My muscles ache- ach!- and I am walking around my new apartment in a daze. What a day.

Up at 7:30 to finish packing all my stuff, I am shoving random crap into shopping bags and boxes. Amazing how much clutter I allow myself. I divide my things into several trips and leave around 8:30 for the subway, carrying a full suitcase, my air mattress, my bedding, my computer/electronics bag, and a large cloth bag full to the hem with books. A five-block walk and a short subway ride later, I arrive at my new home, pick up my keys, and begin the whole process again. On the second trip I carry another full suitcase, my pillows, my bathroom/extra crap bags, another large cloth bag filled to the hem with books, and my hanging file cube. Aside from a brief spill of my files on the floor of the subway station, the second trip moves without a problem. I am getting exhausted at this point.

When I return to my old sublet, I have two things left: an extra box of heavy crap and my air conditioner packed back inside of its box. I drop off keys, receive my security deposit, and call a car service. I lug these boxes down the three flights of stairs (forgot to mention that before) and onto the street corner. Several minutes later a sedan pulls up, opens its trunk, and then we are on our way. After misunderstanding me and arguing for several moments, the driver heads in the right direction on the right street, which is conveniently blocked by the once-a-year West Indian cultural parade of Brooklyn. This moment: forehead in hands, exasperation.

We find a detour and pull up. I pay. I cross the street and almost collapse under the weight of both boxes. Kind neighbors help me bring everything into the building, and I find myself sliding the boxes along the hallway and into my new place.

I unpack, I make a couple calls from bed, and I eat a big burrito. I fall asleep and have another worry-caused dream in which I imagine that part of the rent includes picking up various packages from around town and deliver them to strange management firms. And now I am awake. I don't want to go out, I don't want to eat dinner; I don't know what to do.

My muscles ache- ach!- and I am walking around my new apartment in a daze. What a day.