Since my days of reading for leisure are numbered, I decided to take up the delightful little read that is Jane Austen's Persuasion over the past couple days.  Yes, I am a girl, and therefore a sucker for Jane Austen, and since her novels are generally happy face, and relatively quick and easy to read, it seemed the perfect candidate.  I was not as familiar with this novel as I am with some of the others also, so it was fun to get to know it a little better.  It is a sweet story about forgiveness and second chances.  I do not really have a whole lot to say about it.  It's not even very interesting that I read it, I know, but since my husband is pretty much the only one reading my blog, I am at liberty to discuss whatever little trifles I feel like and he will be (or at least act) interested.  What a sweetie.

We are now in the thick of our hunt for a new apartment.  It is unclear at the moment exactly when we will be moving, but it could be as early as mid-May so it's time for us to keep an eye out.  We have discussed over and over the pros and cons of various locations.  We are finding it very difficult to pick one as each has good things and bad things about it.  We are tempted to go a little west, as the apartment prices go down that direction, and there are actually some very pretty and nice neighborhoods.  Yet going west would increase the commute time to school (as well as the many, many potential clinical sights in this vicinity and eastward) for both of us.  We have considered staying in the same building, but we long for a dishwasher.  It has become a small obsession of mine.  I just think of how much time I spend doing dishes (who would've thought that 2 people could make so many), and how I could probably really use that time for other endeavors once I'm in school.  It's not a necessity, to be sure, but it's a luxury I would really enjoy.  Also, parking would be no picnic around here if we end up with a car.  The remaining option is to go east.  There are many advantages to that.  While it would increase Zack's commute time (going anywhere but here would as we're living on campus right now), it wouldn't be by much and we would be very close to public transportation.  It would move me closer to school.  There are so many fun areas downtown, including areas around Rittenhouse Square, which is a lovely park surrounded by a lot of shopping; the museum area (pretty self-explanatory); and Old City, which is the area right in the vicinity of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell.  I personally like the latter best.  It is marked in part by narrow cobblestone streets where it is easy to feel tucked away from everything, despite that you are actually in the middle of a huge city.  But the prices for apartments can be very high in the city, as is common most places I imagine, and the parking would potentially be even worse of a nightmare than here in the area surrounding the university.  Even more scary- I have no idea how to parallel park.  I have honestly never done it in my life.  Not really even in drivers' ed.  So here we are after days of contemplating, researching, and hunting, unresolved about anything.  What's most important?  A dishwasher?  Finding a parking space with ease?  Commute time?  Is it extremely important that we remain in the same ward or stake?  Is there something out there that offers the best of everything we are looking for? And how do we find it?  

I have to say though, despite that this has caused me more than a little anxiety, it's really kind of fun.  We get the opportunity to explore many parts of the city.  We get to anticipate the excitement that is finding a place and making it our own, at least as much as is possible in a rented apartment.

If anyone has great apartment hunting skills and would like to share, feel free to enlighten us.