well, i'm done for the day and what did i find? this was pretty exhaustive on my googling, i must add.

1) exactly one space that is a little bit more than i want to pay, but is also substantially better than this space. non smoking. up a few floors, to get some fresh air. a little closer to the tunnel. adt. a tub, so i can shave. etc. i'll need to close the deal, but i would move to this place if i could - and especially if i can shave a  few dollars off. i'm waiting for a response from an ad without a phone number.

2) exactly one space that is a little bit cheaper than i'm paying here, and is comparable in terms of size, although it is one bedroom rather than two. depending on layout, that might even be better. i tried to call three numbers and am not convinced anyone of them are correct. this place may be smoky. i'd have to think about it.

3) exactly one space that seems like a lateral movement - but this may also include smoke issues. i'll have to look at this, but i'd probably turn it down.

4) several ads that were about fifty dollars out of my price range, and that i'd have to try and low ball.

if the first one doesn't work out, i can't state with certainty that something else will come up before it's time to stall via appeal. i'm just hoping the review body solves that problem the easy way.

i'm going to spend the morning looking at listings and maybe make some calls around noon, if i find something.

but, the easy restatement of the logic is simply as follows:

1) can i find somewhere better? then, i'll take it.
2) if i can't find somewhere better, i'm hardly going to move to somewhere worse, so i'll appeal.

i do need to acknowledge that i am looking, though. that's a difference. it could take months to find something, but i am intending to eventually leave.

all of this other stuff is stalling, really.