Hello friends. It has been a while since I sent my thoughts out into the universe. I missed it and I’ve missed you. In the time since completing 1984, I’ve made some pretty big changes in my life. Instead of lamenting my trials and tribulations of moving to a new city into a new apartment with new roommates to start a new job, I will leave you with some wisdom I gained along the way.
- In furnishing your new bedroom, do not overestimate the strength of your muscles or underestimate the steepness of the stairs.
- If you neglect to purchase window curtains due to time and stinginess, remember that the people across the street can see you at all times–clothes or not. Welcome to the neighborhood.
- When attending a company picnic on the Sunday before work, assume you will get mistaken for your boss’s wife. Welcome to the company.
- Always stop for pedestrians. And their little dogs.
- When exploring a new health food grocery store, BRING A LIST. Or leave an hour later feeling extremely overwhelmed, carrying only a stick of organic deodorant and a bag of organic whole wheat penne on sale.
- Sign up for the customer shopper cards at every grocery store you find. It makes you feel like a local even if four separate employees stopped you in produce because they thought you needed help.
- Locate the caffeinated tea or coffee maker in the office. Or suffer the consequences of the 2:00pm lull. While your boss is speaking.
- Only cook a casserole you really enjoy eating. Because it will be your lunch and dinner for the next 7 days.
- Remind people you are living in a new city, trying to navigate the working world. You will get a lot of sympathetic head nods and free drinks (in theory).
- When in doubt, smile. It’s way cheaper than…everything else right now.
Granted, I’ve only been at work for three days (all training) and moved in only two days before that. My mom, my dad, and the old hitchhiker my dad picked up are the only people who have ridden in my “new” ’98 Subaru Forester. My personal budgeting sheet is a template I downloaded online and don’t know how to use. In absence of my mature wisdom, I will leave you with a quote by Victor Kiam.
Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.
Motivational? Perhaps. Realistic? Definitely.
Twelve-toed Traveler 