The To-Do List

When I was in Anchorage for my interviews a few weeks ago, I lucked up on finding a place to live before I left. It's completely furnished with a heated garage -- priceless in Alaska! Haha. As far as location, it's not too far from work and very close to stores and the post office, etc. Price-wise, it's double what I was paying in Georgia. Ouch.

As far as moving my belongings, most of those are at my parents' house. It was hard deciding on what to take and what would stay. I kept thinking, Can I live without this for two years? And if so, do I really need to hold on to it? I filled five boxes (three large, two small) with clothes and books and personal items and shipped them up a couple days before leaving. Expensive? Yes. $300. But they arrived the same day I did, so it worked out great.

Since it snows a lot in Alaska, I had a hard time deciding on what type of vehicle to buy. Subarus are everywhere - all types - so I started researching those and decided to look for a Forester. It's hard enough finding a used Subaru in Georgia, let alone in a state where people really need AWD. I spent weeks searching and calling dealers, but all I found were 2007 models that local car rental companies trade in. The price for an '07 is not much less than a new '08, since the new vehicles have a rebate.

The price of the '08 was within my budget... but the real shock was when I called my insurance company. Full coverage is $1380 for 6 months. OUCH! That's exactly double what I was paying for the Montero. Geeeez!

Yesterday was quite a busy day of checking things off the "to-do list." Bought a vehicle, opened a bank account and a post office box, bought groceries. Today I can finish unpacking boxes and suitcases and rest before the big day tomorrow -- my first day at a new job. Can't wait!