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Well that was easy.

It was the third place I looked at. And walking in the door, I knew right away.

But c'mon. This was Monday. I hadn't yet been in town two full days. I decided to look at a few more places, and I did that today, for a grand total of six potential apartments viewed before making my decision.

The landlord is himself recently arrived from San Francisco. And we hit it off--to the extent that you can do that in a landlord-tenant situation--right away. It's located in the south end of town, at the end of a cul de sac. The cul de sac ends on North Riverside Drive, which runs along something referred to as "the Wash." The Wash appears as blue on a map, just like the Delaware River would be. And when it rains here every two-and-a-half years or so, the Wash is indeed filled with water. That will be interesting to behold.

There's a Starbucks within walking distance, and it's also a few short blocks from one of the local leather bars which is the site of the annual Palm Springs Leather Thing every November.

My new place (Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!) is a sweet little two bedroom, one bath. The kitchen is kind of minimal, but it's got great outdoor space. The wall surrounding the outdoor space is six feet high. My landlord explained that you couldn't build a wall that high these days as they can only be five feet by code. Half of it is paved with concrete, and half is hardscape garden with bougainvillea and lantana.

So... Two bedrooms?

Yes.

Two bedrooms. One of the bedrooms will be my bedroom, and the other bedroom will be my play space. Let's call it the rec room. I like that. My rec room.

For the first time in my adult life, I'll have a specific space for whipping men and chaining them up and sticking them in my cage.

I have so totally earned that.

Interestingly, I'm not sure how much action the rec room will see. With everything I've been through lately, it's just not where my head is at. I don't know that I'm up for recreational SM. I think I'd feel diminished by that experience, rather than sustained. And of course, for the next two years my focus will be on school. And on sorting some stuff out in my head.

And most importantly, my new place (Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee!) will be a perfect setting for that.

It's not officially official yet. Landlord Guy is calling my references (you know who you are!) and unless he hears something dissuasive, I'll go over there tomorrow at eleven a.m. to sign the lease, write out a check, and pick up the keys.

Among my people, it is a tradition that the first things you bring into a new home are bread and salt. The bread is to ensure that you'll always be able to offer hospitality to others, and the salt ensures that you won't know want while you live there.

Oh man.

I think it will work really well.