More on Moving and More on Baking

Seems like everywhere I turn people are moving … be it exercise friends, buddies, officemates. Of the many movers I know, some are upgrading apartments, some are leaving the city, while others are looking to move back into the city. As for me, thus far I’ve only scanned Craigslist for potential apartments and the work is still in the preliminary/early stage. And since I’ve been trained to think like Ben Franklin (a rational thinker), here are some off the shelf benefits and considerations wrt leaving Southpark –

Rationale:

- Save on rent

- Reduce and/or eliminate (useless) clutter

- Chance to redecorate with new color scheme and create new wall prints

- Possible new neighborhood to explore

- Get $,$$$ security deposit back (I don’t like foregone interest income)

Issues:

- Finding a nice, clean place that is also reasonably priced may be difficult

- Cost of moving is additive

- Movers, application fees, security deposits

- Time is limited and there is a narrow window to act

- Energy/Effort (coordinating process will require xls for sure)

- Packing, moving, unpacking

- Status quo is comfortable and may be hard to let go

- Current apt is nice with gym & pool in building

To be honest, I am a little reluctant to move - but I should start making calls and going on apt visits. On the flipside, I am a champion mover! A few months ago, I helped Erika with her move and lifted some heavy objects surviving fine with only one visible bruise (her ability to squeeze so many items in her old bedroom still amazes me). Towards the end of this weekend, I went to a packing party, where I helped to pack and clean - I’m clearly picking up moving skills left and right. Nonetheless, I hope to make a decision in a week or two …

Moving onto baking - I baked cheesecake squares with strawberries; I chose this mostly because the recipe appeared easy and manageable. Nora craved something chocolate-y but I told her just to buy some chocolate chips and to put those on her own squares (how nice of me). Before this I had never made cheesecake; in fact the first time I had it homemade was when Rmy made it when I was in fifth grade. Surely enough, the simple Saturday night project didn’t take too long to complete and the most fun part of the process was crumbling honey graham cracker squares and turning them into sweet bits of powdered dust particles. Cracker crumbling is arguably more fun than cheese grating.

Anyways here are some captures of the finished product:

(L-R, Top to Bottom): First two taste-test pieces; Softening cream cheese, sugar, eggs and co.; Squares are finished with lots and lots of strawberries; Baked honey graham cracker crust; Finely chopped up strawberries

A 3x3 Cheesecake Square Matrix