Ramblings: Quick and Dirty

1. It's 4:22am and I'm clutching my first cup of coffee like an addict. I don't usually caffeinate this early. Actually I don't usually have the wherewithal to do much this early. However, I have an inkling that I'll still be awake 24 hours from now. So here we go.....

2. I didn't finish yesterday's work, I haven't edited today's work, I haven't packed and I need to be out of the house in about 3 hours.

3. The sun IS NOT up yet.

4. Marsha (formerly of Floetry) is performing in Harlem tonight.......I will be in D.C. I can't.even.deal!!!

5. My neighbor watches tv 24/7. His tv rests on my wall **blink**. I found it annoying the first night I was here. Now I "watch" what he's watching. Although....sir....I don't like Unsolved Mysteries. Change the channel please. Thanks.

6. My coffee making game has been on point (thanks podmate), however, when I had to switch up creamers my love of my brew diminished significantly. I guess that speaks to my "skill set" or my mean crutch.

7. I have one paper towel square left, 1 tablespoon of body wash, a pinky toe size dab of lotion, less than 1/3 bottle of conditioner (I drink that stuff), 3 rolls of toilet paper, one onion, less than 1/8 of both of my candles, and less than 1/6 of a box of tissue in my apartment. I'll be gone for a week so I've been telling myself there is no need to go shopping if I'm not going to be here right now. My mom did an amazing job of instilling in me this odd apprehension about running out of supplies. In the history of my 27 years we never ran out of essentials like toilet paper and had to make an emergency run to the store. NEVER. So now I'm eying my dwindling supply and breathing deeply.

8. Over the weekend I met with fellow blogger D LIFE and watched the U.S. vs. Ghana game/had lunch etc. I had such a blast! Irony....we live in the same complex. It's crazy how something as simple as typing your thoughts can introduce whole new experiences into your life.

9. Every trip I have a bag issue. Often times I want to pick the cute luggage/carryall and not necessarily the one that will work the best for the trip. This is what happens when you have too many choices. I'm not sure if fashion or functionality will win on this trip either.

10. Yesterday I paused in my apartment looked around and realized that I was happier than I had been in ages. Being able to admit that, when things aren't perfect, is a blessing.

10.5 I cannot wait to spend my first July 4th in D.C., I cannot wait to see Ec.lipse tonight with the one Twil.ight fan that I know(podmate), and I cannot wait for what I'm sure will be 6 days of pure laughter. Now....I just need to get there. I have a date with work at 8am. The bus and I have a date at 5:30pm. Let the games begin.

Really Though?

I rush home from work in what is clearly 2,000 degree weather to meet the maintenance guy. I need new air/water filters asap. I'd like to not live off of claritin between now and September.

There is a note when I get here:

Stopped by to check you a.c. @ 11:28. Willie.

Hmm so when I was told to be home between 1-5pm was that a misunderstanding on my part? GTFOH with that mess!

I don't have enough fluid in my body @ the moment to raise hell, but once I rehydrate I will be a terror!

In other news, I'm trying to not only get better at my new position, but take on some other tasks. It seems like I've barely scratched the surface of what is really going on in the office. I need to get more involved and carve out a Dani-size niche. Strategy continues.

One Thing

It's funny how one thing can change everything.

I put myself out there one time and now it feels like I got a new lease on life.

The door closed on my relationship and now something amazing seems to be brewing just beneath the surface.

I asked one question at work and now the exectives say "hi" to me by name.

I asked one friend to join my prayer team for a dear friend of mine and she is now seemingly on the brink of her own relocation.

I often get caught up in the bigger picture. I lose sight of the "one thing(s)" and fail to realize that a series of "one thing" truly will turn everything on its head.

My life has been a series of choices, I'm sure if you pick apart your own life you'd see the same thing. My fave married couple, the Smiths, met because he couldn't help but approach her table and she couldn't help but to listen. It was the one thing that opened the door for an amazing friendship, courtship, relationship and now marriage. Really? All because of one "one thing."

I have been blown away recently, by how seemingly insignifcant things can all come together over night and completely change your reality.

One step, One choice, One ommission, One answer, One prayer, One Smile, One moment, One word, One dream.....One thing is all it takes to change everything.

Ramblings: Stopping Point

1. I have spent 35 of my 51 work hours this week working on a project. I've gotten to the end and officially no longer care how it turns out. There comes a point when you go into self-preservation mode and just stop dwelling on the minutia. I am at that point. Why exactly was I the first person here today and the last to leave? NO BUENO!

2. Gypsy living is wearing on me...Already....I officially hate my boxes. I still love my air mattress, but can do without using it for awhile. Hopefully, I'll have myself together by my bday.....in September.

3. I've got work together, my life together, my focus together, so it's time to get my personal life together. There is someone new in my world :)

More On this later.....

4. After I got home yesterday, it occurred to me that I needed to make less straight trips from the office to my apartment and get lost more often. I've been here for two weeks (not counting my week in Maine) and there is still soooooooo much to see.

5. Maine was wonderful....How & ever I realized a few very important things.

a. I have no concept of geography. If google didn't exist I'd have less friends because honestly no one likes the stupid person. When in the hell did Boston get there on the map? Eeek! Maine was a 45 minute flight from New York....really? My mind has always mapped the country as such: Up there(Northeast)/Over there(the Midwest/West Coast)/The South (everything below Virginia....anything not included....well.....yea. Anyday now someone is going to take my 8th grade diploma from me.

b. An excessive amount of seafood leaves me craving beef. Lets just say I did things to a burger in the Portland airport that....yea....wow. I think a baby stopped crying because it was so fascinated by my inhalation of everything on my plate.

c. I need to vacation more. There were so many people just chilling in Freeport....on a Thursday morning. I have to get out of the culture of never stopping to take a break.

Ramblings

1. I've been spending the week in Maine for a conference and I'm already planning to come back and vacation. The pace is slow and the food is good. That's pretty much all you can ask for.

2. I cannot stop thinking about this quote. So fitting.

"No man is worth your tears, and when you find the man who is, he'll never make your cry."
--Twitter Quote

3. In keeping with the Maine topic I've had lobster thrice this week. I love it, but it's A LOT of work. I really need someone to handle that for me. I'm not a fan of interactive food.

4. I'm really looking forward to being in DC this weekend :)

5. I love NYC. I usually feel compelled to downplay my glee a bit, but on this topic i'm 10000% thrilled to be there/here.

6. My Maid of Honor dress came in almost 5 weeks ago I have neither called about it or made any arrangements regarding it.....Also, no plans have been made abt the bridal shower. I'm a slacker I know!

7. I have a really good feeling about music this fall. Hopefully I'll have some amazing concerts to attend as well.

8. I'm really really really happy for my good friend/fellow blogger Ana....We talked about wanting to have to make a difficult decision about which city to ring in New Years. I managed to get to New York, prayerfully she'll make it to DC. Whoohoo!

Week One

Hola all!

I feel like I've fallen off the face of the planet, but in a good way. I've spent the last week with my brother just getting myself settled and acclimated. The last week in summary has been fantastic. The job is seemingly going well, I enjoy my co-workers, love my apartment, and overall love being here.

I'm excited to be starting my first full week, excited to have my brother here with me until Tuesday (but equally excited to get some alone time once he leaves) and excited about my upcoming trip to Maine (conference for work).

All in all the blessings keep rolling in....eeek gotta get moving! Have a great morning.

BackStory

I've been promising this story for ages and here we go....

Three months ago as my district manager was leaving our store he paused and looked back at me. After thinking for a moment he said, "did you take a look at the communication director post on the company site?"

I hadn't checked the site in ages so I was completely oblivious to what he was talking about.

"No I haven't seen the post," I replied. To which he said, "thinking back to what you mentioned to me the first time I met you I think it's exactly what you're looking for."

Shocked that he remembered that conversation years ago, I promised him I'd check it out.

"There is one caveat," he said as he stood in the doorway. "What's that?" I replied. He said, "you'd have to move to New York...."

(pause)

Spring 2004 seemed incredibly promising. I had cruised through my undergraduate degree, had a host of great friends and even better line brothers. It was a fantastic time. What I didn't have was a job....or a real plan. As a bit of an afterthought I went on a few job/internship interviews, but nothing stuck. When it came down to it I figured I could do my job hunting from home and be back in D.C. in six months. I got home in June and by July I was gainfully employed. With the exception of three weeks, I worked for the next six years straight.

Now I'd like to think that the fact that my boyfriend, at the time, who lived here in south Florida didn't have anything to do with me coming home, but I can't be so sure.

I will say this.....I love sun, beaches, sandals. However, I also love coats, boots, seasons, and even snow. I love city living. Public transit, the dichotomy of brick buildings and parks makes me excited. The thing that drains me? Suburbia.

I was poised for what would've been a somewhat fulfilling life. I was dating my high school sweetheart, he purchased a home, we had a good network of friends and the surface was promising.

Then I realized I was bored. Truly bored. I could do my job in my sleep. My relationship was stale and without passion. I hated that I was already home during the holiday seasons and that for all intents and purposes I was no further along in my life, than the folks I went to high school with who had never left this city.

So......I ended my 10 year relationship, which triggered the loss of all but a handful of my "friends", met Sweets, fell in love, got sued, took on new jobs, experienced burn-out/a break-up, and two years later was at this point in conversation with my manager.

Needless to say my love of Communications and my love of Retail proved to be a charming mix and I landed the job. It took a month of red tape, but once I received my offer letter I was completely ready to make the leap to a new city.

How did this work logistically?

I got word that they were moving forward with my position on a Monday. I flew to NYC for eight hours, looked for a place and signed a lease on a Wednesday. Received/accepted my offer on a Friday(and got my lease approval). I mailed 10 boxes of my things on the next Friday. Worked in the store until later Saturday night. Flew out Monday. Moved in Tuesday. Started work Wednesday.

I could not imagine something like this happening to me. However, I've come to realize that not only is this a blessing, but that my dreams were paltry in comparison to what is possible.

I am in my apartment with a lovely air mattress, 10 boxes, and the feeling that you get when you step out there on faith and you don't fail.