The Blog Resuscitated

This.blog.will.not.die. Yes, I realize it has been almost a month since my last post. And this clearly has broken my posting three times a week rule that I promised back in July when I accepted my job. But now I understand why Baby Boomers don't understand technology - they don't have time for it. I have barely had time to breathe, let alone make sure I'm sleeping enough and getting enough to eat (I know I sound like a baby animal at the zoo, but seriously, man, working burns a lot of calories). So today when I was reevaluating my life on my lunch break I realized that the blog was and is an important part of my life, as it gives me a writing outlet/makes me feel connected to the world. And again, I am pledging my love to the blog and to those people who still bother to read it.

That said, it's not like I haven't thought about the blog. I wish that I could have an RSS feed from my head to the blog, saving myself the typing and prolonging my inevitable onset of carpal tunnel. But mostly, I just have the most random thoughts and find myself increasingly at a lost to share them. Like: every day on my commute, I walk past the Capitol Police patrols...and most days, I jaywalk. I always wonder if today is going to be the day I get taken down for not obeying the little crosswalk man. 

I try not to let the little random thoughts crowd my day too much so that I still have time for the larger issues of where my life is going, etc. Yes, I like my job and I like the people at work. But I'm struggling to define my post-9 to 5 self. I joined a kickball team but I only went to one game. To be fair, a game was canceled and for three weeks I had work/personal stuff to attend to. But the loss of the kickball in my life represents a more hopeful innocence about meeting people and making friends. Perhaps I just gave up too easily. After all, it's hard to meet people when you aren't in a contrived social setting like school. I guess in fact it does take time. So I wouldn't necessarily say that I am rededicating myself to meeting people, but I am going to start looking for more opportunities to do things. Case in point - I joined some Meetup groups. A book club and a Spanish language group. And I'm going to investigate taking music lessons of some kind. We'll see where this goes. 

And - I'm moving next week! I can't believe that in 6 days I will be in my very own pad. I know that ultimately I'll be glad that I've held out for a better apt with a better view, but I am dying to get into my own digs and also will be glad to stop amassing furniture and other random household items piecemeal. However, I did score a very nice Adirondack rocking chair that is solid wood for a very good deal. And I got a flat screen TV on sale. So all in all, not so bad. 

I've decided to wear my suit tomorrow to work - partly to distinguish myself from the students, but also because it got cold here (but not as cold as up north. My mom told me that winter is practically there in Buffalo)! I've got to go steam it ....

Dose of Reality

I think I had just been operating under all of the excitement of the last few weeks, but it wasn't until this weekend that the reality of my new life situation hit me. I spent the weekend visiting some friends and had a lot of fun, until a disastrous bus situation which is still too tender for me to discuss occurred. All I can say is that it involved an anxiety attack near Madison Square Garden, a stranger that had to have been divine intervention, and 45 minutes of traffic thanks to the Maryland DOT's ingenious decision to build a guardrail during the Sunday traffic rush. 

But it wasn't until I got back that I felt the weight of the last couple of weeks - moving down here, trying to find friends, learning to navigate the job, criss-crossing the city in 100 degree heat to apartment hunt, and just basically living on my own, paying my own way. I do like the self-sufficiency aspect of it. But merely just getting myself to work tires me out. And then I realize that I have to do that commute, twice a day, for a long time. And I come home to Jeopardy! and my bare bones cooking (last week was Teen Jeopardy Week and I am so glad that's over). 

I am trying to take initiative here. I did join a kickball league, and answered the call to be the team's co-captain. If I am going to do it, I'm going to go all the way. Only problem is I haven't been leading a very healthy lifestyle...so I do not know if my physical fitness will be up to it. I think our first game is next week. Keep you posted.