A Sense of Place

It is so nice to be in a place that is more or less permanent. I know that I am where I need to be for now, and it is a good feeling. It makes it so much easier to be in community with people. I have been thinking about how different this year is so far compared the the last year I was here, 3 years ago. I feel like I am making better connections with people in church, and I am starting to feel more established. I think it's also easier for people to invest in other people's lives when they know that they will be around for awhile, as opposed to moving away in a year or 2. Being in transition is no reason not to make friendships and invest in a community, but it's harder. I do, however, feel a decided lack of gumption this year, which I'm not quite sure why. I felt more motivated to try to be an "adult" and take care of myself, but I lack motivation in some areas.

In other news, I sang in church today for special music. I was helping my friend rehearse for special music last night, and she roped me into singing with her. We decided this at 10 PM last night, but it turned out rather well, I think. We sang How Great Is the Love, alternating verses (she sang the 1st and I sang the 2nd) and singing the chorus together. I harmonized with her (most, not all of the lines), and it meshed well, according to honest, outside sources. I had a good time, but I was nervous, as I have never sung in public like that before. Which is not to say that I have not sung in public, but singing while walking down the street or for my grandpa in the nursing home or in the lobby of my dorm does not necessarily count.

Thursday is Thanksgiving, and then the holidays are upon us! I have a lot that I want to accomplish this holiday season, and I really need to get started on some things. I think that procrastination is one of my besetting sins. It's been with me for a long time, and I really need to work on abolishing it.

My apartment smells like awful incense or stale cigarette smoke that someone attempted to mask. Bleagh.

I want to move to Charleston, South Carolina. It is the perfect city. It is beautiful, fairly temperate, with a great historical district, and it doesn't feel like a city. I spent the last 3 days in Charleston at a library conference. The conference was excellent, and I enjoyed my time there. While in Charleston, I made a pact not to eat at any restaurant that I could find somewhere else, and I followed that well. :-) Charleston has excellent food. Eating well there reinforced the idea that I have not been eating well, and I need to take better care of myself in regards to nutrition. Which means I need to cook more. Which will also help the budget.

On e of my 3 flights, I sat next to librarians who attended the same conference. Flying makes me nervous, but it was ok. The first plane was smaller and seemed a bit rickety, but we made it. Flying out of Charleston, I sat next to a gentleman from South Africa. He was also at the same conference, and it was interesting to talk with him. The last flight was on a huge plane, the type you see in movies, and it had the individual screens with movies and TV in the seats, which was really cool. It helped calm my nerves and helped the flight go faster. I watched an episode of CHiPs (old 70s cop show) and most of an episode of Friends. :-)

The conference was very good, but busy, and I'm rather wiped out. And also a bit overwhelmed with everything I need to do now, personally and professionally.

This week will probably be rather busy and go by quickly. Time just speeds along anyway. It's unreal how fast everything has gone. I feel like I moved up here yesterday. Though I do feel much more established with my job, though still learning and figuring things out. I'm pretty sure I was one of, if not the newest librarian at the conference.

Good night.