1. Not to be redundant, but I really do miss this place. I find it difficult to start something at its middle point, though, and every time I come here to write, the volume of catching up there is to do nearly overwhelms me and throws me off my game. So - yet again - I'm going to endeavor to use this handy dandy Thursday Thirteen as a mechanism for bringing things as current as possible, and hope that my anal retentive little brain will allow for the possibility of filling in the blanks as time goes by. And yes, I do know it all sounds like so much ridiculosity, but what can I say? We're wired how we're wired.
2. There has been a good deal of writing going on in my world, even if it hasn't been the creative free flow life journaling I love. Between my new job and my new volunteer positions, words have taken on a more potent role in my life than ever before, a fact even I have a hard time believing. But that kind of writing is different: researched, pointed, polished and groomed - all those things this place has never been - and I'm feeling a powerful need to recapture a safe haven for the loosey goosey creative flow again, beyond 140 character tweets and Facebook status updates. It's a balance thing, if you know what I mean.
3. I love my new job. Still under contract, but that will end after the 4th of July holiday and the transition to full-time will begin in earnest. Working half-time has been the ideal scenario up to now, but I'm the sort of person who needs to work full-time for my own sanity, sefl-fulfillment and general well-being. I have a few negative tendencies when I find myself with too much time on my hands, one being a failure to take full advantage of the freedom and another being an inability to STOP MYSELF FROM VOLUNTEERING FOR EVERYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY. I'm looking forward to being a fully vested contributor in my new workplace and to the inevitable complaining about having no free time that will surely follow. Ha!
4. On the community service front, it's astonishing how quickly one can take root in the activist community with a little simple interest. As I was making contact around town trying to ascertain why there is no Communities in Schools affiliate here, I became involved in the county school drop-out prevention summit. This led to my involvement in the state summit taking place in July and being charged to, "don't ask why it's not here, champion making it happen" on the CIS front. Which was my intention all along, I suppose. I'm also co-chairing the newly formed communications committee at the church I was born and raised in all those years ago. It's a huge undertaking and an even bigger challenge and what in the HECK was I thinking?!? ;-)
5. The man-child is all moved in and seems to be adjusting to the new environment, although I know it has to be hard on him. Unlike us, he barely knows a soul here, and I'm sure there is a lot of loneliness and homesickness going on for him. He's looking for a job, which will help, and school will start up again sooner than later, which will help even more. Still, I can't help but wonder if he'll start to think he made a mistake deciding to come with us. Part of me wants him to reach that conclusion and use it as impetus to make sincere steps into carving out his own path in this world. And part of me is afraid of where that path might lead him, proving some things never change.
6. The house is perfect. I don't know what more to say. We've been gardening, landscaping, painting, arranging, re-arranging and conceptualizing. But we've also been making ourselves right at home, and there are days it seems like we've never lived anywhere else.
7. It's really quite amazing how quickly we've acclimated and assimilated back into life in West Virginia. Every now and then, I look at my calendar full of appointments, get togethers, activities, meetings and such with big wide eyes and can't fathom how I got from there to here so fast. The very best part - so far - has been reconnecting with so many old friends and stepping back into the groove without missing a beat. We have great friends. I never fully appreciated how much I missed them all until I didn't have to miss them anymore.
8. Big news on the daughter front: she's moving in with her boyfriend at the end of August, when her lease expires. He bought a house about a year ago, and the two of them have been renovating and updating it ever since. At 27, she's old enough to make her own decisions about these things, and truth be known, I'm very happy for her. They do plan to get married, but they are both dollars and sense sorts; this move will help them save a ton of money in the long run, and they want to create some solid financial stability before making everything legal and official-like. Smart cookies, I say.
9. We've done a lot of celebrating recently. Our 27th anniversary was last month, and my honey turned 50 just days before that. In honor of such a milestone birthday, I decided to mark one item off his 'bucket list.' We spent a long weekend in Indianapolis, taking in the wondrous Indy 500 and all associated festivities. It was an amazing, amazing trip all the way around. In fact, he's already talking about making plans to do it again next year.
10. The man-child reached a milestone, too, celebrating his 21st birthday. We took him to Cincinnati to celebrate, armed with tickets to two Reds games. The weekend included a victory for his favorite team, many extra innings, hot dogs and, yes, beer. LEGAL beer! Woot!
11.This town is full of hidden gems, and we've really made an effort to explore as many of them as possible. We've been to plays and lectures, minor league baseball games and concerts, mouth-watering new restaurants and sweet little watering holes. We continue to walk ourselves silly, and find more to love about our new neighborhood with every step we take.
12. Case in point: coming up this week is FestivALL, nearly ten jam packed days where the 'City Becomes a Work of Art.' We plan on immersing ourselves in as many of the week's offerings as is humanly possible, starting with Buddy Guy at Mountain Stage tomorrow night.
13. And I guess that very nearly brings me back to the future. I'm sure I've missed a bunch, skimmed over some, and repeated myself more in the process, but oh well. It is what it is, I am what I am, and truly?
I wouldn't have it any other way.
my addiction could use some new house /yard pics ;)
Posted by: pat | June 28, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Yes! Pricey, but scrumptious. Our favorite new place is Vandalia Grill.
Posted by: Jennifer | June 19, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Have you been to the Bistro yet?
Posted by: kenju | June 18, 2009 at 11:32 PM
I'll take 13 - repeats, skips, and jumps. It's nice to see you back around.
Posted by: Mittany | June 18, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Glad you've settled in so nicely and quickly!
Posted by: Evil Twin's Wife | June 18, 2009 at 07:45 PM