Image from Slideshare.net website Yes, you read that correctly. In less than a month, I'm going to move from the low key Midwest life to the flashy hustle and bustle of Las Vegas! Vegas may be a lighting designer's paradise, but if I'm not careful... It might become a misophonian's nightmare!
Since this will be the first time I've moved to a new location knowing about my misophonia condition (up until now, I've lived in ignorant "bliss," if you can call it that), I've been diligent about setting up certain criteria when looking for a new place to live. Knowing how frustrating it was when I first moved to Iowa and lived in a walk-up with neighbors above me, I knew that if I did move into another walk-up apartment building, I'd have to live on the top floor - preferably a corner with as few neighbors as possible. I wouldn't want to live near the complex's pool, since that would be a very active (noisy) area. I'd need to be careful about the building's orientation because I usually try to situate Tooki (my bird) at a window where he could look outside, but given how hot it is in Vegas, I wouldn't want to come home from work to a roasted bird. Between those factors, as well as the minimum square footage I wanted and my approximate move-in date, my options quickly became severely limited.
I also knew I'd have to be careful about noise from my surrounding environment, so I tried to get as far away from the Strip and the airport flight paths as possible. I thought I found a perfect place in the northwest part of Vegas, in a corner apartment at the top level facing the mountains and only 20-30 minutes away from my office (which is mid-way along the Strip). A friend in Vegas, who has been my mentor throughout the majority of my career, dissuaded me from that location and I'm actually glad he did... In the dozen years that I've traveled to Vegas least once (if not two or three times) every year, I didn't
Since this will be the first time I've moved to a new location knowing about my misophonia condition (up until now, I've lived in ignorant "bliss," if you can call it that), I've been diligent about setting up certain criteria when looking for a new place to live. Knowing how frustrating it was when I first moved to Iowa and lived in a walk-up with neighbors above me, I knew that if I did move into another walk-up apartment building, I'd have to live on the top floor - preferably a corner with as few neighbors as possible. I wouldn't want to live near the complex's pool, since that would be a very active (noisy) area. I'd need to be careful about the building's orientation because I usually try to situate Tooki (my bird) at a window where he could look outside, but given how hot it is in Vegas, I wouldn't want to come home from work to a roasted bird. Between those factors, as well as the minimum square footage I wanted and my approximate move-in date, my options quickly became severely limited.
I also knew I'd have to be careful about noise from my surrounding environment, so I tried to get as far away from the Strip and the airport flight paths as possible. I thought I found a perfect place in the northwest part of Vegas, in a corner apartment at the top level facing the mountains and only 20-30 minutes away from my office (which is mid-way along the Strip). A friend in Vegas, who has been my mentor throughout the majority of my career, dissuaded me from that location and I'm actually glad he did... In the dozen years that I've traveled to Vegas least once (if not two or three times) every year, I didn't
venture too far away from the Strip. I used my experiences around the DC beltway as a comparison to the Vegas "beltway," but little did I know that looking at the city on Google maps is very deceptive. You can actually fit *six* DC beltways within the Vegas one, something I didn't realize. Plus, where I thought the isolation of that apartment complex would actually be good for my misophonia, but when we drove out there Monday evening, I realized that my friend was right... There is a case for being TOO isolated. No street lights, gorgeous luxury houses that are far apart from one another, and very little in the way of shopping/supermarkets/restaurants/etc. He even has friends out in that neck of the woods (or should I say desert) that no one wants to visit because they live too far away.
I saw gorgeous houses that were over 500 sf larger than my apartment yet cost $200/month less, but as soon as I heard jackhammers outside one and street noise outside another, I knew those were out.
I saw gorgeous houses that were over 500 sf larger than my apartment yet cost $200/month less, but as soon as I heard jackhammers outside one and street noise outside another, I knew those were out.
| I found another apartment that I thought would be perfect - top corner unit, with GORGEOUS architecture, top of the line finishes, high vaulted ceilings, and LOTS of light, but when I visited the location, I discovered not only was the apartment closer to the pool than I thought, but the master bedroom overlooked the multiple air-conditioning units for the clubhouse. Even without going into the apartment, I knew that the roar of the air conditioners would drive me crazy. | |
So, that place was out... (You can watch attached video to hear for yourself but WARNING... The recording is LOUD!!! Can you imagine having to live directly over the noise coming from those air conditioning units?!?!?)
So, after two days of apartment hunt hopping at the beginning of this week, I found a really nice top-corner apartment that overlooks a landscaped courtyard, is set back from the main street, not too far nor too close to the pool, is in a gated community on the west edge of the city bordering up against a national reserve area. It's only a couple of miles from shopping - including a major mall that's about to be finished this Fall - the Red Rock Casino, lots of delicious restaurants, a lush park with baseball fields and walking trails, and it will only be a 15 minute drive to work. (For my DC friends... I was told it's like the Bethesda of Vegas.)
It'll be interesting to see how my new work environment affects my misophonia, but that's a topic for another post. :-)
So, after two days of apartment hunt hopping at the beginning of this week, I found a really nice top-corner apartment that overlooks a landscaped courtyard, is set back from the main street, not too far nor too close to the pool, is in a gated community on the west edge of the city bordering up against a national reserve area. It's only a couple of miles from shopping - including a major mall that's about to be finished this Fall - the Red Rock Casino, lots of delicious restaurants, a lush park with baseball fields and walking trails, and it will only be a 15 minute drive to work. (For my DC friends... I was told it's like the Bethesda of Vegas.)
It'll be interesting to see how my new work environment affects my misophonia, but that's a topic for another post. :-)
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