I'm in heaven.  

I'm definitely ready to be out of this attic.  Especially with this heat lately, ugh.  I want a rooted home, stable technology, and space to stretch out.  Zoe barely moves from the downstairs bathroom floor.

Anyone out there know much about anchoring and tensioning cable across a huge span for curtains, like this?  Those wall-sized windows are gonna be a bitch for blocking the morning sunrise, but I think wire and fabric will be an affordable solution.  Chris's dad has a crapload of woodworking stuff and tools that he's giving to him so we're moving it into the garage storage space.

I've also discovered the wonder of galvanized plumbing pipe and connectors.  It's like tinker toy for grownups!  *goes back to sketching out clothes hanging system* 

Apparently live/work spaces aren't held to the same building/living code standards as an apartment.  For example, the heat in the loft (two little space heaters downstairs) wouldn't be acceptable in an actual living space.  My dream is to put a clawfoot tub up in the bedroom loft.  I've always had this vision of a tub in the corner of an open bedroom...