Holy Crap

It's two weeks away. Two weeks from today I'll be in my new apartment for the first time since my five-minute tour. Months ago I wrote that if I put it on paper, made a plan and told people about it, that I'd have to do it. Well, the time has come. I have to put up or shut up. I have the moving truck, I have the sedatives for the cats, and I've started the trash haul from the house. It's happening. Next stop Austin. I'm excited. The little things about what the place will look like, what will be different since it's my own place. I'm also scared out of my wits. There is so much to remember, I have lists of what lists to make to not forget to take or do anything. I don't have enough time each day to do what I need to do, and certainly not enough energy.
I have three days left at K & M. I'll miss a lot of it- the certainty and routine, the level of knowledge I've reached; that I'm the expert of my team. The paycheck. Not huge, but absolutely dependable. If I can get at least as good there, I'll be golden. There's a lot I won't miss. I won't name names here, but my neighbor to the North (yes, you, Crazy) won't take up any brain power once I walk out the door. I'm just starting to get tired of doing the same thing everyday, but I think that's more an indication of restlessness and the fact that I've been waiting so long.
I'll have a week to play with Mom, visit my favorite places and people here in the 'Lou, and finish packing up before the big roadtrip. The roller coaster of emotions has just begun, I know. One moment my heart skips a beat thinking about how real this is, and close. The next moment it leaps because of the things I can call home now. The fresh, lively downtown of my new hometown, just blocks from my doorstep. The Hills to the West; so rich with new, beautiful places to discover. The river, the shops, the neighborhoods. Not to mention the people. Active, like-minded people that really like the place they live.
My whole life has been 'for now'. Each step has been just that-something to keep me busy and moving on to the next. I'm ready to slow down, own my place in the world and live in the moment, not for the next one. Call it settling down, call it an adventure; I'm ready for it. As my latest fortune cookie said so well "Now is the time."