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First Home Advice: Where Do Renters Draw the Line?
Vickie is an Apartment Therapy reader who is looking for advice. She is 23 years old and has recently moved out of her family home and into an apartment. She and her boyfriend have a year lease and the ok to make some decorating decisions and general home improvements. But she's wondering where the line should be - how much work, money, and time is too much to invest?
Here is her question in her own words, from her blog:
My main question is where do I draw the line with home improvement? Our property manager told us we can paint the walls and put holes into it (wooohooo!) as long as it returns back to its original state (or forfeit our security deposit of course). If the possibilities are endless, where do we stop? Should I change the kitchen and bathroom faucet fixtures? Would I want to remove them and take them with me whenever I move out? And if I did that, would they look good in the new place? Would I want to design this 'new place' the same way with the things I already own or see it as a fresh clean slate? Should I only make small changes?
I know I must consider the length of our lease, my financial situation, the costs of the improvements to be made, the cost of redecorating a future apartment (if I left certain goods behind), the labor and cost of returning the apartment to its original plain state, how much you love your apartment, how comfortable do you want to feel in it, and many other factors I have yet to think of. Just because my dinky couch looks good and fits in my current apartment doesn't mean it will in the next. So many options to weigh!
Please share your wisdom and advice with Vickie in the comments below...thanks!
Image: Jess Watson/from the tour of Emily and Meeko's Sunny First Apartment
68 Comments
It's really a personal decision... I know people who don't change a thing, and I know people who have almost renovated a rental. I guess it depends on your budget and how long you plan to be there for.
Personally we paint the walls and hang some stuff. This month we're going big and putting grass and a small patio in the tiny backyard, but that's the biggest project we're going to do with this place (should cost around $300). I also want to change the shower head to something with more pressure.
these are all thing I struggle with too. I have never painted an apartment. Having to paint it back at the end and forfeit money (even though landlords always paint before new tenants) didn't seem worth it- and I find that as soon as I've gotten stuff on the walls, I had at least a little less need to paint. I recommend getting things for the walls you love that are either large in size or quantity to fill up the space. New fixtures is a fine idea, but yes, you'll want to take them with you when you leave. Unless the landlord is giving you a break on rent to manage or update the apartment in some way, anything you but you'll want to take with you. As for furniture, buy things you like, but can still afford- you're young! there will be plenty of time for new stuff. Go to antique and thrift stores for interesting accessories, use websites like joss and main for fun throw pillows, and your couch won't look so dinky.
The main thing I think about when deciding how much effort to put into a rental is- how long do I plan to stay? If I think I'm going to move in a year, I'm not going to put too much money into fixing the place up, and am going to try to mainly work with things I already have or that I know i will want even if I move. If, on the other hand, I intend to stay for 6 years, then thats as long as some people live in a house they own. I'm going to put effort into making myself comfortable, since I'm going to be living with those upgrades much longer. After all, living with a closet with insufficient places to put things is annoying for one year, but its worth it to fix it up if it's going to make that closet better for 5 years.
Also to think about: how much happier an improvment makes you. Sometimes little/cheap things can make a ton of difference to your daily life, like exchanging a really bad showerhead. Other times it might be a lot of labour/expensive and the improvment might not be so noticable in your daily life.
Go ahead and paint, but if you're just going to be there a year, I wouldn't do much else that you couldn't take with you.
You also have to be careful about changing things like the faucets. Legally, those most likely become the property of your landlord when they're installed. They're called "fixtures," and I'm sure there's a legal guide for renters you can find that will explain how that works.
Spend money on things you can take with you. But spend time on making the place your own. For me, a lot of the time I spend working on the place is more enjoyable than the time I spend enjoying my work.
If there is something that you really just can't stand to look at, I would say to do what you can to improve it without spending too much money. After you have lived in the place for a while you may have a better idea of whether you want to stay for a long period and then you might be willing to invest a little bit more. Whenever I have replaced anything in a rental, I kept the old item so that I could take the replacement with me if I chose.
How long do you plan on staying? Will you move out after your lease or will you sign on for another year?
I'd start with small changes. What if, after a few months, you realize you don't like the neighborhood? Or the lay out? Or the size? Or the rent is too much? I'd consider all those things before making major changes. Definitely make small changes to make it feel like home, but put the big changes on the back-burner.
Also, how lenient is your landlord about returning things to their "original state"? If you paint the walls, does she want the walls back to their original color when you move out? Probably not but it would be worth it to find out how "original" she wants the place to be when you leave.
Oy! First Apartments! Start small, and stay small. Make sure you document each change with before and after photos. I think you are smart to question how far you should go. I would alter the palette & mood of your place with color and lighting. Keep the fixtures as they are if you can live with them. Give yourself a year in the new place and keep raising the bar each year after that. I am giving this advice as a person who lost her security deposit on her new place because I went to far with my remodel. If you switch out any fixture make sure you save as original condition or you might be charged through the nose. Other than that Enjoy your new apt!
You've gotten some good advice here. Personally, I would concentrate on the things that you will live with for a long time to come. For example: I'd rather buy a good sofa that will last me for years than change the fixtures in an apartment (unless they're god-awful, in which case, please change the fixtures!). If you decide to live in the apartment for a few years, then it's a good idea to do some changes. But for 12 months? I think not.
Here's a good rule of thumb: spend no more than one month's rent on home improvements per year. If you stay a year, then you won't have spent TOO much money, but if you're there for 3, then over time you can make it more your own.
Instead of changing bathroom or kitchen faucets, think about changing the lighting fixtures. Those are easy to change, and easy to bring to the next place. Maybe just paint one feature wall so that you have less to paint back to white when you move out.
I agree with Terry. While it is a personal choice, 12 months really isn't a long time to make any major change. Unless, you are going to renew the lease at the end of the term. If you do want to make changes, money wise, I wouldn't spend more than one month rent on the changes.
Good luck, and I am so excited for you!!! =)
As a military wife, I am no stranger to moving from rental property to rental property. I agree that you should not invest too much money into a rental. However, I also believe in making your living space as personal as possible. We usually will try to change things that we can take with, such as the light fixtures or door knobs. We have always painted, although it can be a pain to have to repaint when it comes time to leave. It really comes down to the parts of the home that are most important to you. You'd be amazed at how much just a coat of paint can make a temporary home feel like you've been there for years.
Fix what makes you most comfortable. If you faucet is not working, then have the landlord fix it/replace it, but otherwise I might leave it alone. When my roommate and I moved into our Queens apartment after first arriving to new york city we actually put in some relatively inexpensive new "wood" flooring and some laminate tile in the kitchen, and a new laminate counter top (our kitchen was TINY). they were labor intensive updates, but worth a couple of hundred dollars for us to have decent floors and a *definitely* clean counter top. Those two things improved both the look and the livability of the space - changes worth making!
It seems you already know what you're up for if you do make changes in the apartment (the most significant being the cost of the improvements and putting it back in its original state). If you absolutely can't stand the apartment as it is--if you're not looking forward to coming home from work because you don't find comfort in your own space--then go ahead (though the better advice would have been for you to have rented a better apartment). If you can tolerate living in it for 12 months (and believe me, 12 months fly by, just like that), I would just save the money to pay for things I will like forever (art) or to enjoy my youth (travel).
I think it's one thing to swap out a shower head or put one of those little swivel sprayer head things on the end of the kitchen faucet, but switching the actual faucet itself is pretty major. Also hanging stuff and putting up shelves is a lot easier than painting, especially if you have to paint twice. I can't imagine having to deal with packing and moving and then painting a place you are leaving.
It's one thing to put up a medicine cabinet or some other form of bathroom storage if there isn't one there, but for the most part I would make do with the fixtures/cabinets, etc. that are provided (and you are paying for) especially if you will only be there a year. Little things add up, I know everyone says painting is cheap, but good paint isn't cheap and you have to buy all of the "stuff" needed to paint and you have to store all of that "stuff."
I'm pro-painting. Its easy to undo, if you are certain you can plan for it. 5 gallons of off white paint, clear out the furniture, and you can knock it out in one day.
However, if you do not think you will be renewing your lease (going back to school, etc), no changes are worth it.
I agree with much of the advice above. You'll find that you can make a place very homey with things you can take with you like furniture, art, and textiles. All of these things make great long-term investments.
Collect ideas and create a design board to reflect on any changes so they're not impulsive. The professionals all do it, so why not us normal folks as well? Home design doesn't expire. You can take your time and let things evolve gradually.
Another thing to consider is that it is not worth coming up short on your rent because you were decorating. A good rule is to make sure you can purchase all your decor in cash. It's easy to set up a bank account for your home (before you get distracted with all the wonderful things out there), separate from your required budget, to help keep you within your means.
Some things I have changed in my apartment other than paint:
-redid bathroom floor with landlord's permission. He bought the supplies for me. The two days of work pulling up old tiles, pretreating the subfloor so the new ones would stick better, and installing new peel-n-stick tiles was well worth it as I have been here for 3 years now and at the age of 29 am SOOOO over gross bathroom floors.
- Hung 3 shelves over an area of counter in my kitchen with no upper cabinets. I will probably leave these when I move out.
- Changed the hardware on the kitchen cabinets. Wish I did it sooner! $30 of knobs. I kept the old ones so I can keep 'my' knobs when I move out if I want them. This (if you make sure to pick new handles that match the holes of the old ones) is a very easy to undo change.
I'm going to put my two-cents in against painting your new place. I just moved out of my first apartment after a one year lease and painting back all of the rooms that we had painted seemed like such a hassle (and waste of time/money) for a place that we didn't care about any more. This time around I am filling the space with re-painted frames from Goodwill, tapestries and other wall art to break up to monotony of white walls. Since I'm in the same boat as you (in potentially moving from year to year) I have decided to invest my time and effort into refurbishing old (but quality!) pieces of furniture to suit my current design inspirations. This way if I decide I don't want my furniture from this place in my new home I can resell it -- likely for a profit -- and start again fresh. But that's just me and my DIY ways :).
Agree with the suggestions above. Also talk to the landlord, when I left the last rental place he didn't require it to be repainted. I had done neutralish walls and pale woodwork so it wasn't a difficult colour scheme for the next person. I added colour through the furnishings which I knew I could take with me.
I'd add shelves, change light fittings and change curtains. I don't think I'd do more unless there was something that really didn't work.
I recommend investing in quality furniture and artwork that you can take with you. We did replace our shower head but plan on taking it with us. We have stored the one that came with the apartment carefully and will put it back in. If fixtures are at the point of needing replacement, consider asking the landlord to pay for part of it. Kate at Censtational Girl has painted '80s style brass fixtures as well.
Your question contains two different kinds of improvements - you mention sofas and fixtures. I would put together two different lists - one having to do with decorative/functional pieces that you own and are moveable, and the other list being changes to the apartment itself, such as painting, wall to wall carpeting, lighting or plumbing fixtures, etc.
Re: the 2nd list, I would only make changes to the apartment that you feel you can't live without and understand that you will lose that money. If you plan to stay only a year, then that list should be very small. If there are things that are very old/not working properly, then check out the laws in your town/city - you should be able to get your landlord to pay for those. You should not be improving the property at your own expense, in general - the owner should be.
Re: what you do own - furniture and decorations...you have to buy for where you are now and consider the scale of the furniture to the space, etc. If you buy pieces that are truly functional and won't fall apart in a future move, then likely you will be able to make them work in wherever you move next. I agree with Suzanne above - I have never bought everything at once (could never afford to, for one thing)...every time you introduce something new, it's an opportunity to rethink and re-design, a good practice for wherever you move next.
When I moved into my apartment, I had no idea how long I'd be staying, so I tried to spend the least amount possible (thrifted furniture, no painting or changing fixtures). Now I've been there over a year and a half, and it looks like I'll be staying, but now I have no desire to make any big changes! My lamps, rugs, and curtains all set a really nice mood to the place, & now I don't have any worries about moving out, when it's time. Glad to know I've saved money and can buy new things when I move into a more permanent space.
I'd recommend taking your decorating process slowly, and you may find that you can enjoy your space without having to put more work into it.
I always try to rent from individual owners that actually own the condo or house. If possible, I negotiate lower rent in exchange for my labor in upgrading the home. If the landlord actually owns the unit, they're usually open to this (if you can prove you do quality work). Even if they don't agree to lower rent, I have always gotten landlords to pay for the material (new blinds, paint, appliances, etc...) in exchange for me doing the actual work. That way I can enjoy the benefits, but not have to worry about painting back or taking things with me. It's a win/win for me, really.
If none of this flew, I would maybe paint one accent wall (I'm so over painting apartments back to white when moving out) or be creative with wall decor to be able to leave the walls white/beige. That way anything I spend money on I can take with me.
When I was renting apartments I would always develop a good relationship with the landlord or the manager. With some daily pleasantries and a plate of homemade cookies once a month or so I was able to pretty much do what I wanted. I got the management to tile my kitchen and bath, refinish my floors, install new appliances and a window AC unit. I was allowed to paint and change out the light fixtures. I was careful to always run my choices by them and show them what I did so they knew that I wasn't doing anything crazy. I usually left anything I installed so that I could have the fun of doing it at the next place.
I advise the typical Sandra Rinomato tip: live in it for a while, then decide what's necessary and what you can live with. Sometimes a little bit of elbow grease goes a LONG way.
If there are things you absolutely can't live with, try to be creative in your solution so that whatever you buy you can take with you, or sell. I have never gotten too caught up on the idea of "well what if it doesn't go well in my next place" because there will always be that certain someone who will want it on craigslist or ebay. Sure, you probably won't get what you paid for it, but the cost you lose is probably worth the happiness it gave to you in your old place :D
All the advice is good. Some things I've done:
1. nothing
2. switch shower head and save the old one
3. painted a bedroom - the ONLY reason was because the previous tenant smoked and it was GROSS, otherwise, I wouldn't have bothered
4. Tore out WTW carpet with the landlord's help, hardwood underneath :)
I would rather save money to buy a house. My rule is any money I spend, I need to be able to take it with me (quality furniture, kitchen supplies, etc.).
I only make cosmetic changes that can be easily un-done when I leave. If it's something that is broken, and I would like to be in charge of what it is replaced with, I have sometimes asked for a budget and then bought it myself, deducting the cost from the rent and including a receipt. (for example: chandelier over dining table came with apt. and one day caught fire. It had previously been a hideous brass thing, and I chose a much more attractive nickel one). I always paint though, and 2x times the next tenant has liked it so much they asked me not to re-paint it white. :-)
After owning a condo for 10 years and sinking over $70K in improvements that I did not even come close to recouping when I sold it http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/house-tours/house-tour-kathryns-loft-life-009235
I will soon be a renter and it's my goal to spend absolutely nothing in improvements!!
Start small and do a few additional things for every year that you stay. Invest only in stuff that will easily make the move from one place to another -- artwork is good for this (and can go along way toward making walls more bearable). A few good pieces of furniture that should fit whever you move will work too). I've lived in six different rentals since college and now that I'm settled in a house I own I wish I hadn't spent so much on the places that I was obviously only going to be in for a year or two.
I also wouldn't count on being able to re-use fixtures from one place to the next. You'd be surprised at how many different varieties and sizes are out there - as soon as you buy a single-handled faucet for the bathroom, your next place will have a two-handled sink.
Generally speaking, I wouldn't make any changes that don't "pay" for themselves during the time of your anticipated stay. You'd be better off saving that money as a down payment for a home/apartment/condo of your own (that you can customize to your heart's content) or for future upgrades when you're in a more permanent rental situation (having made a commitment to your job/neighborhood/relationship, etc).
When my girlfriend and I moved into our apartment we decided that we would gladly pay $10-15 more per month over two years if the few things we disliked were changed. With the landlord's permission, we painted white the ceiling, 70s wood paneling, and kitchen cabinets; put in a new shower head; installed some shelves; etc. All for less than the $250 we originally budgeted and we can take several of the items with us when we eventually move.
Am I the only one who's never had a landlord who either wouldn't allow painting or put it in the lease that you had to return the walls to their original colour? I've always been told by my landies that tasteful colours are A-OK.
If required, I will change light fixtures, paint, change hardware, put up shelves.
Personally, I always put in my own shower head! Also, at the moment my kitchen sink does not have a spray nozzle, which I hope to remedy soon. I hate painting, and my walls are neutral, so I'm not going to bother. However, I'd suggest trying an accent wall if you aren't going to be there long. There's less work but with a definite "pop" of color and personalization. Throw rugs and curtains can also make a huge difference and can usually be used in another dwelling.
I have always painted the walls, changed out light fixtures and added different draperies to add my own touch to the place. My motto is you can always take that with you {except the painted walls}
Strange they want you to paint it back. I guess it depends on how much the deposit is, if it ends up being the cost of re-painting back, then I would leave the walls.
I ended up helping our previous landlords sell their house as I had painted the walls colours that the buyers loved! They gave me one months rent back for that!
Congratulations on your first apartment!
Here is advice I wish I had followed:
- In the first year, buy good basics and only good basics. (For me it was mattress, couch....but no credit card purchase allowed!)
- Make a wish list and send a note to family and friends. (I promise you they have a ton of stuff they want to get rid of ...it won't be exactly what you would pick out, but it will save you thousands of dollars and they will be happy to help you out.)
That's it. Don't go shopping. Don't go to CB, WE, PB.
If you want something put it on the wishlist. If you don't get it in a month and you still want it/need it - shop craigslist for it.
Learn to live way under your means now. It will set a lifetime of good habits.
Good luck! Enjoy!!
I've painted and for me it wasn't worth it. I am big on changing out light fixtures though, because I hate ugly light. i bought this crazy chandelier for the kitchen, and it is what people notice most about my eating nook.
Also, i got a new toilet seat cover, new shower head, and new blinds, because those are such small things that why not. I also bought IKEA curtains, because they are cheap and make such a difference. Honestly, it is your home, assess what will make you happiest, if say you are snowed in you apartment for a week and you can't go anywhere. Would that be fresh walls, clean floors...only you can know.
I have been asking myself this question as well since I recently moved into my first 1 bedroom apartment with no roommates.
Since I plan to be in the space longer than one year but not likely more than two years, I have decided to invest in things that I can take with me to a new place when I move.
The first purchase was a nice quality sofa because I didn't have one & prior roommates had always supplied the sofa in any living arrangment that I've had. In the coming months, I plan to gradually purchase furniture, rugs, & artwork that I love but pieces that have some staying power & can come with me when I eventually decide to move.
My landlord told me that I could paint but was required to turn it back to renter's white when I left. The painting sounds like fun now, but I know that when I'm looking forward to moving into a new apartment the last thing I will want to do is stay behind at the old place & return the paint job to the original color. Instead, I'm going to hang lots of artwork & colorful curtains to break up those monotonous white walls.
I have always rented. (I'm 50) so I have a liberal approach to the idea of recreating a rental space into my own.
The first concept is that I consider my damage deposit to be the price I pay to individualize my space. I paint the walls and hang things up and I am frankly not going to take the time to paint or spackly before moving. Most places I have lived in for around 5 years at a time, though, and the longest was 7 years.
As I said, I always paint and hang art and pictures and shelves. I always trade out the showerhead and I leave it when I go. We have usually had to change the two prong electrical outlets to three prongs as well since we like older places and those tend to be two prong.
Other than that, it really depends on the place. I usually do improvements in the yard, to include raised beds for gardens if there is no space or if the garden space significantly needs improvement. I do get permission to improve the outside, although it usually shocks my landlords how much money I put into the outside (I love to garden.)
the place we live now: we replaced the kitchen lights (open florescent bulbs with no covers are unacceptable to me) - We repainted the bathroom extensively (purple badly sponge painted walls - no way) and we have hung a nice coat rack in the living room that we will leave (due to the holes for the strong support we needed to make it stay)
We also traded out the cabinet and drawer pulls in the kitchen as well. and the landlord does a crappy job of ant extermination, so we hired someone to do that too.
We are planning on looking for a place in 2012 (our sister is moving in with us and we want a larger place with better appliances) so that will make 4 years in this house. We leave it significantly improved but are pretty sure we will not get the deposit back. ah well.
I have been a renter, and then an owner, and now back to a renter (most of my life having been spent in rentals) and here is my recommendation: There is something about your current place that made you want to live in it, whether it is the size of the rooms the views from the windows, the kitchen layout... Whatever it is that you love about where you live is what you should play up, downplay what you don't like about it. But don't invest a lot of money in a rental, as you will always come out behind in the end.
Instead, start saving for your perfect first home. If you find a faucet set you like, put that money into a "house fund" account and keep a list of what you're saving for. The longer you live in your apartment, the more you will get excited about owning your own place, and the more you will have for improvements when you take the step to buy.
Renting is like dating: until you have the paper in your hand that says it belongs to you, you should only put into it what you don't mind taking away from your future "relationship."
Given that this is your first apartment and that it's a live-in with a boyfriend, I would seriously recommend focusing money and effort on things you can take with you. Get a feel for running and enjoying your own place. Setting up house takes money. It's amazing how fast money vaporizes when purchasing spatulas, pots and pans, towels, brooms, and *stuff*.
If you do go ahead with modifications, run choices by the landlord, as others have suggested, and get it in email or writing somehow (not just verbally). Make sure they confirm their OK in writing. Some landlords will take advantage of younger tenants; it happened to me in my first rental after college!
Best of luck in your new home! :)
We've never lived in an apartment and NOT improved it! That's probably because we have more creativity, time, and energy than we have money (like to get a nicer apartment!). Painting is so inexpensive and easy (really it takes a day or less!) that I would say for sure do it because it makes such a huge impact!
As for other things, make changes that will really make you happier to live there AND that you can also take with you. For several apartments I've switched out the crappy showerhead in the bathroom for a nicer luxury style. All year I have a more enjoyable shower and then when I move out I just put a new economy showerhead back on (in the same style as the original, usually like 3 bucks) and take my nice one with me to my new place! So if installing a new kitchen faucet will make you happy every time you use the sink, go for it! Just save the old one to put back on before you move out.
Depends on what sort of person you are. I rented for years in multiple places and NEVER painted because I'm a last-minute kind of guy and moving is always hellish, and I'm not adding another step to it (repainting). An organized person could pull it off, but not me!
Also, my taste runs bright/deep, so would take multiple coats to cover. MAYBE I couldn't done an accent wall, but no trim no way never.
As and artist & traveler, I always had lots to put on my walls. I started collecting textiles after traveling in India because you can stuff them in a backpack and they won't break. I always spent money on lighting because you want to light your collection, and because it really transforms a place.
In the "must be re-painted to white" catagory:
My daughter and I recently painted her icky cheap buff/white apartment a much nicer and better quality pearl gray-white. It was just a matter of getting rid of the Institutional Buff and she can live with it happily for the next 18 months.
Sometimes it's just the crummy shade the landlord chose.
So much good advice! When I moved in with my roommate we both knew we wanted to paint everything. We picked out colors for every room and went to town before we put too many large pieces of furniture in it. It made a great deal of difference to the feel of the apartment and it helped to showcase some of the nice molding in our place. We didn't know how long we would be there but ended up staying for 3 years so it was totally worth it. I wish my new apartment would let us paint because I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Also, another vote for changing the showerhead. It is a wonderful thing to have!
The best advice I can give you is to live there for a few months before you spend any money improving things--especially since this is your first apartment.
I've lived in several apartments over the past several years, but one year ago, I finally settled down in a one-bedroom (sans roommate). I choose the place carefully, knowing I wanted to find a place where I would want to live for a while (i.e. years).
For the first few months, I made no changes. I just allowed myself to live in the space, with my current belongings, to best figure out what worked, what didn't work, and what I wanted out of the space.
In the months after that, I have slowly made changes. I purchased a new bed (which is something I'll have for a long time--regardless of where I live). I chose to paint, and while I paid for the paint, I don't have to paint it back when I move out (nor will I lose any of my security deposit) due to an arrangement with the landlord. I have purchased window coverings, new light fixtures, new art, and slowly have been acquiring new furniture (mainly off of CL--project furniture).
When I purchase furniture or window coverings or light fixtures or art, I am thinking specifically of my current home. However, I do plan to take all of these items with me (and put the items that came with the apartment back up when I move out).
It is a personal choice, but I really think you've got to live in your space, with your current belongings, for a few months before you go shopping. Otherwise, you'll end up with a lot of things you don't actually want or need.
Good luck!
Oh, one more thing:
I would be cautious about making joint-purchases with a boyfriend or roommate. I've done this in the past (when it comes to decor items and household items), and it can be messy when you move out or (heaven forbid) break up.
I don't have a roommate anymore, but I would recommend having a clear distinction as to who owns what--especially when it comes to larger, more expensive purchases or purchases that work in some sort of set or design scheme. Otherwise, you'll end up fighting over little things or stuck with a bunch of items you can't use, post move-out.
Just a thought... :)
Someone earlier suggested budgeting a month's rent toward making the place yours. I think that's a great rule of thumb: it scales up what you can buy as you can afford more. When I moved into my new apartment, we'd budgeted for a broker's fee but ended up not having to pay one after all (long story), so instead we put that money toward new furniture and other ways to make the space feel like home. It's good it worked out that way, too -- I discovered my old couch wouldn't have fit up the stairs anyway!
I also like the suggestion to wait a month after moving before you do anything major. You'll discover which spaces you gravitate toward and which are underused. Then spend your cash on improving the layout and making the parts of the place you use most even more comfortable.
Also, small, less-permanent changes often make huge differences: curtains, area rugs, wall decals, things like that. Changing fixtures (aside from replacing the showerhead) is often not worth the trouble, as they either become property of the landlord or are unlikely to fit in the next place you move to.
As several people have noted, what you do to your apartment depends on the money, time and energy available. Be it painting, window treatments, shelving, etc. you should do those changes you feel you are capable of easily accomplishing. I've heard of wealthy people hiring contractors and decorating apartments they would only occupy for 6 months. The landlord doesn't mind because they get a fabulously decorated apartment after the person moves out.
As for myself I don't like moving so I prefer to stay as long as possible and over time make over the space the way I want it. I also tend to limit my changes to projects which can be reversed and/or removed when I leave. I have done everything from painting, to hanging 175 linear feet of shelving, to changing out faucets and appliances, all of which are reversible.
Good Luck!
i just moved into a new place and could be there for a year or more. i'm trying to customize with the budget from my security deposit from my previous lease. it's a good goal and is fun to search for gems at thrift stores that add your personality to the new space!
My boyfriend and I just moved into our first place (on our own without roommates or parents) and I'm in the same situation. It's a 1950's duplex and I love it, even the paint... I just dread the kitchen & the bathroom. It's the two toned tile. I know if I could change it, I would be 1000x more happy there and I would probably stay longer (3 years estimating). It's just finding a way to ask the landlord if she'll knock it off the rent. I live near the beach and I know the small reno's I want to do would drastically improve the place and she could easily knock up the rent $300 a month after we moved out purely based on location. I just need to find the courage to ask.
I started painting my apartments in about 2004; I'd already been renting for almost a decade, and while I wasn't ready to buy, I couldn't stand the anonymity any longer. One thing I found: As a nonsmoking professional adult with no pets and decent credit, potential landlords wanted me as a renter. So I used that and asked upfront, before anything was signed and as a potential condition of moving in, whether I could paint. Everyone was fine with it, though they all asked for no dark colors, a condition I didn't mind. Essentially, they usually have to repaint between tenants anyway. It's not that big a thing for them. They mostly fine people just as a way to get cash. But if you ask upfront, a lot of them will go for it. If you know in advance that you intend to sign for more than one year, that is a huge bargaining chip and almost any landlord will agree to painted walls in order to ensure regular tenancy of the apartment.
I made a few mistakes with paint colors over the years! But when I finally bought my first place, I had the benefit of that experience and ended up with colors I love.
I definitely agree with what pretty much everyone else is saying:
-live in the apartment for a month or two before you start changing things--that will give you a chance to figure out what you can live with, and what is going to drive you nuts if you don't change.
-how long are you planning on being in the apartment? All of my previous apartments had been one-year-and-then-moving-on deals, so I did little to nothing to them. My current apartment, though, is one I plan on staying put in until I buy a place (which is a loooong way off), so I'm putting much more work into it--painting walls and kitchen cabinets, replacing lighting fixtures, putting up back splashes and shelves, and now I'm considering replacing a horrid hollow-core door (the only one not original to the 1910s in the unit!)
I'm a huge proponent of making an apartment your own, especially if you plan on staying for a few years! :-)
My first apartment, I painted the entire space, had custom draperies made for the walls of windows in the LR, BR, and DR, restored the built-in hutch in the kitchen, installed new base cabinets on the other side of the kitchen, and laid new kitchen flooring. (I also stuck a plaster knife into an electric socket in the dining room, which threw me across the room, bounced me off the opposite wall, and knocked me out. Haven't done that since.) The landlord must have been astonished when I moved out, because it looked like a drug den when I moved in. I got my deposit back.
First apartments are insane. You want to do everything because it's your first personal space. But it's nuts. Make all the changes in your mind, and save the money for a down payment and the improvements you will want to make when you are a first time home owner.
I've found the biggest bang for my buck in a rental is a coat of neutral paint, followed by changing out dated knobs, lights and window hardware/curtains --all of which you can take with you. I also fix or get the landlord to fix the obvious things like loose trim and dripping faucets. A fresh, clean "box" makes all the difference, even if your mattress is on the floor. Painting cabinets and replacing fixtures generally are not worth it in a rental.
I used to spend a ton of time and money on making improvements to apartments. What I decided over time is that my money was better spent buying furniture and art (like Chickysoup said) that could travel well and make me feel comfortable wherever I landed. But I know people who paint every single time.
My two exceptions: showerhead and toilet seat. I change those out when I move into a new place.
For me, the important thing about changing stuff in a rental is that I have to be able to change it back, leave it behind, or pay for it. I change out showerheads, towel bars, light fixture covers, etc.; but I always save the old ones to put back when/if I move again. They belong to my landlord, not to me.
(Unless I went in on it with the landlord) I'd never change out something like a toilet in a rental, because where on earth could I store the old one until I moved out?
Don't do much. If you do anything, do it now as a year will fly by. I wouldn't even paint for a year and I actually enjoy painting. Certainly don't change your bathroom fixtures. I would change light fixtures.
I painted my bathroom recently, but only because there was a mold issue. My landlord sent his handyman to remediate the mold, but he never painted, so I did it. Otherwise I just hang things and decorate using items that are all move-able to a new place. Keep in mind if you do move, whether it's to another rental or a home you own, the stuff you buy might not fit. So I don't even spend a lot on things that might not fit, like curtains, etc.
I could not agree more with the commenter who suggested becoming friendly with the landlord/super. In my first place, I was friendly and always on time with the rent and when it came time to move out, I asked the landlord if he would like me to repaint and he said no and even helped me breakdown some shelving that wasn't going with me. The flooring was damaged during the move-out, but he still returned my deposit in full.
In our current place, we invited the super over frequently enough that his wife noticed a few fixtures weren't my taste and she suggested that they replace them. So I got those updated for free, without even asking. They've even suggested we use the building painter to paint our place when I asked about changing the colors.
Be nice, be neat, be patient and be friendly and you'll save yourself a ton of hassles. I guess that's good life advice, too.
Because I move so often I only ever end up staying at a place for about a year. So I only make simple home improvements that I can switch back and take with me; door knobs, switch plates, shower heads, light fixtures and so on. The most I would ever consider changing is maybe a faucet or a toilet if its gross.
I've NEVER painted. I just don't have a problem with white walls like other people do I guess, though that might have to do with the first place I rented... it was a really old military house so it had seen a lot of traffic. The walls had been painted over and over so many times that the walls just looked gross. I might consider a temporary wall paper though.
A few things to consider from a landlord's perspective.
We generally don't mind if you paint or want to make small changes, but tastes are subjective - there's a reason why beige walls and white trim are so popular! Always ask for permission before making changes - our general assumption is that you'll leave the place as you found it. If we need to spend money to put it back to "normal" then its your security deposit that we spend. Recent tenants painted a room to be a nursery for their daughter and it looked beautiful - but we can't risk turning off future tenants that don't want a purple bedroom with butterfly borders.
Most landlords are willing to invest in their properties over time, but exchanging rent for upgrades doesn't always make financial sense. Sure, it might be something that will increase the rent when you move out in five years, but we still have to pay the mortgage every month. In some situations, you're basically asking the landlord to dip into their own money or savings to finance your upgrades and hope that it pays off in the end. Can you see why some are reluctant, even though they're supportive of the general idea? And we barely know you, so assuring us that you know what you're doing isn't a guarantee of anything - build a relationship with us first.
Finally, keep in mind that security deposits are meant to be a last-resort option to protect the landlord. Most of the time, they're not enough to cover the full cost of labor and materials for several repairs. Replacing carpet and flooring, repainting...these cost hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars. And the landlord can't rent to new tenants until the repairs are completed. So please don't treat the security deposit as a "payment in lieu" to alleviate your responsibilities under your lease. Your landlord may just decide to sue you for the full costs of the repairs and work...and if you haven't gotten written permission for the changes, you're going to lose in court.
I think the most important thing would be this: stay versatile. In our last apartment, my finace and I bought a large sectional sofa that fit really nicely in that room. Now in our new place the living room has awkward door placements and it doesn't fit as well. It would have been better for us to buy two smaller sofas instead of the sectional. If you plan on moving again soon, think ahead and try to be sure that whatever you buy, you'll be likely to use it again in another place (unless it's inexpensive enough to get rid of when you move).
Also, keep in mind that you might want to change color schemes, etc, and buy either neutrals or things that can be changed (like the Ikea furniture with replaceable covers).
As far as painting goes, I say just check with your landlord and then decide if it's worth it based on their preferences. Some landlords don't care if you paint, some are insistent that you paint it back when you move out (and do you really want to do that in the middle of moving?) Same goes with fixtures. Good luck and have fun with your new apartment!
Wow, A LOT of comments. Still, I do have something to add. Early on, we would never have spent money to really fix up an apartment. It wasn't ours, so why bother.
But I'm older now, single. While "I'm not dead yet", I realize my days of moving ever couple of years has ended. I've been here now over 10 years. This is where I LIVE. So now? I'm replacing that kitchen counter I hate! I'm painting wall, DOORS! This is my home and I want it to BE a home, not just some place I live.
It's up to you how much money you spend. How badly you need to change something or can you just live with it. Just know the obvious. Whatever you do isn't yours. That money is gone other than the joy the changes bring you. You're fixing up someone else's property.
I think it's really silly to renovate a place that you're living in for a year. Totally agree w/other commenters about replacing small, but important things like shower heads, etc, that you can take with you and will be usable in your next place.
It's smarter to save up until you either buy a place or move into an apartment you plan to rent for several years and THEN think about renovating.
Other than paint, I follow one very simple rule with changing my rental: You can't take it with you.
I've invested a lot of time and effort into our home, but everything I have done is something I can move with me and change as my tastes and my needs change. I have several chairs that have been in multiple rooms throughout our house, and I've made a lot of changes to them. I've also purchased rugs and curtains. But they can all easily be taken to wherever I go next.
My prescription --
New light fixtures, new outlets and switchplates (if covered in paint/dirt), new toilet seat, new showerhead, paint. It's cheap, landlords generally don't care about stuff like that, and changing these things makes the apartment feel new.
Well did your landlord actually say the possibilities are endless? Personally I don't see the point in putting a lot of money into a rental, unless the money is for things you can take with you. Paining and putting up artwork is one thing, but any other permanent changes seem like a waste to me. Invest in some nice furniture instead.


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What if things go wrong?
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subset: commoncrawl


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The movie features Lily Carter is all 5 scenes and includes her very 1st DP & DAP scenes. The productions is directed by William H., and includes a vast array of beautiful visuals and unforgettably passionate sex scenes! WATCH IN HD
Trailer for Elegant Angel's "Wasteland" NOW PLAYING IN HD!
NOW PLAYING IN HD! The movie tells the story of Anna and Jacky, old school friends who have not seen each other in many years. They are reunited on one passionate, emotional, and sexually adventurous night in Los Angeles. Featuring powerful performances by Lily Carter, Lily Labeau, more and breathtaking cinematography. Wasteland is a unique adult movie that blends a deep and heartfelt storyline with intense and unforgettable hardcore sex scenes. WATCH NOW IN HD!
Raylene, Adrianna Luna, Jasmine Jem, Arielle Katz, Sinn Sage, Samantha Ryan, Phoenix Marie, Lily Carter, Kiara Mia in "Lesbian Slumber Party 2"
We Love Lily Carter http://bit.ly/taDQ9i reblog if you do too :-)
Lily LaBeau and Lily Carter from "Girls Kissing Girls 9"
There's absolutely nothing sweeter than beautiful girls locked in a deep kiss. Sweetheart brings you four passionate scenes for feminine love. Lily carter's mom hopes to surprise her daughter by inviting her old friend, Lily LaBeau, to stay with them. But can Lily Carter get over her memories of their girlhood experimentation? Sinn is intrigued by Charley's new sweetheart. When she finds out the sweetheart is a girl, Sinn's curiosity takes over. Bobbi's had enough of Shyla, hogging the bathroom, stealing her clothes, etc. After they have a catfight, they have some making up to do. Skin and Asa are stressed over exams and decide to take a break. Will they stop with one glass of red wine or just let themselves go? The 9th installment of Girls Kissing Girls is sure to top any list of lesbian erotica. Written and directed by Nica Noelle.
Lily Carter and Heather Starlet from "A Father's Lust" NOW PLAYING http://bit.ly/FPtauU @lilycarterxxx, @Heatherstarlet
Lily Carter and Nina Hartley from "Deep Kissing Lesbians" COMING SOON to AEBN!
(Source: bit.ly)
"A Father's Lust" World Premiere MARCH 22 on AEBN.com
Scene from "Anal Students" starring Lily Carter


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A few years ago Ryan Callinan launched the backhand air heard around the world and put himself on the prog map. Covers. Movie parts. Excitement. The whole thing from one move(see Lost Atlas for proof). Since then he's charmed us with his manners and continued to psyche us with his corkscrew backhand.
Out of the water he's been mysterious by default. His polite nature, quiet Newcastle upbringing and humble demeanor coupled with a few ill-timed knee tweaks over the years have kept him from hogging the spotlight that he's earned himself. His surfing however, continues to freak us out every time we see it. Still never seen someone wind up and deliver such a healthy repertoire of backhand whips, with the staggering consistency that Ryan has. And here today, in his Fairly Normal you'll get the sense that his forehand aint too shabby either. And that his local spot is freaking holding.
Hit play, devour some of our bandwidth and meet the modest man who's making Merewether Beach so proud — and start to understand why we're so certain he'll be grabbing a lot more of that spotlight he's earned very soon.
Filmed and edited by Jay Grant
Sanuk Teamrider Alek Parker:
Tommy Hilfiger came together in San Diego to raise money for scholarships to the Autism Society of San Diego's Annual Surf Camp. Through corporate donations and funds raised through consumer events, the Foundation is underwriting Autism Society San Diego's annual Surf Camp program to cover the costs for underprivileged families living in San Diego through 2016.
Welcome to Sanuk's Accordion Door Sessions!
Sit back, relax and enjoy a stripped-down three song set from a trio of travelin' troubadours, Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Grundy and Steve Sherman. Filmed in-studio at Sanuk Headquarters, tracks include: "What'cha Know About", "Wonder Where The Lions Are", And "If It Don't Matter".
Stay tuned for more performances this Fall.
Smile…pass it on!


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Sept. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Advanced Energy Industries Inc., a provider of solar power components, said earnings may fall short of its forecast after firing workers and shifting some manufacturing to China.
Advanced Energy will take a charge of about $2.5 million to $3.5 million in the current quarter as part of the restructuring plan, the Fort Collins, Colorado-based company said today in a statement.
Including the charge, Advanced Energy expects earnings to be lower than the third-quarter forecast of 20 cents to 30 cents a share it gave in July. The cuts may save the company $6 million a year, according to the statement.
Advanced Energy is moving production of some components to a factory in Shenzhen, China, and firing some workers, mostly in its thin films unit. The company did not say how many people will be affected or where the components are manufactured now.
Advanced Energy shares, which were 2.2 percent higher to $9.39 at 9:58 a.m. in Nasdaq Stock Market trading, have dropped 31 percent this year. It's market value is about $410 million.
Chief Executive Officer Garry Rogerson, who was hired in August, said in the statement that the move was necessary because of the "currently challenging environment in the end markets." Solar-panel prices have declined this year, driven in part by a drop in the cost of polysilicon, the raw material.
--Editors: Will Wade, Randall Hackley
To contact the reporter on this story: Zachary Tracer in New York at firstname.lastname@example.com
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Reed Landberg at email@example.com -0- Sep/28/2011 13:24 GMT


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Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Escape
Chapter Five3 Reviews
Harry comes back from his fifth year to a changed household. What happened to Dudley, and why is he so desperate to make Harry go away? Post-OotP, mild changes to ending of OotP, AU, rating just to...
by malko050987
Chapter Five
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any related stuff.
A/N: Many Thanks to Ham and LunaMoon224 for betaing this for me.
A hand was shaking him awake. Harry rolled over and mumbled something unintelligible.
"Harry! Wake up, Harry," the voice continued. With a grunt, Harry raised his head and blinked blearily. Dudley was standing on the edge of his bed with a hand on his shoulder, and was still shaking it slightly, even though Harry was clearly awake.
"'m awake, Dud," Harry mumbled, shaking his head to clear it. He ignored Dudley's expression and moved higher on the bed, leaning his back against the wall.
"So, what's so urgent that you had to wake me up at," he glanced at the clock on the desk, "six in the morning?"
Dudley shrugged, his expression blank, but Harry saw that every few seconds he would glance at the two bags he had left on the floor, next to his bed. He grinned at Dudley.
"Okay, let's see what I bought. Pass me one of the bags."
They spent the next half-hour separating the clothing in more or less equal parts. Harry just threw most of it bag in the bag; he planned to leave as soon as possible, there was no point in spreading it around. He'd just have to pack it anyway.
He heard a soft sound, almost a whimper, and he looked at Dudley in alarm. The boy was clutching his share of the clothes to his chest, and looked about to cry. Harry gaped for a second, then made as if to move towards Dudley, but hesitated. He had no idea what the boy was thinking, or what could have brought such a reaction. And he had never been good at comforting crying people, something Dudley was very close to becoming.
"Um... Dud?" he asked slowly.
Dudley sniffed loudly, clutching the clothes tighter to him. After almost a minute filled with an uncomfortable silence, he got to his feet and hurried out of the room. He did throw back a strangled "Thank you" as he closed the door behind him, and Harry shook his head, bemused. Dudley was behaving weirder and weirder.
He got out of bed, changed his clothing and ducked in the bathroom for a quick wash. When he was done washing up, he went to the kitchen and started breakfast. He made more than enough for all four of them, and took enough food for him and Dudley to his room.
He hurried down the stairs when he heard his uncle move to the bathroom and set the table for the two adults. He waited impatiently for the two of them to come to breakfast. He had a book to study.
That thought gave him pause. He was actually impatient to start studying. In the summer holiday, which was even worse. 'Hermione would be proud,' he thought, then frowned. He hadn't really thought about his friends after leaving school. Were they all fine? He knew that Hermione still had several potions that she had to take regularly, and that the brains had done Ron quite a lot of damage.
He wasn't particularly worried about the lack of letters from them. After all, the owls were likely to be intercepted. Still, he'd sent Hedwig on two trips already, with his "Everything is fine" letter, and she had been fine on both trips.
Vernon's heavy descent down the stairs shook him out of his thoughts. He'd think about it later.
"Good morning, Uncle Vernon," Harry said politely, his voice devoid of any emotion. His Uncle grunted in response and started shoveling food down his mouth.
Petunia came down a while later, and started eating without appearing to notice Harry's presence. He waited until they were done and washed the dishes, after which he quietly retreated to his room. A silent knock on Dudley's room prompted the boy to open the door enough for Harry to slip a plate of food inside. From what he could see of the room, Dudley had started trying on the new clothes. The piece of floor Harry could see was more or less hidden under Dudley's old clothing, which didn't fit either of them anymore.
"Thanks, Harry," Dudley whispered with a tremor in his voice, as he took the plate of eggs and bacon from Harry's hand.
"You're welcome, Dudley," he replied, smiling. Once Dudley closed the door, Harry went back in his room and threw himself on the bed with the two books and the catalogue.
He skimmed over the index of the book about Dementors, and saw that it was little more than what they had learned in their third year. There were a few notes on the Patronus Charm, as well as the incantation and wand movement. He found it funny that the last few pages were filled with descriptions of different chocolates, from various companies.
The book on wards - Keeping It Out - was a much more interesting read. It wasn't a thick book, but it was early afternoon by the time he finished it, including the one hour break he had taken to make and eat lunch. There wasn't anything on blood wards or imprisonment charms in the book, but the Fidelius was outlined, as well as other specific secrecy wards.
While not helping him in his plans for escape, the book gave him some ideas on what to do once he was away from the Dursleys.
He put both books in his trunk, next to the few textbooks he still had in one piece. Somehow, his textbooks ended up all ripped and torn by the end of the school year, and he'd thrown a large part of them away because he didn't felt he needed them anymore. At times he was really, really glad Hermione didn't know about that
The books taken care of, he started browsing through the catalogue. The ordering instructions were on the first page, and seemed simple enough. All he had to do was fill the magical form at the end of the catalogue with the desired book codes and sign his name.
He stopped reading there and looked at the form. It was indeed, very simple-looking. He saw a square with the Gringotts logo on it near the bottom of the form, and he thought it must be for payment. Looking back at the instructions, he discovered he'd been right. After signing his name and filling all necessary fields on the form, he had to place his Gringotts key on the square, and the money would be deducted from his vault.
Once secure that he would be able to order and pay for the books, he looked at the index. The books were separated into categories, several of which caught his eyes. Defense against the Dark Arts was one, as well as Dangerous spells/. He glanced briefly at the /Transfiguration and Various Transforming spells section, and sighed sadly at the number of animagus-centered books. He didn't have time for that now. He would buy one later and see if he had the ability. The General defensive techniques and spellwork section had several books that he noted down, planning to order them. He flipped several pages at once, wanting to get to the form, and froze when he saw where it had opened.
The words Various Sexuality Books screamed at him from the page. Apparently, whoever had designed the catalogue had deemed it proper to have an illustrated section. And had chosen the one on sex to be it.
He closed it as quickly as he could, and looked around guiltily. He glared at Hedwig, daring her to say anything. She just blinked at him, and he blushed harder.
Sure, he'd seen naked women before. After all, he was the one who had to clean the house, and that included cleaning in the bathroom. Dudley was not good at hiding his magazines, and Harry had seen enough of them to know what men and women found pleasurable.
He had even seen one magical magazine of the sort. He still blushed at the memory, of what the two witches in the picture were doing.
He filled the form quickly, and pressed his key to the Gringotts marked spot. A few sparks flew off the page, and then it was clear again. According to the clerk, it would take a few hours for his order to be processed and delivered. He put the catalogue in his trunk, hiding it deep under a stack of robes and his potions cauldron. He did not want anybody to see that catalogue, especially the last few pages.
Out of activities, and not feeling like spending time with Dudley, Harry stretched on the bed and thought about the changes his life was going through. He was planning to leave the Dursleys, and take Dudley with him. He'd run away from them once, in his third year, but that had been a hasty decision, made more out of fear than anything else. This time it was planned deliberately.
Strangely, he didn't feel fear at the though of leaving. He was a bit apprehensive of Dumbledore's reaction, but he'd decided that Dumbledore had a lot of explaining to do before Harry could even begin to trust him again. He grinned a bit evilly at the thought of interrogating Dumbledore. He had a long list of questions.
Why had Dumbledore hidden the prophecy from him in his first year? Harry had asked him, and it was the perfect opportunity for Dumbledore to come clean.
If his reason was true - that he cared too much for Harry - what about the curse on Dudley, and his words to the Dursleys? Had everything been a lie? Or was it a recent change? It had been his fifth year in which Dumbledore had been cold and distant.
He shook his head in frustration. It was no point building wild theories on the few facts he had. Solving the mystery that Dumbledore had become could wait for a few weeks.
Determined not to think about Dumbledore anymore, he jumped out of bed and walked over to Hedwig, stroking her feathers for a while, focusing on the softness he could feel. His mind cleared of his frustration and all thoughts of Dumbledore vanished.
Almost an hour later, he felt more relaxed than ever, in his entire life. Stroking Hedwig's feathers, while making the owl blink at him and make a sound that he took as pleasure, was also calming him down, and clearing his mind.
Calming his mind.
He practically dived to his trunk and the catalog, and quickly opened it to the /Defensive techniques and spellwork/. To his disappointment, there were no books on Occlumency, and he threw it on the floor, muttering a curse.
He needed to learn Occlumency, if only to avoid a repeat of the Department of Mysteries. He doubted Voldemort would try such a thing again, but maybe Occlumency would help with the pain in his scar. It hurt constantly now, and Harry had learned to ignore the pain, but it was annoying.
He began pacing, muttering about stupid Snape and stupid Dumbledore and stupid Occlumency and worked his way from there.
Lost in his ranting, he missed the very brief sparkle of mischievous intelligence that appeared in Hedwig's eyes. He also missed her rather forced take-off from her perch. But he did see her drop to the catalogue and snatch at the paper with her claws. Hedwig circled the room and landed back on her perch, and stared with a rather put-out expression at the world in general.
Harry picked up the catalogue and went to close it, when he noticed at what page it was open. In bold lettering, it proclaimed: Rare and Unique books.
He quickly scanned the few books in the list, and froze as he saw: Do You Mind? A Complete Guide to Protecting One's Thoughts.
Shaking himself, he quickly ordered the book. He hoped they still had it in stock. With the catalogue back at the bottom of the trunk, and after a quick dinner - he even managed to smuggle something up for Dudley - he was ready for bed, despite the early hour. Lying in bed, he focused on feeling again like he had felt while running his hand over Hedwig's soft feathers. Slowly, the feeling of emptiness, of clearness returned to him, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face.


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As the former CIA chief and military leader's official career ends, the grappling with his formidable legacy -- and what it might mean for future U.S. policy -- can begin.
Before he was embroiled in the lurid and increasingly complicated scandal that ended his brief tenure as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, General David Petraeus was an already-iconic military leader, the commander who rescued the U.S. war effort in Iraq, and who was brought in to help reverse course in a deteriorating Afghanistan. But before he even assumed command of U.S. forces in Iraq, Petraeus assisted in producing a document crucial to understanding the general's broader impact on American policy -- and on thinking about how and why America wages war.
Future students of Petraeus's intellectual legacy will likely start with the 2006 version of FM 3-24, the army's counterinsurgency manual, the result of an effort spearheaded by Petraeus and General James Mattis, and necessitated by the waning prospects of victory in Iraq. In the midst of a directionless and seemingly doomed campaign, the generals brought in a wide range of civilian scholars and military officers to help formulate the first update to the military's counterinsurgency field guide in over two decades. According to John Nagl, a defense policy scholar and retired lieutenant colonel, and one of the authors of the manual, Petraeus involved over 100 civilian journalists, scholars, and intellectuals for a two-day vetting and open discussion of a draft version of the document. "It was a great example of Petraeus's ability to reach out to a broader intellectual community to gather ideas, but also to gain support for the project. And it mattered."
As Stephen Biddle, a scholar and George Washington University professor who served on Petraeus's Strategic Assessment Team in Iraq in 2007, explains, the resulting manual conceived of warfare in jarringly unconventional terms. "Its primary logic is that you succeed in the war not by destroying the enemy but by protecting the civilian population and giving them a stake in the government you're trying to support," says Biddle. "The manual conceived of counter-insurgency as essentially an armed contest in good governance, in which the government we're trying to support and an insurgency are both competing for what are thought of as being a largely uncommitted middle of the population. The side that convinces the uncommitted middle to side with them, wins the war....The new doctrine is about how to provide governance, economic development and security to a threatened and largely uncommitted civilian population."
The occupying army can't sit in remote and heavily-guarded bases. It has to have continuous contact with the civilian population -- the people whose trust and cooperation you need. Biddle says that counter-insurgency is very intelligence-heavy. The insurgents don't advertise themselves, or wear uniforms. Routinized interaction with the locals is essential if the civilian population is ever going to become comfortable with identifying the bad guys, and identifying keys to their eventual defeat.
"Petraeus declared a unilateral ceasefire with people who had been previously killing Americans in order to ally against al Qaeda."
In Iraq, Petraeus's decision to support the Sunni population's turn against al Qaeda in Iraq -- the so-called "Anbar Awakening" -- led to a dramatic decrease in violence and the routing of the country's brutal terrorist franchise. According to Nagl, this decision to support and arm the Anbar Awakening, which was largely the effort of Sunni militants with plenty of American and Iraqi blood on their hands, was a direct outgrowth of the ideas contained in the counterinsurgency manual. "That was another manifestation of not viewing the Sunni insurgents necessary as the enemy, but in some way as part of the population we were trying to protect," says Nagl. "Petraeus declared a unilateral ceasefire with people who had been previously killing Americans in order to ally against al Qaeda.... it was a high-risk decision, and he took it all on his own authority."
Petraeus's views on warfare manifested themselves in a number of less-dramatic battlefield experiments. Petraeus oversaw the writing of a manual on Human Intelligence Collector Operations, a guide to the effective and humane interrogation of potential intelligence assets captured in war. And in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Petraeus introduced Human Terrain Teams (HTTs), groups of social scientists who gather detailed, even academic-style information about local populations.
Ryan Evans, a social scientist who served on an HTT in Helmand province in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011 and a current research fellow at the Center for National Policy, explained his team's contribution to the war effort. His HTT was attached to a British army brigade, and was "integrated into the brigade planning cycle." In practice, this meant that two to eight HTT members -- experts in anthropology, sociology or economics, along with a team leader with some kind of military background -- would interview Afghans in the battalion's area of operation, and review classified and unclassified documentary sources. Evans says his team would accompany regular patrols. "We would conduct research and then write it up in an operationally relevant report with recommendations," he said, adding that they would even discuss social-theoretical concepts in reports if the team believed it could help their brigade's commanders understand the environment in which they were fighting.
The HTTs could prove emblematic of Petraeus's larger impact. They sprang from a belief that war was no longer the sole purview of the warrior -- that killing or disrupting the enemy was a subset of a broader effort to create political and social space for vulnerable and often distrustful populations. But the HTTs were an area where theory and practice clashed: two social scientists have been killed in the field, and the program's rapid expansion and recruiting practices have both been questioned (participation in HTTs is highly controversial within the anthropological profession as well).
Evans says that over 30 HTTs were sent to Afghanistan, and that recruitment is the responsibility of a private contractor. From one perspective, HTTs reflect a shift in how the U.S. military thinks about its role and purpose, as well as its relationship with civilian experts whose background and skillsets seem to be radically at odds with the culture and objectives of a conventional military. But from another perspective, the HTT program is bloated and poorly implemented, and its recruitment practices and personnel demands result in teams of wildly varying ability and usefulness. And even if all of the HTTs operated at peak ability, there is a question of just how much they contributed to the broader war effort -- of the relationship between theory and tangible success. "I'd say that there's a disconnect between operational success and strategic success in Afghanistan," Evans said when asked to speak generally about the war's progress. "The sad fact is that none of our operational success impacts the real strategic hurdles in Afghanistan."
'The sad fact is that none of our operational success impacts the real strategic hurdles in Afghanistan.'
Petraeus will go down as somebody who stood at the forefront of a major shift in thinking about war and the military, a shift that arguably made American leaders and policymakers more capable of navigating a world of insurgents, terrorists, and weak, crumbling states. But debate over the implications of this shift, and the feasibility and even desirability of implementing it, is certain to outlast him. For instance: was counter-insurgency -- the attempt to create conditions in which a beleaguered population could forge political, social and economic stability -- even possible in a place with as little infrastructure and existing human capital as Afghanistan? If not, how useful is the doctrine to begin with? Under the doctrine, rank-and-file types provide training and other forms of assistance to the host government, while much of the actual killing is done by airstrikes and Special Forces. Might this make the war effort overly dependent on the local political process, while leading to an over-reliance on controversial platforms -- armed drones, for instance? And there's a larger debate over how much Petraeus actually stuck to his own rules. Al Qaeda in Iraq was defeated because of a well-timed influx of American soldiers (the "surge"), while the doctrine itself emphasizes local capacity. Biddle says Petraeus was "remarkably pragmatic and not at all dogmatic" during his command, a fact likely to feed the debate over his legacy.
There are similarly weighty questions that will likely surround his brief period as CIA director as well, prominent among them the ongoing discussion over the degree to which intelligence-gathering should be understood as a tool for eliminating enemies and winning wars. Petraeus was actually asked about the "paramilitary" purpose of the CIA in a questionnaire leading up to his confirmation hearings in June of 2011 (see page 100). "As a commander in various theaters," he wrote, "I have worked with the CIA and understand the need for cooperation and deconfliction of military and intelligence activities ... both U.S. Special Forces and CIA must remain available resources for the President in executing any Paramilitary-style covert action."
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text:
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text:
For more than two decades Miami's Haitian Refugee Center was a beacon of hope and a force for justice. Today its director, Guy Victor, is struggling just to keep it afloat.
From an island in the sea to an island in the heart of Miami
Internal strife brews at Miami's Haitian Refugee Center, even as the future of 10,000 new clients hangs in the balance


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'American Idol': Who's Dunzo?
momlogic's Vivian: Each Wednesday night's "American Idol" show has become the most overt product-placement endeavor I've ever witnessed. In FOX's efforts to pimp the new film "Clash of the Titans," images of Idols and judges were spliced and diced with action footage from the film, and displayed with headlines like, "Between men and Gods, Idols and judges." Oh. Dear. LAWD. The idea probably worked well on a storyboard, but the end result went a little too far. SUCH tack-ola.
Once we got through the commercial portion of the program, former "Idol" victor (and nouveau Barry White) Ruben Studdard took the stage, giving a fair-to-middlin' performance off his new album. A bit of foreshadowing that points to a Big Mike Lynche victory, perhaps? Or sheer fluke?
During the small talk that preceded the results, our GURL, mommy Crystal Bowersox, said that she has been playing piano since she was 6, then switched to guitar because "it was easier to carry around." Andrew Garcia's feisty mom was called upon for her commentary once again, and as any mom would, she took the opportunity to cheer her son on out loud. "He should just be himself," she said. "Because his mama raised him right!"
Now for the results: Our girl MamaSox and Big Mike earned the expected kudos and safety. Lee DeWyze was praised for his standout performance, and Andrew was declared to be "back in the zone." Casey James admitted that he could "do more" on stage, but was safe. Even though Aaron Kelly was likened to "a cupcake" in comparison to Lee's "dinner," he escaped the bottom three. And in spite of a seriously "off night," Siobhan Magnus also managed to escape the bottom three -- but Katie Stevens wasn't so lucky. It was she, "Teflon" Tim Urban and teary Didi Benami who comprised the bottom three.
Katie and Tim were sent back to safety, leaving Didi to reprise her rendition of "Rhiannon" -- but it wasn't enough for the judges to exercise their single save, and she was sent packing.
What will MamaSox do to keep us on our toes next week? Will next week's McCartney/Lennon theme throw Big Daddy Mike, or will he continue to kick a**?
Tune in to "American Idol" on FOX next Tuesday, and then come right back here for the recap!
|Vivian Manning-Schaffel serves as momlogic's East Coast Editor. She has written for Babble, Parenting, The Advocate, The New York Post, Business Week and a variety of other publications and lives and works in the heart of breeder Brooklyn with her husband and two kids. She authors two pop culture blogs: The Mad Mom and A Hag Supreme, and is on the web at vivianmanningschaffel.com.
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VALPARAISO | Lake Central's Rhett Barker played the role of spoiler for host Valparaiso at Saturday's Aberdeen Classic.
Barker carded an even-par round of 72 over The Course at Aberdeen layout and then defeated Valparaiso's Kyle Meihofer on the third playoff hole to claim medalist honors. Meihofer was gunning to become the first back-to-back medalist in the tournament's history.
The Times No. 1 Vikings posted a team score of 311 to win the tournament for the fourth straight year. No. 7 Lake Central placed second with a total of 321, and No. 3 Michigan City was third with 325.
"This is the best weather we have had this year," Valparaiso coach Wayne Lichtenberger said. "I have confidence in these guys that the scores will come down."
After both Barker and Meihofer recorded pars on the 18th hole and had matching bogeys on the 15th, Barker won the playoff with a par on the 16th hole.
Barker played the front nine in 2-over, but he made three birdies on the back nine to get in even. He made a 30-foot putt for birdie on the 18th.
"I had some putts fall today," Barker said. "I was just making putts. It was the best round of my life."
Meihofer made three birdies on his opening nine to make the turn at 2-under. He made two more birdies on the back nine, but bogeyed three of his last four holes to finish at even.
"That's how I have started out this whole year, a lot of birdies and a lot of bogeys," Meihofer said. "I need to focus on keeping the mistakes to a minimum. And capitalizing after a birdie."
Bobby Jacobs shot a round of 78 for the Vikings, and Alex Pancek added a round of 79.
"We showed progress, but there's still a ways to go," Lichtenberger said. "We've got to get (Nos.) 4 and 5 down. They are too high."
Aaron Skibinski led Michigan City with a round of 78. Josh Palmer chipped in with an 80.
Matt Meneghetti fired a round of 79 for the Indians. Eight golfers in the field of 45 broke 80.


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Wolfy tagged me and so I will play.
Rule 1 - Post the rules.
Rule 2 - Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then make 11 new ones.
Rule 3 - Tag 11 people and link them to your post.
Rule 4 - Let them know you've tagged them. (Only for those paying attention.)
The Stuff is under the cut.
Wolfy's questions:
1. First, the obligatory photo. Let's make it the closest thing to you on your left. If not, then a photo of yourself.
To my immediate left is the corner of my desk, and this is what lives there: a tangle thingy to play with, Bugs Bunny in a
Superman Super Bugs suit, and a little square canvas that one of my college roommates painted for me. She made it to incorporate my interests, so it has a TARDIS, a Superman symbol coming out of Harry Potter wand, the clock from Back to the Future, a film strip, and the Nickelodeon splat (because my senior project was about children's television).
2. If you were a textile, which textile would you be and why?
I'm not particularly equipped to answer this question, but Wikipedia is man's best friend. I'm going with Aramid. Seems to be good for superhero endeavors.
3. You have been given full dominion over the world. Congratulations. What is your motto, crest, and flag for the planet formerly known as Earth?
Hmm, I'm not sure you want me in charge of the entire world, but anyway…the motto is "Live and let live" (not original, but relevant and universal). The crest is a shield with yellow, green, and blue with constellations scattered at the top and a red rose in the center. One falcon on each side. The flag is three horizontal stripes: yellow at the top (for the sun), green in the middle (for land), and blue on the bottom (for the seas). We'll still call it Earth.
4. Bored of your new found dominion, you decide to do something with your endless cash and time. What is it that you do?
Redo the public education system in the U.S.
5. As chance would have it, you stumble upon a time machine. What's your first destination and why?
July 3, 1985. I'd go see the premiere of Back to the Future. Yes, I'd use a time machine to go back in time to watch a movie about a time machine that goes back in time. Time-ception.
6. Tell me a story. Any story. Go.
Last Saturday was Free Comic Book Day, and so I went to the local comic book store. I had never been there before because, honestly, it looks a little sketchy from the outside. I didn't know how busy it would be, and to my surprise, there were plenty of people there but the store wasn't too crowded. And it's not sketchy inside at all.
There was a young guy (probably in high school?) showing his friend around the store. He explained how the comics were organized, the logic behind how issues are numbered, and which characters typically have whole stories in one issue and which ones have stories divided over a few issues. It was useful information that I didn't know because I've read a few graphic novels, but I don't follow any comic books. So I was trying to listen to what the guy was saying, but at the same time I didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation.
It might have been awkward, but then I came across the Doctor Who comics and merchandise.
Everyone I know who watches Doctor Who are people who I introduced to the show. I don't know of anyone else in my town who watches the show and even though I know there are plenty of American fans, I do not think of Doctor Who as something I'd see in stores here. It was strange for me to see comic books with Matt Smith's cartoony face on the cover and Dalek action figures. I think of those as Things They Have In The UK, or Things You Can Buy Online. One does not simply buy Doctor Who stuff in the U.S. Except, I found out, you can.
7. If you had to read only one book for the rest of your life, which would be the lucky one?
Paper Towns by John Green
8. What is your favourite band and which songs should I listen to first?
Oh, I don't have a favorite band. I cycle through stuff every few weeks. But I shall consult last.fm…lately I've been listening to Florence + the Machine ("No Light, No Light"), Gotye ("Somebody That I Used To Know", "In Your Light"), Mumford & Sons ("The Cave"), and Explosions in the Sky ("The Only Moment We Were Alone"). I listen to Chameleon Circuit in phases too. You can listen to all of their music for free on Alex Day's website. (Scroll to the bottom.) Start with Still Got Legs and these tracks: "Regenerate Me", "Mr. Pond", "Silence and the End of All Things", and "The Doctor is Dying."
9. You have found a magical piece of technology that allows you to learn three new skills in the course of a day before it self-destructs. What three skills do you learn?
How to play piano, how to fly a helicopter (because of reasons), and how to draw anything.
10. Who is your doctor and/or what is your house?
My first Doctor was Nine, Christopher Eccleston. For the most part, I belong in Ravenclaw, though I'm told I have an honorary seat in the Gryffindor common room.
11. Will (would you) you thru-hike the Appalachian Trail with me?
No, sorry. But I'd go on a hot air balloon ride with you.
My questions for the people I tag:
1. What's your favorite food and/or dessert?
2. Which item or piece of technology do you wish you had invented (instead of whoever actually did it)?
3. Post a photo of a place you love. (Real or fictional, somewhere you visited or some place wish to go)
4. You have the power to pull your favorite fictional character out of his/her world to spend a week with you. Who do you choose and what will you do together?
5. What is the one movie you think everyone should see?
6. Who is your favorite author?
7. Coffee or tea (and how do you take it)?
8. NASA is sending a time capsule into space and has asked you for three items to include. What do you send?
9. What's the weather like on your perfect day?
10. You've got the money to produce a sequel or spin-off to the book, TV show, or movie of your choice. What do you choose to continue and where do you see the story going?
11. Do you know what a palindrome is? (And if yes, what's your favorite one?)
2 Notes/ Hide
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Eisenhower started Vietnam... but let me tell ya
October 10 2008 at 3:26 PM
Response to
What did it used to be?
and the space race as a military venture... so you can't go there either... before that it was Hoover and his bumbling over the economy that turned a bad recession into the depression.
So what was the Republican party?
I'll tell ya Vince... I'd like it to be the party that wasn't ruled by single-issue voters. Before Republicans were the anti-abortion, heavily pro-religion, pro-gun and strongly anti-liberal their identity was Goldwater conservatism. Government should stay the hell out of our daily lives and only intrude when it's absolutely necessary. The Dems were the party of social maneuvering. Then along came Reagan and he stripped off the over-regulation that had been stagnating our economy. But that idea got out of control. We can make more money if nobody interferes with us. Then, because the Republican party is so heavily in hock to the religious right we end up with asinine things like birth control being labeled by the FDA as abortion. While they're at it let's torture suspects to be sure we find out things because Dick Cheney thinks it's a good idea. They're listening to phone calls, evaluating every post on the internet, even this one, and basically the republican party has become the party of total intrusion into our lives, including spending gobs of money they don't have. Fiscal responsibility is concept Bush doesn't understand.
You guys did this... squeak, dori... you voted for these assholes. Out of fear, for your one issue... whatever. You did this. Don't pretend this election that you had nothing to do with it. You're responsible for this war, for the deaths... you wanted a man who was pro-life didn't you? Well, you got two justices. And a depression. Our status around the world is shot. We're no longer looked at as a bastion of freedom but the first image that pops up in people's minds are the pictures from Abu Ghraib.
Are you proud of yourselves?
Respond to this message
- Vince on Oct 10, 2008, 6:55 PM


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Listing ID: 16914743
Currumbin Waters Demographics
The median age of people living around 99 Ware Drive, Currumbin Waters QLD 4223 is 41 with median monthly mortgage repayments of $2,000. The average household size within the Currumbin Waters area is 2.5, which is below the national average.
The Currumbin Waters area consists of 81% houses, 18% apartments & 1% other with the most common profession being Professionals. Interestingly, the most recent CO2 data from Currumbin Waters in the Gold Coast suggests that Currumbin Waters emits 16.83 tonnes of greenhouse pollution per person per year as compared to the national average of 20.3 tonnes per person per year.


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Our room was available at 1:30. Our room was behind the elevators-no elevator noise. We were only one flight away from the Lido Deck. We had a balcony room. Loved being able to step outside in my pjs in the middle of the night. I saw a lot of flying fish from the balcony. Bed was comfortable. The bathroom was bigger than what I thought-perhaps because of balcony room. I had plenty of room the put all of stuff. I noticed someone else had placed a flower on their mailbox to more easily see their door-so I tied on an OSU tie on ours. As I had read in another review we went to the front of the ship on Deck 7-also could go to deck 6 to sail out of Galveston. I saw dolphins and great to see us head out of port. Also went there when we sailed out of one of the other ports. Hubby was not feeling so well so we just ate at the buffet and not the dining room the first night and had room service for breakfast. We did extra tip-though not required-the steward that brought breakfast.
We had the dine when you want option which was GREAT and would HIGHLY recommend it. When in port we sometimes ate late which meant we could go a little later than early seating. On days at sea we would eat around 6 and got right in. We were able to have our same server and eat by ourselves. Had the option to eat with others. As most mentioned the melting chocolate cake is wonderful. Our server was Rico-his assistant Imade and Rene. All excellent.
On the first elegant night we really dressed up. Next time I will press our wrinkled clothing earlier in the cruise rather than waiting right before dinner. There was a short line in wait for the iron. We had pictures taken and even bought some they were so good. Photographers did an excellent job sitting up poses.
I really enjoyed the slide. I think more adults were on the slide than children. This could be because there were not a lot of children on board due to school being in session. I brought two beach towels from home so not to get confused with all the carnival beach towels.
Boneficio (unsure of spelling) was our room steward. Very friendly and our room was always neat and clean.
Saw one guest be rude to the Pizza man-which was uncalled for. He was ensuring fresh hot pizza for him and other cruisers. Yes the staff is there to ensure we have a great time; but remember they are there for months at a time with very little time off and are pretty much working 7 days a week.
I saw staff cleaning morning, day and night. Thanks. I think this helped cut down on spreading illnesses.
My hubby spent some time in the Cigar piano bar. A nice big room and very few cruisers smoking cigars. When in port he bought a Cuban cigar which he enjoyed.
Used the ships computer a couple of times when they ran a special. Next time will take small laptop to use in port at free wifi places we were told about.
We only saw a few shows. Liked the comedians. The magic show was okay. My hubby did the behind the scene tour-only way to see the bridge-$95. He thought it was worth the money and had a great time.
We went to the past guest reception and received a few free drinks.
As others have mentioned we booked shore excursions through Island Marketing Ltd. (jamaicacruiseexcursions.com; cozumelcruiseexcursions.com more links on both pages). See my port reviews below.
Things I did not like about the cruise: I didn't win at bingo and I didn't win the free cruise.
Very excited to hear Carnival's newest ship Magic will be sailing out of Galveston starting November 2011.
We really liked the Conquest.