Things Both Accomplished and Learned

Things Accomplished Today:

1.INTERNET: I now have wireless internet in my home! How awesome is that? Pretty awesome. Since I don’t have a landline, I had to go looking for the phone jack, and it was really quite difficult to find. There is a little alcove in the front hall where an old fashioned telephone used to be, but I could not for the life of me find where one of those new-fangled phones might go. It turns out the phone jack is in the windowsill behind the headboard of my bed. This means that the modem goes under my bed now. The good news is I don’t have to look at the modem. The bad news is that there is a green chord going from my windowsill to behind my bed now and I had to move my alarm clock to pug in the modem. But the best news is I have internet under my bed!

2.ADDRESS OFFICIALLY CHANGED WITH EMPLOYER: I went over to human resources today to drop off my insurance papers, officially change my address to my new home in Rochester, and to pick up my ID badge. The address changing went well, but then I found out I had to go to another building to turn in my insurance papers. I vaguely remember someone telling me at new employee orientation last month that that would be the case, but I didn’t remember. I asked for directions, and the woman at the desk told me, “Get onto 6th St. Turn Right on Broadway. When you see a Kmart, turn left. There will be a little service drive. Turn right. There’s two buildings there – a dumpy little one and a bigger one. The (name of service I can’t remember but I know it started with am “m”)’s office is in that building.” I repeated the directions back to her, thanked her, and left.

3.PICKED UP MY ID BADGE: Well, it looks like me, and I guess that is what it is supposed to do, so there you have it.

4.PURCHASED FISH: I was going to wait until September or even October to buy a fish, but I was at Target buying groceries, and Petsmart was right there. I went in just to browse and see their prices, and I fell in love with a little blue beta fish. He is pretty awesome. I bought him a glass bowl and some beta fish food. Once home, I put some rocks and stones in the bottom of the bowl that I had acquired from vases, and let the filtered water reach room temperature. He is now happily swimming around in his bowl in the alcove where the old fashioned telephone used to go. I think I will name him Felix Mendelssohn, Luwig, or Opus, although to be honest, I am leaning towards Felix Mendelssohn.

5.ATTEMPTED TO PLUG IN MICROWAVE: More on this under “Things I Learned Today”.


Things Learned Today:

1.I CANNOT PLUG MY MICROWAVE IN RIGHT NOW. I put the microwave on top of the fridge, and I want to plug it into the same outlet as the fridge. Unfortunately, the cord didn’t reach, so I bought and appliance extension cord from Target. Now the fridge is plugged into an outlet that is actually in the cupboard below the sink. There is a hole that clearly was not originally there between the fridge and this cupboard, and the cord goes right through. Once I moved my fridge, which was quite the ordeal, I learned that the whole is too small for either weird shaped end of the extension cord I bought. I then had to move my fridge back until later. I don’t have anything to make the hole bigger with right now. Maybe later I will ask either the building manager or my neighbor. I don’t want to put the microwave on the counter because then I won’t have any counter space. Already I am confused as to use my kitchen with so little counter space. If I have none, my head will just explode as I make dinner, and who will clean that up?

2.I CAN MOVE MY FRIDGE BY MYSELF. See above.

3.THERE IS NO KMART OFF OF BROADWAY. I never did find the building I was supposed to find to turn in my insurance papers. I drove back and forth on Broadway, and soon found that you couldn’t make a left turn once you hit a certain point. I found two Targets, a Walmart, a Fleet Farm, a Khols, and two monument makers with many headstones out front. I did not, however, find any Kmart. I have to now use the internet and go out and do it before work in the morning.

4.BROADWAY TURNS INTO A HIGHWAY. That surprised me as I was looking for the Kmart. One minute I am downtown on a regular road, and all of a sudden I am in the middle of nowhere on a highway. Good to know that happens.

5.IT IS HOT IN ROCHESTER. And apparently it will not cool down even when I ask nicely. Ufda!

Another New Chapter

So I am about to begin yet another new chapter of my life. Squeaky and I will soon be moving down to Rochester to a fabulous new apartment a mere 4 miles away from my first teaching job. I am pretty excited.

Things have been a bit rough for a while, but I am hoping Rochester will bring good things for me. I lost my best friend, and I miss him every minute of every day, but maybe a change of scenery will help with that. I've been unemployed for the summer, but that is soon to change as I will be officially working for the Rochester Public School system at the end of this month. I have been living with my parents for quite some time, and I love my parents very much, but I really need a place of my own. Luckily, I have a new, fabulous apartment that overlooks a baseball field and is right by the river. I can walk to the farmer's market, which should be really super exciting.

Packing is a bit of a pain in the neck, but I think it is getting done alright. Many people have stepped up to help me, and I have purchased some awesome used furniture, which will look very nice in my apartment. The manager of my building called this morning, too, and said she but in a new stove. She apologized for it being olive green, but I think that will add character. I mean, sure, every other thing in my kitchen is a very bold color, but I think the green will bring out the color in Squeaky's eyes!

Naturally, if you'd like my new address, I'd be more than happy to share it with friends. Also, I am pretty excited for a constant stream of visitors once I get settled.