CHICO, Calif. -- Finally getting settled into an apartment after hotel hopping for a week. It's amazing, but the constantly deflating air mattress I slept on last night seems more comfortable than the hotel beds I've been in.

My apartment is very much a blank canvas seeing as it's completely unfurnished and having more rooms than I know what to deal with (two of them remain vacant to be leased out later). Hopefully I can fill the empty space in the heart of my apartment over the next few months (and an Ikea run or two). It's almost like getting married, without the whole pesky bride. I'll need something borrowed, something new, something ... something and something blue.

I'm slightly disappointed reading on the Comcast Web site that it doesn't offer cable Internet services in my neighborhood. It's especially sad because of the fact that nearly all of the rooms in this apartment have cable hook-ups.

For more than six years, I've used cable Internet services (Cox and Charter) and I've had an extremely positive experience. So much so that I've never thought to stray to other services such as DSL (for Internet access) and digital satellite (for TV).

So after calling the local Comcast office on Monday, I'll officially be in the hunt for services elsewhere. I just need to keep reminding myself that I don't own a TV right now.

While I'm thinking about it, why is it so hard finding the local phone packages on the SBC Web site? No, I don't want Caller ID, voice messaging or acupuncture. I just want an affordable package offering just local phone service (and maybe DSL). Is that so hard? It shouldn't be.

My new address, by the way, is:

717 Hazel St.
Apt. 4
Chico, CA 95928

Go wild with the snail mail.