Thoughts on the Journey

I'm currently sitting in Brooklyn after a day of travel to New York City and lots of reading in various cafes around Union Square. I'm up here because my life is rather strange, the University of Victoria invited me as an alumna to a lecture and reception at the UN tomorrow night. That means I get to see skygiants and arushindoll for a few days before heading back down to Delaware for my father's 75th birthday party. Then on Monday, I get to start volunteering at my local library and there's a job opening for a youth librarian at the library near where my brother lives in New Jersey. I feel like good things are coming my way and that its time to get to work creating the sort of life I want. That means focusing more on looking for jobs and cover letters and putting myself out there to be seen by the people I want to see me. Also just being in New York City always revitalizes me because it gives me a great sense of how diverse and wonderful the world is and how I can connect to it. I spent most of my afternoon sitting in a gorgeous cafe called Argo Tea reading the newest October Daye novel and feeling tired but content.

I love that Uncle Rob has hit upon where I am beautifully.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If you were about to run in a long-distance
race, you wouldn't eat a dozen doughnuts. Right? If you were planning to
leave your native land and spend a year living in Ethiopia, you wouldn't
immerse yourself in learning how to speak Chinese in the month before
you departed. Right? In that spirit, I hope you'll be smart about the
preparations you make in the coming weeks. This will be a time to prime
yourself for the adventures in self-expression that will bloom in late
September and the month of October. What is it you want to create at
that time? What would you like to show the world about yourself?

In that same spirit, I recently complete two fics for exchanges that I can't share yet but I'm proud of both of them. They were in fandoms I know but focusing on characters that I don't normally write about and I hope their recipients end up liking them.

Fic Friday last week was wonderful and I wrote a good deal.
( Twitter Fics )

I'm about to get on the road to start my drive to my in person interview in Massachusetts. Current work has cleared me for my days off Monday through Thursday, I'm packed with new pairs of pants and lots of options for interviews. I'm going to make some tea and be gone.

In terms of what that means online, I'll still be RPing, just not during the day and probably not at all on Tuesday which is when I'll arrive at the school. News will be shared on Twitter as I have it or here.

Just seen on misslucyjane's journal and one of my favorite students introduced me as the awesome librarian to his mother. Life is good.

What are you reading now? I'm reading My Life in France by Julia Child, which I keep raving about because I love it. Her nephew helped her to write it and her life story is amazing as well as her journey of figuring out who she is and what she sees as important. I love the joy she took in her life, her bravery in moving to different countries and making each new place home. Its also one of those books that's a great reminder that it takes time to find your way in life.

What did you just finish reading? Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly, it was on sale as an ebook and I read it in one big gulp on Sunday night, which was bad for my sleep schedule but a great book. The heart of the story is about a man who once killed a dragon and a kingdom who calls for him, but how nothing is as you expect. It plays with tropes about magic, love, power and has characters that feel real. Also two characters that wear spectacles in a medieval setting, I loved it. She's one of those authors that I always love reading but sometimes get intimidated by just how much she's written. If you enjoy Discworld and Garth Nix for acknowledgement of tropes, some humor and honesty, read this book.

What will you read next? Yesterday I got a package from amazon full of my next reads. Two romances from Courtney Milan's Turner brother's series as I read the last one first and wanted to own more of her books in print and A Fantasy Medley 2. I bought the third book purely for the Tybalt story in it.

Oh and guys, the sun is out and there's blue sky. I think I might end up having a pretty drive east and when I finish work, there's a message from muji waiting on my phone. We're going to find a way to meet up and there will be chances to connect with millimuns in NYC and I get to see an opera.

Life is feeling nice. I've got a plan for heading back to work. I'm going to do my best, they've given me goals, I'll reach them and keep on doing what I think the library needs as well.

Then at the end of March, I get a slightly longer break in which I hope to try and see people and get to visit NYC. My visit with dodger_sister was wonderful, lots of lazing about. I'm now someone that her cats know, which makes me incredibly happy. Then I came home to a package of goodies from ladyoflorien and my place, it feels nice to have another night to rest and prepare myself before going back to work.

I introduced her to Becoming Jane which prompted me to finally finish a fix-it fic for it as well as some EPs. I got to thread Tom and Jane with dynastessa again and it was painful and lovely. Now I just need someone to beta it for me. Anyone up for betaing a post-canon Becoming Jane fic, its only about 1700 words?

I've also been catching up on Boardwalk Empire and I love it. My free HBO thing ran out but while I had it, I happened to watch a good chunk on the third season. I'll be honest, the first reason I stayed watching was Charlie Cox being Irish and dangerous, then the story pulled me in. I'm in the midst of seeing the second season and need to get the music and possibly buy the DVDs. I could play Margaret Thompson as her journey is painful but she keeps finding a way.

This meme is floating around and I love the idea of it. Last seen at ashen_key:

Tell me about stories you think I should write. I mean, if you could sit me down for a day or whatever and say, "Ok, I want you to write this story for me," what would that story be?

I'm not actually promising to *write* any of these, mind you, but it's fun anyway. And who knows if I'll be inspired!

Yesterday was a good FicFriday with a theme of horses for the millirodeo.
( Horses on Twitter )

I'm using this icon because of Tumnus and snow not yuletide as it captures how I've felt this weekend, tucked at home as it snows outside. The snow will let up and then come back and sometimes be rain all this week, which has made it hard to find the energy to do much. The sun briefly came out on Friday, but other than that, its been cloudy. As I've also been fighting off feeling sick, I've slept a lot this weekend and realized I really needed it. I didn't work on Friday as I decided a day of rest would help me more than trying to push through the day. Going by just how much I've been sleeping, I think this was the right idea. I'm still a little tired today, but not as out of it as I felt last week.

Though on Friday, I did go out to a book club meeting from meetup.com that was wonderful. I think I've started to find my people in this area, even though I hadn't read the book, the conversation was wonderful. We talked about gaming, fantasy and all sorts of fascinating stuff. One of the people in group even knows one of my favorite teachers from Michigan. There was also an adorable and big black dog who decided he liked me and let me give him all sorts of scritches. I'm planning on using meetup to try and find a dance group as the combination of being social and active works well for me.

Since I stayed in yesterday due to the snow falling, I watched up to episode 10 of Capital Scandal and wow, all the feelings for that show. I love all of it, the depth of the characters, the beautiful setting and music and the humor that slips its way in.

Today I went out into the world and used the time to finish reading City of Dark Magic by Magnus Flyte, which is a book I wanted to like more than I did. Its a book that could easily be called a genre bender or crosser as it had fantasy, mystery and romance, sadly the balance wasn't always right in it. The two point of view characters were both a little too brilliant and the feel of the story would veer rather suddenly from alchemy and history to sex against statues. Its the kind of book that I would enjoy reading on a long plane or train ride where I could just sink into it and read it in one gulp, but reading it in stops and starts made me not enjoy it as much. As I would come out of it and be aware of how it didn't all fit together.

Life is going along steadily at work, I still feel like I'm out of some loops but I've got a chance to discuss my status report, which I hope will be helpful. Also I had an amazing connection with a new teacher that made me feel like I know what I'm doing. I know that I haven't spoken out as much as I need to and I'm going to work on that. They hired me because they think I can do this job and I am doing it and will keep improving. Also I have a chance to propose some classes for next year, which will get me more involved and be exciting. I finally have a Michigan license and this month paid off the last of my smaller loan from the University of Michigan, which is a great feeling. I have a break coming up in the third week of February, which I plan on going to Jackson and having some nice days of watching stuff. I also have a break in the first week of April and I'll be joining them for an opera in NYC on the fourth. If its possible, I would love to try and connect with anyone in New York for coffee or lunch or something. There's more flexibility in terms of going rather than leaving so Wednesday or Thursday. I miss you guys a lot and want to try and reconnect.

On Friday, FicFriday was interesting. I like this new way of giving prompts and then people have the option of deciding which character or world to write them for.
( Twitter fiction )

I don't think my holiday cards are going to happen this year. I'm really sorry about this but the combination of new job, moving, the difficult transition has meant that my year has felt pushed about and I haven't had the time. Most of my vacation has been talking, resting, which I really needed and the cards aren't happening.

Since I do love gifting everyone and doing something for all of you wonderful people. I'm opening myself up to write more gift fics as I'm still working on the other ones. A new prompt, something we've discussed that I haven't written, whatever you would like, I'm here to write for you.

Tomorrow I start the drive back to Michigan with many supplies, goodies and I think a new coffee table from my father before starting work on Monday. I think I'm ready to reenter and face new challenges and keep doing more.

This weekend, I'm off to visit family in New Jersey but then I'll be back for the New Year. This means that my current threads will get a little slower but probably not too much.

I don't have to return to Michigan until the weekend of the 5th and would love to connect with anyone who's in the Maryland area. I have my car and am happy to drive places.

Today was nice as I got a chance to wander around a lovely bookstore in Rehoboth and pick up some books that I've been wanting; The Brides of Rollrock Island, Snuff and City of Dark Magic. Then I was able to sit in a favorite cafe and just read Code Name Verity for a while, that book is amazing.

Signal boosting the wonderful ficathon that walksbyherself has started up "Aren't You Glad You Left Livejournal" Anniversary Fic Exchange/Festival/Creatathon. Go leave prompts, answer prompts, let's keep writing stuff.

This morning I picked up the huge pile of papers that I need to fill in and sign and tonight there's a party for new faculty. I'll do a little filling in tonight and then bring them with me tomorrow and work with the HR lady that I keep missing, it was her day off today and finish them. Today is being a day of decompressing and adjusting. Tomorrow morning orientation starts and next week there's no class but lots of meetings and orientations.

I have a room with a door I can shut, space in a nice place that's close to the school with a friendly dog and nice woman who's a former teacher and one of her daughters is a librarian. Its also a huge place, I'll have to take some pictures of it, the room I'm in clearly for one of her daughters but it feels kind of staged and not lived in. I had to shift a little TV to get a bedside table and there's no bedside lamp, which gives me the impression of a room not well lived in. I also think that she and her husband haven't lived in this place very long, its all a bit too clean. I'll take some pictures as its hard to explain but will be a good in between spot. The trick will be figuring out how to be social without too being too much as her husband works in another state during the week and her two daughters live elsewhere. She also has lots and lots of stories of the school, which are good but also kind of daunting. It also turns out that the new Lower School librarian is someone I went to SI with, she graduated in April, I in August and my favorite professor from SI is also close by. This makes me feel a lot better, because it means there won't be quite as many new meetings to do, and I have people that I can ask for help.

I'm in an area that reminds me so much of the suburbs around where I grew up though more like the ones on the Main Line, the slightly nicer ones. Swarthmore always tended towards the odder side of things, but just on my drive to the school, I've passed nice apartment places, there are great little downtowns. So I think I'm going to have to end up driving to school, but I'll be able to walk to one of these downtowns. That makes me so happy, I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to do as much walking because this part of the country was truly designed with cars in mind. Ann Arbor isn't too far away and it turns out that the directions I got to go back and forth from the school were unhelpful and there are easier ways.

My drive back here was rather exciting in some not always good ways. I hit a lot of traffic going through Maryland and parts of Delaware. The first part of the drive is on small highways, mainly single lane one way or the other through Delaware and Maryland. For some reason, there were just a lot of people who didn't want to go the speed limit. Thus I created a new driving curse, may you be pulled over for speeding as there are speed traps in some of the little towns along the way.

Then I got into such a driving groove that I almost forgot to eat lunch but was good and did get something. When I was on 70, not far from the Pennsylvania border, I drove into a storm, I could see it as the sky grew dark. It was a pretty awful one as this was in a really hilly area so there was fog, misty rain and cars. I was listening to the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, which was incredibly appropriate. I forget which bit I was in but as the storm lightened, the music went from dark and dramatic to lighter. Oh and there was road work everywhere, it felt like every single major highway had road work of some form or another on it.

Yesterday was long, not bad just long as it was mainly turnpike driving that just went on and on. When I hit Toledo, I went a different way as I was heading more to the East and discovered I like 280 and 75N, though I ended up in a thunderstorm and roadwork. The absolute worst bit of the drive was that 75 took me directly into Detroit during rush hour, 75 is one of those huge highways that goes in and around the city. I did end up getting where I needed to but it seemed a stupid way to get there as I could have just as easily gone around Detroit another way instead of straight through. By the time I reached the place, I'm staying, I was ready to fall over, my car is going to be properly unpacked tonight. I think this will be a good short term solution and that I'll have lots of good options for long term stuff.

Another bit of good news is that I'm finally happy with where my ineedmyfics' story is going. I got an idea for it as soon as I saw the prompt but haven't liked anything I've written. Well, last night as I was driving around I got a new angle and have a first paragraph that I like. It still needs a lot more, but I know that I can take lines from my earlier stuff and this will end up something good.

For now, I'm finding that Caribou Coffee does pretty tasty tea. I think my favorite part of what's coming up is getting to know the area and all the people connected to the school. It just gives me such a good vibe, this is going to work. I also need to figure out a good tag for the school.

The school in Michigan offered me the job this morning. I'll be getting the contract and various packets in the next few days and have to figure out how to get back there for new faculty orientation and moving.

I'm going to be a middle and upper school librarian and back to Michigan. I kind of feel like I'm going to bubble over with surprise and amazement at this point. It makes me giggle to realize that I haven't unpacked that much almost due to a superstitious fear about this job, that what if feeling. Most of my clothes are still in bags, most of my stuff is still in boxes or in storage, it won't be that hard to pack it all up again.

I don't mind moving and moving again, I knew coming to Lewes would be a transition stop, I'm just going back.

Also there's a lot of great stuff in Michigan and so many things that I haven't done yet and this school is going to be a good place for me to grow. The logistics of doing the move with finding a place and shifting stuff and addresses will be complicated but doable.

I'm currently in a motel in Ohio after having a day that feels like multiple days. This morning at 8 am the movers arrived and in about two hours shifted all the boxes and furniture away. What I want with me is in my and my parents car. By about 10:30, the movers were gone and it was time to return cable and rent stuff. Last lunch was at Zingerman's, where we picked up delicious deli stuff for dinner.

Between lunch and dinner were about two hundred miles including me missing the turnpike exit and having to backtrack. That was annoying but oddly not stressful as we left with time to spare and don't have a time we need to be back. Settling for the night was a bit annoying as we were all tired but I have my own room, though no Olympics and Dreamwidth won't load on my laptop. Once this post is up I'm for bed with a Christie book of short stories. I will tag when I can but don't count on much until I hit Delaware night after next. Twitter will have updates as my phone keeps me connected. Thank you for all the good thoughts and this move is full and good and feels like the right next step.