Making way

I should be a pro at transitions after leaving my job in DC and driving cross country to a new home and job and not knowing anyone. Well, not a pro yet...

The latest transitions have been my science center internship ending, moving out of the trailer, training for a new job, looking for a place to live, adjusting to winter weather/lack of sunshine and then saying goodbye to some wonderful people.

Sadly, the 31st was the last day of my internship and I gave myself about a week off to begin looking for housing and applying for jobs. The job that came through is working for an oceanographer in town doing data entry. I've been training all this week and there is a steep learning curve but after a few days, it feels possible. It's great because it's super flexible, I get to work from home, whatever hours I want whenever I want. I'm looking for a part time job in addition though since I don't think I'll be able to do 40hr/wk of data entry and it's good to have human contact.

I spent last week with Dan at his place before he moved back to Pennsylvania. It was pretty bittersweet that I moved here only to find someone I enjoy so much only to have to say goodbye in a few short months. And there is of course the irony that he's from Pennsylvania and moving back there.

So my housing situation is that I am now housesitting till Thanksgiving so I won't need to find a place until after that or Dec 1st since I can probably stay with friends if needed. There haven't been a ton of options that have presented themselves as far as housing goes and I'm down to sharing a house with a lady or renting a studio. It'll come down to price/privacy and amount of space in the end and I need to figure that out in the next few days.

Since turning the clocks back, I officially feel the seasonal change, whereas before, I could still be in a little bit of denial -- but now when it's dark at 5pm...not so much. I've been spending a lot of time curled up in blankets and working on the computer. And I think I'm developing laptop wrist...I guess like tennis elbow.

One thing I'm looking forward to this winter is to get reading again since I didn't read a single book the whole way through during the summer --- suggestions welcome. Once I get a place, I plan on starting to knit again and finding extracurricular events to keep me out of the house and socializing. We still have potluck and I'm still swimming with a local masters team but I want to keep getting out for hikes and continue to enjoy my surroundings, despite the cooler temperatures.

I'm staying here for Thanksgiving. I think it may be my first Thanksgiving without my family but holidays induce stress in me so I'm looking forward to a holiday with absolutely no expectations. If it consists of me sleeping and then having some easy mac and a margharita, so be it! That idea sounds just fine to me. As for Christmas, I may wait till after this to visit to avoid crazy holiday travel and to go at a quieter time of year when things aren't so busy and plane tickets are reasonable.

So things are managable. I'm looking forward to having a homebase in the near future and gettting aquainted with a different Port Townsend and pace of life --- much different than what I've been used to.

The first picture is my front seat, notice the essentials: goldfish crackers, cake and flowers (thank you Jess for getting those for me!). Then the second is me and the backseat. I was getting slightly irritated about living out of my car that day :) I'm feeling better now.