Lesson #12 - Heartburn

I have been having some insane heartburn lately. It’s extremely uncomfortable.

I made it to Austin last night and have been weirded out since my mom picked me up from the airport. Even she says it seems surreal that I am here. She also said she is trying to not get too excited in case I actually don’t move here. I wonder what other proof she needs that I am here?

It was sad flying out of Portland yesterday. The sky was clear so I was able to see the many mountains the northwest boasts. I even got to see my Seattle mountain, Mount Rainier, which was refreshing and so appropriate.

On the plane I passed the hours playing the addicting game of Bejeweled and listening to a little City and Colour. Which might not have been the best musical selection because it might have started bringing tears to my eyes. It gave me an I-am-sad-I-am-leaving-the-Northwest-and-I-don’t-want-to-start-crying lump. Although that could have been the heartburn. It’s hard to say.

Well I am here in Texas. A little shell-shocked, a little culture-shocked, and a little curious about what is going to happen next.

Lesson #11 - Rollercoaster

It’s official. I am moving back to Austin.

I am excited and nervous and happy and sad and ready and scared. All at once.

My family couldn’t be anymore ecstatic, my boyfriend couldn’t be anymore cautious. And I am somewhere in the middle. Maybe a little more on the cautious side mixed with lots of anxiousness and uncertainty as to what to expect.

I haven’t lived in Texas in over 3 years and haven’t been to visit in over 1 year. I know in those 3 years I have attempted to share my love of Texas with my fellow northwesterners but I know I have changed. I am probably a little more liberal, a little more into recycling, and a lot more into hot drinks. Will I get annoyed with the intense conservatism? What will I do with all my composting and plastic bottles? And will I still want to drink hot drinks when it’s breaking 100 degrees outside? These are very pressing questions, people!

In all my crazy anxiousness driving home last night from my boyfriend’s house, a sense of security fell over me. And not security that I would be moving home to the familiar, because in all reality it is far from familiar. The security that Jesus has me strapped in.

You know how everyone always compares life to a rollercoaster and all its ups and downs? And we think it’s going to be okay, because we know rollercoasters are fun. But they are only fun because we trust and have security that the seatbelts we are wearing are going to keep us safe on those ups and downs and sharp turns. If those seatbelts weren’t there, we wouldn’t have fun because fear that we could not hang on would play a huge role. And the fact is we probably couldn’t hang on.

But I am strapped in. And ready to have fun.

Lesson #1 - Transition

So since watching a movie last night, I am somewhat inspired to begin a new chronicle of sorts about my journey of transition. Sounds like such a deep thing, but really all that is in my life right now is transition. But on the deeper side, it seems that all your life is transition anyway. So I guess I am writing about life. And I am starting it with my life transition from Seattle to Portland which probably began about five months ago…

Basically, to set it up my boyfriend somehow convinced me to move to Oregon where he is from so he could go to school in Portland. Since I happen to be crazy about him, I agreed. It’s been a less than easy road.

List of challenges so far:

1. Decided that quitting my perfectly good job in Seattle in the toughest economy since the year I was born was a good idea.
2. Even with our insanely detailed cleaning job, my previous landlord withheld all of our deposit of $2500. (Who even does that sort of damage? Not four single women!)
3. Slept in a room with no windows for a month while all my stuff sat out in a trailer in front of the house I was staying at. The mailman wrote me threatening letters claiming I was blocking the mailbox. He probably needed the exercise. Oh and there were cats, which I have come to realize I am allergic to.
4. Family was slightly hesitant at first to be supportive. Although, it has shaped up and I am very thankful for their encouragement and support.
5. Lack of much response from the multitude of jobs I applied to. And the few interviews I had provided absolutely no bites. Talk about blow to your self-esteem. Repeatedly.
6. Changed the phone number I had for over 10 years to a new local number to hopefully boost response from the jobs I applied to. It was a sad day. And I don’t think it helped.
7. Had several companies say they really liked me, they just either weren’t hiring right now or only hiring internally. Ouch.
8. Whole Foods and Nordstrom flat out denied me. Still wondering why.
9. Finally moved into a place but with a roommate I didn’t know. It was on the stressful side getting actually physically moved in. And is on the slow path of actually getting to know each other.
10. Don’t really have any friends here in my new city. Now don’t get me wrong, who doesn’t like tons of quality time with their boyfriend? All I am saying some new faces in the mix might fill the community sized hole in my heart.
11. Wish it was easier to find a church. How are you supposed to find a church in a new city, especially in one that doesn’t really like church? Yelp and Google Search have been, unfortunately, no help.
12. My car reached 100,000 miles, got broken into, and the battery completely died. Oh and I keep forgetting to replace the burnt out light bulb in the back.
13. Had to venture to the doctor with no health insurance. I was sure it was cancer, my doctor was sure it was heartburn. He was right. Thank you Prilosec.
14. The kitchen ceiling in my new apartment began leaking this brownish orange liquid. There now are 3 large holes in our kitchen that my landlord seems to be dragging her feet to fix. It’s been over a month. Oh and our refrigerator doesn’t close all the way. Yea for lukewarm milk!
15. And last but not least, I hate my credit card. Mostly the debt that has been accrued on it since I started this little transition. I just love that hanging over my head.

Like I said, it has not been the most pleasant journey. Although the sun has been shining a lot this summer and I can walk to the mall. And the fact that I think Portland might just be a cool town. Well, once it accepts me and gives me a sweet job and some friends. Until then I hope I don’t have to add too many more items to the list above.