It's fun to stay at the YMCA

alright, so i said to wait for tomorrow and then didn't post anything. sorry. i can't set up the expectation to find new information every day! that is a pace i cannot maintain all summer!

so. the housing crunch. i started looking for housing on craigslist pretty much as soon as i knew i would be heading out to dc. but it has been an uphill battle. i was a bit picky, trying to find somewhere relatively close, with furniture, and without a male roommate (or at least not being the only girl with male roommates). but i found that not very many advertisers responded to my inquiries. to make matters worse, some of the really good leads i had either gave the room to someone else or changed their summer plans. so i arrived in dc homeless (as previously mentioned).
i visited a place on sunday night that was so-so. i had really high hopes, but because i would be sharing a townhouse with an older man and no idea who might rent the 3rd room (or if anyone would), i passed on it. he was not pleased with me, as he had turned down other potential renters with the belief that i would rent the place. but alas. the cons outweighed the pros (5 to 2, respectively).
then today i visited a friend-of-a-friend who lives in the suburbs. she is a cool, self-employed artist who likes quirky comedies (think the office and arrested development). she wasn't really looking for a renter, but was willing to sleep in her den (giving me her room and bed) for a little extra cash. we got along really well. the only downside is that it is pretty far off the beaten path and will cost me a bit extra (in time and metro fare) to get to and from work. but it is a much better situation for me than the townhouse with the middle-aged man.
i'm also visiting a place tomorrow that is within walking distance of work (hooray!). but it wouldn't be available until july. fortunately, the friend-of-a-friend is okay with me only staying a month if i found a better (i.e., closer) place. so wish me luck that tomorrow's meet-and-greet with the renter goes well. worst case scenario: i live with the friend-of-a-friend all summer and pay a fortune in metro fares. good thing she's giving me a good price!