So There. Blppthpthhp.

Well, Michael, I like THIS one.

Rain, rain, stay off my toes...

I have noticed that walking to work, while a dream come true, can be overrated when the clouds fill to bursting and the wind plays tricks with your umbrella-or should I say parachute/rain-catching bowl-type apparatus. That inspired my latest attire purchase--wellies. I looked online and found Target had the best prices by half, and a bevy of color and pattern choices, so I headed out to the store. Apparently, I did so just after hundreds of like-minded Austinites. I found two pairs. Total. Luckily, one was my size, and polka-dots seem fitting.

Sprout

Although the relief isn't quite as noticeable here, where the harshest temperature I saw was 32 degrees at dawn warming to at least 40, it's still nice to see little sprouts popping up, and the pale, barely opaque baby leaves uncurling yet again on huge old gnarly trees. The birds have been chirping all along, but they seem more harmonious, less dutiful and more celebratory, somehow. I'm pretty glad that I started familiarizing myself with this new place when there was less foliage, so now I can feel my way around and recognize areas, rather than searching for street signs and peering through shrubbery for markings.  Could look a little suspicious, no?

Star struck?

'K, this is weird. I just went for a run and ended up downtown, a few blocks west on 6th street from where all the bars and shows are (fellow runners will know all about avoiding those areas on Saturday mornings), and passed a guy on the sidewalk going the other direction. I just glanced up, I was trying to lose myself in a Muse song instead of thinking about how dead my legs were from my ride last night, but for some reason I really noticed a lot about this guy. He was really tall and thin, and he was in a plain but nice black suit with a colorful (salmon, I think?) collared shirt underneath, with a black, 80's rocker mullet haircut and carrying a bottle of beer or something in a paper bag. The last bit makes it sound like he was a homeless guy, or a business man out with the boys too late, but you'd have to see him to believe what I'm about to write.
I swear it was the lead singer of The Cars.

Ahhhhhh....

I just got back from the best bike ride of my life. The day was beautiful-hot, about 94 degrees, but not humid. I wanted to get out and enjoy it, so after dinner I saddled up my Trek and headed north. I'm still finding new spots here, and I'd driven past a neat area on my way home last weekend that was too far to walk but too close to justify driving-this was my goal. I trucked up Guadalupe, past the UT campus and the buzz of South-by-Southwest, past my laundromat and a quaint, authentic-looking neighborhood pizza joint I'll have to try, and past a sports complex with stadium lights glowing in the twilight. The area I noticed was a cute, modern condo neighborhood with all sorts of new retail outlets and restaurants each with a unique, mouth-watering smell wafting out. The temperature was perfect for the diners on the patios, and the breeze carried the sounds of laughter, silverware tinkling and dogs barking as I rode slowly around in the brick-paved streets. I took the long way back, down Lamar, and finally visually confirmed where our Central Market store is, in another tempting shopping area, a few famous Austin restaurants including the first Taco Shack, and into the part of Lamar with no stoplights,and a wide, smooth bike-friendly sidewalk with a stream alongside. It was dark by then, and as I rode I passed through a depression so cool I got goosebumps. I looked up and saw Orion shining above me and was overwhelmed with peace and contentment. I realized that for the first time in my life I am EXACTLY where I'm supposed to be. I worked hard to get here and now I know it was worth every tear, and every sacrifice. I know it all sounds cheesy but I just wanted to shout "I'm HOME"! I rode back to my cute little house to my happy cats for a weekend away from a great job to await the arrival of my best friend and relax, knowing this is it. I could get hit by a bus tomorrow, but to have felt so un-restless for one moment seems enough.

Working Girl...Finally

So, I started my new job today. The building is the pale pink high-rise with dark red horizontal stripes where the different patios are, to the left of the dark one with the triangle-shaped top. I'm on the 19th floor. I liked my old job, and I knew it would be a good jumping-off point, but I already think I'll like this one better. The atmosphere in this office is totally different than K&M, for one thing. My first day at K&M people rarely even looked up, I felt like I was intruding, and there was no set training. At F&J, though, they had a training room and I had a one-on-one session with one of the women from IT on the basic computer software I would be using and a once-over on their document storage and intranet systems. Then they took me out for a fancy lunch to say welcome and get to know me! At K&M I probably sat in the lunch room by myself with my microwave meal. I met Christina, our admin, Becky, who is a double-checker of mine and my co-workers docketing and other functions, and our manager Deborah. There was only one person in the office that didn't go out of their way to say hi and welcome and converse a little bit. I don't know yet if she's the office grump or she is just REALLY busy (like so busy she doesn't have time to smile). We'll see.
My cubicle at the moment is awful. That's the downside of the whole thing so far. Me and the other newbies are in a room with counters divided into desks that seem very temporary, but I've been told already that when I graduate through the training program in 3-6 months I'll move up to one of the fancy cubicles with a great view, or one just across the aisle from one with a great view, anyway. You can see part of the southern edge of downtown and bits of Town Lake poking through the buildings.
After work I walked home in beautiful Austin weather, about 70 degrees and sunny, with cavorting birds and jealous driving commuters everywhere. So everyday I'll have a nice 20 minute period to rev up for the day, my walk is only about a mile, and every night 20 minutes to wind down and get ready to relax. Everything's going swimmingly so far. I'm kind of waiting for the bottom to drop out.

Just call me Tex

Well, it's official. After almost two months here I'm finally starting to feel less like a visitor and more like a resident. Up to now I've had a lousy-paying job looking for employment. I don't recommend it to the light-hearted. It's a more-than-full-time intensive position with strict deadlines, huge responsibility, very little feedback and much disappointment. In that time, though, I have taken advantage of the flexible schedule to get out and see my new town. I know my way around the major thoroughfares, found the shopping, laundry, etc., and have running and biking trails sussed out for best times and distances. I've gotten out to a couple of local events, namely the Bill Clinton and the Obama rallies. At the Clinton rally I saw two other celebrities up close-Sean Astin of Encino Man, Lord of the Rings and Meerkat Manor acclaim, and Tom Brokaw. I actually walked about three feet from the latter and glanced up, realized who it was and kept walking as if I didn't notice (but my stomach did a little flip).
The highlight, though, was my interviews for a Patent and Trademark Administrator position with a big law firm downtown. I had an initial interview with the recruiting office for the firm, where I was given spelling, proofreading and software tests (I aced the spelling test, I guess that's rare). I had a meeting with the recruiter and was sent on to the HR manager for the firm. I was nervous and did all the homework I could stand on the firm, and wrote out scripts for the interview and practiced with help from mom. I walked to the interview relatively calm (repeat stomach flips), and rode the elevator up the 23rd floor having no idea what awaited me as the doors slid open. The lobby was small but inviting, and the receptionist was dear. She made me feel comfortable with easy conversation. After filling out an application and a short wait I was greeted by the HR manager, Joan. I was afraid of facing a firing squad with a gruff, suspicious captain, but Joan was friendly, accommodating and even joked with me. The interview started with the usual get-to-know-you questions and she quickly seemed to change course into selling the position and the firm to me. She called the department manager and we talked more about my specific duties with my last job, and the expectations of the position I was interviewing for. I walked out with Joan assuring me that it seemed that I would fit in the position well, and that she would call the recruiter that afternoon to let her know what she thought. I was ecstatic as I left, running through the possibilities that I could be working in such a big, beautiful building right downtown, a mile from my apartment (I can see it from my walkway). Of course I spent the rest of the day waiting for the recruiter to call me and tell me that it was lies-they hated me and the next person that interviewed was much better. But she didn't. I got it. I really live here and I can even afford to eat and clothe myself!