Whew!

It's now 7:30 pm and I haven't left the house all day after having had aspirations to go walk around the district when I finished the paper work I had to do for my upcoming job. It took so long but I now know that I have lived in 18 different places since graduating from high school, and have visited 14 countries in the last five years. I feel like I just completed a marathon. Hopefully my thoroughness of the questionnaire will expedite the process.

Good things are happening this weekend too with old friends coming into town, and I'm excited. Now, if only I was happy about the state of my room!

Thoughts

So as I walked around my area today I thought about a few things that I'm going to share.

1. I can't help but think of missionary tracting every time I see giant groups of apartment buildings. And then I can't help but envision the pattern I would take if I had to tract these buildings. It's incredibly dorky, but then I remind myself that the last time I lived in a big city I was on my mission and we'd get excited for huge neighborhoods of giant buildings. I also do it with cute neighborhoods like mine because it would break up the monotony of apartment tracting. The neighborhood would be perfect for early fall when you don't have sweat dripping down your back when standing.

2. I like going through the Pentagon station because I like seeing all the people in their different military uniforms. It's nice to be able to be patriotic and not feel looked down on or mocked for being "conservative" or "government loving" as I regularly felt among all the liberals in Eugene. For the record, I love our country and I find it ridiculous that if you express those sentiments in a more liberal state (like Oregon) it's seen as negative. So I love seeing them in their uniforms. See, look how cute Elvis looks in his.

3. While we're on the subject of our country, I love that I can go to the museums for free. So far I've gotten snidbits of the American History, National Gallery of Art, Natural History, American Art and Portrait Gallery museums. I got my job offer while I was in the American History museum and I want to head back there to finish the Americans at War exhibition I was in. I'm a sucker for history and sometimes it seems the more depressing it is the more I'm sucked in. I'm fascinated by WWII. But when in the museum the other day, everytime they had a testimonial of the good things an American did I found myself getting choked up. I though, gosh why am I so emotional? I suppose it's the heat. Right?

4. I love public transportation. I especially love the Metro. I love driving too, but it's just so nice to use public transportation and I feel like I'm doing something good for the environment. And a plus is that I get a lot of good people watching in and who doesn't like that?

5. And lastly, I found a shop that sells Kinder Buenos. If that isn't a gift from heaven I don't know what is. I resisted buying one today but I know where to find it in the future for a special treat. Hooray!

I have some more thoughts but I'll save them for later.

I wish I could take credit for these images but I found them all through google images.

Job update!

August 3, 3009 5:45 pm: Landed in Philadelphia. Had a voicemail from someone wanting to interview the next day. Called back, left a message.

August 4, 2009 8:08 am: Called and left another message saying I could meet with them at 11:00 if that still fit in their schedule.

August 4, 2009 10:57 am: Arrive for an interview.

August 4, 2009 2:00 pm: Receive phone call offering me the job (it's temporary for now)

August 4, 2009 2:13 pm: Receive phone call from HR scheduling me to come in the next day to fill out paperwork.

August 5, 2009 10:00 am: Meet with HR lady and fill out paperwork.

August 5, 2009 5:24 pm: Receive offer letter.

Although the job is temporary, within 48 hours of landing on the East Coast, I have a job. If I had known that would happen I wouldn't have stressed so much! I start next week, dependent on my security clearance going through.

Day 2

And I missed the bus.

I made it!

I'm in DC and unpacked my things. (That, is what my room looks like now.) It's incredibly hot. My hair was luckily cute for my interview this morning but by the time I got to a bathroom in the National Gallery of Art this afternoon I saw that I had ridiculous curly frizzies all over my head. Not too cute, but today was a good day. I had a job interview and went to a few exhibits in two of my favorite museums. And it was fabulous. I'll share more tomorrow!

Airport

I'm in the airport in Portland moving out right now getting ready to catch my flight to Phily and then to DC. It's a weird feeling. I kind of feel like I'm going on a mission again kind of, except I get to come home at Christmas and I can call home and friends everyday. It's a weird feeling. Kind of a feeling of excitement, anticipation, nervousness and just fear all rolled into one. I hope my excitement is greater than my fear, but I think I'm still too stressed about my packing to actually compartmentalize my emotions. And, why should I still be stressed about packing?? I have no idea. I'm weird. Anyway, I just thought I'd tell you.

I'm moving tomorrow

And I'm stressed.

I'm stressed because I have too much stuff to fit in my suitcases.
I'm stressed because one of the suitcases isn't full and already weighs in at 47.6 lbs.
I'm stressed because I have to finish a book. Today.
I'm stressed because it's my last day at home and I want to enjoy it and instead I'll be packing.
I'm stressed because I don't know what clothes to leave behind. What if I neeeed them??
I'm stressed because real life starts the day after tomorrow.

And I'm sad.

I'm sad because I'm missing the rest of the summer in Eugene and it's finally really nice.
I'm sad because my pups doesn't understand I'm leaving and I just want to cuddle her.
I'm sad because I won't get to go on runs with my mom and pups anymore.
I'm sad because I'm missing the wedding my mom is helping plan.
I'm sad because I'm growing up.
I'm sad because I'm going to be far away from the things I'm used to.

And I'm excited.

I'm excited because I will be on my own again, doing what I want and when I want.
I'm excited because I don't know what awaits me.
I'm excited because I'll get to go to awesome museums.
I'm excited because I'll have a real job (hopefully sooner than later).
I'm excited because I'll have friends again.
I'm excited because I'm growing up.

Pray for me. All these emotions are likely to cause a great amount of tears today. All my emotions come out in tears--anger, stress, happiness, sadness, excitement. I already cried while leaving a friend a phone message and while reading a blog post about someone getting their mission call. I have the propensity to be a basketcase and that will likely be the outcome of the day, and tomorrow morning and most likely other times throughout the week. But that's life, there's always change, and always more to come. Life is still good.