Settling In

I can't believe it's already Thursday. Time is flying by, and my days are packed with so much. I'm still getting settled, although all but two boxes are unpacked. I still have a few more pictures to hang, and I continue to replenish condiments and other grocery staples that I had to discard when I moved. I am loving my new place. The 2 bed/2 bath feels HUGE to me after my 1/1 in NYC, and there are more closets than I can actually fill. I have a large back porch and little fenced yard in the back, and the apartment complex backs up to a state-protected wooded area. I can't hear any noise other than crickets, frogs and the soothing coos of doves. It's very peaceful.

Of course, the only drawback to all this woodsy-ness is the plentiful -- and varied -- insect life. Ick. In my high-rise in the concrete jungle, I didn't have any bugs. But it's a small inconvenience. There's definitely not an insect problem -- I'm just squeamish about creepy crawlies!

Last weekend, my sweet cousin Bev drove up from College Station. She helped me organize, and I purchased a guest bed for the extra room for her to sleep on. After a busy Saturday, we had a quiet evening at home and quality girl talk over Mojitos. The last time I really had such a nice visit with her was just before she started college when she visited me in NYC three years ago. She is so dear to me, and it was great to catch up.

And she got to be the first family member to meet Fly Boy. When she and I went for dinner at a Chinese restaurant on Friday night -- which turned out to be very strange because of the karaoke system that was the main attraction and the overly serious singers -- I got a text from FB that he was finishing up a call not too far from where we were. Bev asked if we could go see him, and he said of course! (Note: I am hesitant about the whole police thing, and don't like to even think about the fact that he's in dangerous situations every day. I do not have a burning desire to go on "ride-alongs" or hang out at the station. I respect what he and his officers do, but I'd rather keep work at work.) FB assured me that the scene was secured and it was safe for us to come by. (They were just finishing up paperwork stuff.) He was very proud to introduce me to two of the guys who work for him, and we chatted with them for a few minutes. The next day, he met us for brunch, and Bev and FB each got to know each other a little better. Bev gave him a thumbs-up.

Next up: FB will get vetted by the vet: Vetmommy and her family.

Online Dating

Online dating is interesting. You see some strange profiles, such as the guy who posted a college football photo of himself saying "this is me, plus 20 years." Profiles also show someone's writing skills -- or lack thereof -- but to me, it seems like a valid way to meet others who have similar interests and values...if both people are honest.

I had a date last Friday. It was so amazingly good, I'm having a difficult time trying to figure out how to write about it all. Plus, I'm still in the middle of getting settled and moving in, while planning a business trip for tomorrow... I don't have the internet working yet at home, so I'm in Starbucks at the moment, doing some work on my day off (grrr, but can't be avoided). I need more time to write it all out, so sorry for the foreshadowing.

Suffice it to say, for now, that I've found someone worth spending more time with. And the great thing is, he's feeling the same about me.

Austin

Just a brief post to announce I made it to Austin, and everything went according to plan with the move (so far). The movers arrived at 9:50 a.m., and everything was packed in their truck by 1:10 p.m. I cleaned the apartment and gave the keys to the new tenant and headed to JFK airport on time.

My poor cat, Sabrina, had a stressful time of it, despite the sedative, and attacked my hands a couple times when I tried petting her in her carrier bag. The plane was delayed taking off, making our time on the plane even longer. I was so anxious to get here -- both for Sabrina's sake and to see my family who was eagerly awaiting my arrival -- so that probably made it seem longer, too.

I'm exhausted and sore and only half done with the move -- I don't move into my new place until later in the month -- but I'm glad to be here.

Moving Day

It's here. I'm feeling so many things, it's hard to know what to write. I'm overwhelmed, anxious about the move, exhausted, sad from so many touching goodbyes, excited to see my family and all that awaits there, nostalgic about leaving New York...

I'll write more later, once I'm on the ground in Austin. For now, I have to pack up the computer!

Running Away or Running Towards?

I haven't posted much lately, because I've been keeping quiet about something happening in my life...but I've been working on this post for over a year...

I heard Martha Beck speak at the O You Conference in San Francisco a couple years ago, and I was so impressed. I've always enjoyed her columns in the Oprah Magazine, but in person she was so much more! She's incredibly adept at making complex thinking seem attainable, and she's witty and downright funny.

One of her past columns was titled "Know When to Fold 'Em," in which she mentioned W.C. Fields's profound statement "If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it." The column discusses how researchers have compared those who resist quitting, and of those who throw in the towel when facing unattainable goals. They found that the second group—the quitters—were healthier than their persistent peers on almost every variable.

This gives me some comfort, because I've been struggling with the idea of "quitting."

Quitting New York.

Undoubtedly, there are things I love about New York: the variety in cultures, the lack of conformity to a single (or few) ideas, the four seasons, the multitude of cultural events (especially Broadway), feeling like I'm a part of this big machine called NYC, being close to the water (even if it is the not-so-transparent Hudson River), my little close-knit church and fledgling (although now on hiatus) choir...

But...it has been a pretty lonely existence for me here. Over the last three years, I've done all the tried-and-true methods to meet friends and potential dates. I've made a few friends, but NY has a culture of everyone being so busy, you don't see them but maybe once every few months. And I miss my family, especially the kids, my nieces and nephews.

As I recently celebrated another birthday, getting closer to having to change the title of this blog and hearing the biological clock ticking louder in its finale, I realize that if I don't have kids of my own, I at least want to be closer to those I do have in my life.

I started making inquiries with my company about the possibility of transferring, and I got full approval to move ahead with the transfer to the Austin office as soon as I'm ready. The only thing sticking point is subleasing my apartment, and that has happened MUCH faster than I expected.

I'm keeping my job AND getting to live closer to my family, able to be a more consistent presence in my nieces' and nephews' lives. And it also opens up other possibilities for me, such as owning a home, eating a lot more TexMex, participating (and completing) more triathlons, and possibly having a child on my own.

I moved to NYC for my career, and I've realized my career isn't the most important thing to me. I'm moving back to have a personal life.

I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

My Long Weekend

I'm comfortably settled in my new apartment, just a dozen or so flights below my previous one. My view has shifted to a northern view, and it is MUCH quieter. But I've also been knocked down by an increasingly potent respiratory virus. It just started as a sore throat, but I didn't get much rest this weekend. In fact, I pushed myself to get everything in place and unpacked. At this point, I only have one box left, and it contains framed pictures for the wall. But I finally can't go anymore. I thought I'd be okay once I got moving, but I only lasted at work for a couple hours. I've been sleeping for most of the day, drinking lots of liquids and cleansing my throat and nose with salt water. Now I'm just ready to feel better...

Apt Update

After much searching (and all the crap that entailed), I determined a few things:
1) I have big, Texas-sized furniture
2) There are few neighborhoods that have big enough apartments in my price range to fit all my stuff
3) The West Village smells like urine, whether canine or human, I'm not sure
4) I'm beginning to not like change as much as I used to

And after the initial discussion with the management company of my building was fruitless, my second attempt was more successful. (It's all who you talk to...) So, I'm moving down a few floors to a very-slightly smaller apartment in my current building. I lose my view, but also the echoing construction noise from Ground Zero. I get to keep the convenience of a washer/dryer in my apartment, garbage disposal in my sink (very rare here), the doormen I know and love, the excellent building manager who is a sweetie, the gym I'm used to, and all the knowledge I've obtained about my existing neighborhood for a cheaper rent. Overall, I'm happy.

I've already lined up boxes, movers, cable and electric, and I've already started to pack. I'm moving next Saturday, the 5th, so my Labor Day holiday will be spent getting all settled in.

Oh, and if this change weren't enough, my office is moving this Friday, too! While I don't like having to shuttle between the two offices now at Times Square and Union Square, and while I detest Times Square and all the hawking advertisers and the hoards of people, I will miss Union Square's great shopping and farmers market. The new office is slightly closer to my home, so no concerns there. Just more change.

Truckin'

Yesterday, I drove this truck full of furniture and towed my CRV to Austin. I just couldn't bear to sell some of my furniture, especially the pieces that are family heirlooms, and fortunately, my uncle Tom and my sister Jenn and bro-in-law Anthony were willing and able to take various pieces.

Colin and Anna were really impressed with the truck! They both had to pretend to drive it. Colin had to stretch to make his feet reach the pedals!