A little bit of an update

I find myself in a bit of a funny position because in many ways I don't feel like I've been up to a whole lot since I've arrived here in Gainesiville and started working. But then again, I've been doing so so very much!

Every day after work I find myself running errands to various hardware, home and grocery stores to pick up little things that will make life a little bit easier. (A spatula being the most recent necessary acquisition). Nearly every day after work I'm off running errands or picking things up until nearly 7pm before I come home to cook myself a nice meal (in my one skillet or single sauce pan). I will say that as far as the techniques of cooking, having few tools to work with sure makes one become creative (think cutting up a pineapple with a butter knife and pair of scissors).  I've started to do the actual sewing on the few fabric projects that I purchased materials for, and while the 1960's sewing machine that I bought for $20 on Craigslist is winning against me in my struggles to make it work, I've gotten a bit better at hand stitching and have already completed a curtain and finished a few small pillows.

Really, everything so far has been a fun challenge in seeing how I could make do without the tools I'm used to using to complete the projects and daily operations that I'm accustomed to doing. I still need to buy some hangers and a small dresser, but in the meantime have found the boxes that some of my belongings were shipped in to be excellent substitute drawers and sometimes tables. It's really a story of making due with what I have.

You may be curious why I haven't just gone and bought all of these basic 'necessities'. Well, for start, I'm trying to be a responsible budgeter. But on top of that, Gainesville stores just do not have the quality or diversity of things that I would choose to purchase for my home! It's fascinating to me the amount of effort it took me just to find a pair of sheets that I really wanted! Now, maybe I'm a little bit picky, but never before have I had such a hard time finding things I like. And to top both of these things off, I find that I still have a large aversion to owning 'stuff'. It's somewhat funny, but I'm still having a hard time unpacking the last of my things from the suitcases that I've lived out of for the past year. I'm now in a place where I can do some real-time getting-settled-in-one-place-for-a-while, but it freaks me out to think of a life so...stable! It may seem silly, but the last year that I spent living out of a backpack with few things really worked for me!

On another note, I've kept to beign myself and have been sure to have a few adventures since I've arrived here. My first weekend I drove from Gainesville to the Atlantic coast and drove down along the water with my coworker Miriam. Last weekend I traveled to the Florida Key, Marathon, to spend the long Easter weekend with my good San Diego friend Kat, and this weekend I adventured out to St. Augustine, the US's oldest city, to explore cobbled streets and visit old lighthouses.

Work is going well as I'm getting more used to the company and the ways that it works, I'm still learning and waiting to find where I fit into the whole organization, but I can only say good things about my coworkers, the company, and their reception of me so far. I'm a pretty lucky girl.

Soon I'll have some updates on my travels (the Florida Keys were Amazing!) and some more insider scoops on Gainesville (and the groups I'm getting involved with including the Power and Sail Squadron and Alachua County Emerging Leaders). Hopefully I'll be out on my road bike soon (it's arrived but I have to pump up the tires) and possibly I'll be visiting some 'long lost' family in Alabama in not too long!  Lots to look forward to!