Month-a-versarry

I've officially been here 1 month.
I anticipated that moving to a new city would be difficult, but that it would get easier. In some ways, it has gotten easier. I can find the library, the grocery store, and one coffee shop without getting lost. I've met some new people.
But...
I'm still horribly homesick. I moved because I was tired of being the girl who hadn't ever lived more than 90 miles away from where she was born. I wanted to discover who I was without the comfort of home and of family.
Who I am, so far, is the really homesick girl.
Moving away from home to go to college is such a different experience than moving to start a new job. When you start college you are surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the exact same boat as you, knowing hardly anyone and anxious to make friends and try new things. When you do what I did, and move to a new city to start a new job (or whatever), you are surrounded by people who already have their friends, their lives, and you have to figure out a way to fit yourself into the established pattern.
Which is not to say I'm giving up or coming home. As good as that sounds, especially on a Tuesday morning when my car won't start, or a Friday night when I don't have anyone to call, if I came home now it would be admitting defeat - something I don't do well.
I am meeting some awesome people and I am mostly having a really good time. I know it will get better as I continue to meet people and do new things, but I'm anxious for the fun to start. When does the fun start?
I'm thinking about joining this "social club" that organizes activities in the Austin area. They do things like kayak, hike, go wine tasting, that kind of stuff. It sounds both ridiculously lame and great at the same time - do I really want to pay money to hang out with people I don't know? On the other hand, how else am I going to meet people?
I'm going to consider it a while (and wait until I get a few more paychecks under my belt), then I might check it out.
I'm also pretty unhappy in my job, and am applying to several new ones. I hope to find something more in nonprofit/theatre work and less in corporate franchises.
I'm confident that things will get better and I will start having more fun. Especially now that the weather is starting to cool down (only 90 degrees today!). I can actually stand to be outside for more than 5 minutes.
It's 12:30 pm here now, so I should probably shower and decide what to do with myself for the rest of the day. Wish me luck.

In the great tradition of Brynn Hambly, I've decided that this here blog will be the best way to keep all you friend, family, and fans (I must have fans, right?) up to date on my big adventure - aka the big move from Seattle to Austin.

I will be flying into Austin on Wednesday , August 27th. Buying that one-way ticket was pretty amazing. (Round trip tickets to Austin are not that expensive - come visit me!) I have a place to live, but will be spending all my time trying to find a car as soon as I get there so I don't have to rent one for very long. 

I will be starting my job on September 2; I'll be working at the Primrose School of Vista Ridge, in Cedar Park, just outside of Austin. I'll be the lead teacher in the 18-24 month old class. Teeny Tinies, puppets, snack, and nap. How could that not be awesome?

I'm currently trying to get rid of almost everything I own. It's hard but also feels really good. It's amazing how much stuff a person can accumulate, even when you move as much as me. Tomorrow is the big trip to the storage unit. I'm a little stressed. There's stuff there I haven't seen in two years. But it's a good feeling, knowing that I'm going to get to Austin with a suitcase (or two's) worth of stuff. Starting over, clean slate. 

And now a question for you fans:

When I went to Austin in June, I was pretty much murdered by mosquitoes - does anyone know of a good repellant that isn't as toxic to people as it is to bugs? If so, please inform me. I do not like mosquito bites. Thank you.