Day One: Done

The thing about New Things is, the first day is always hard. So much to know and feeling out of your element.

About halfway through the day, though, two familiar--and quite beautiful--heads popped up over the wall of one of those podlike things where you sit when you have a New Thing. I was so happy to see them, and the one other familiar person joined us for lunch. Thanks, friends. It went a looong way in making me feel more comfortable today.

The only hiccup? Losing my car in the ramp despite the fact that I texted myself my location before I left. Idiot. But I found it! And all is well.

And now I'm exhausted from the Change in Things. Just thought I'd update.

New Things

William and I have been abundantly lucky in the last couple of months. We have had so many New Things. New experiences, new environments, new opportunities (and I got a new car). There's a lot to be said there, but I have just been so out of it. And so much has been happening, I haven't had time to fully process it all.

I've read that quote about "The harder I work, the luckier I get." I have to wonder in our case if at least there is some truth to that. I see how hard we work each week and how much passion we have for our careers and making our lives together the best they can be. There's also timing, and being in the right place.

Lately it feels like both of us are in the right place. Just so many pieces are falling into place right now. It feels exhilarating.

One these New Things happens tomorrow for me. It's one of those things We Do Not Blog About, lest we get Dooced. But let's just say a 30% off coupon to Banana Republic was well-timed, because I'm having to upgrade the wardrobe a little bit. For tomorrow and for the foreseeable future.

It's kind of one of those one-in-a-lifetime New Things. I'm really psyched. Wish me luck.

Money, It's a Crime

Today I saw in the NY Times:

Women Are Now Equal as Victims of Poor Economy

Uncomfortable Answers to Questions on the Economy

Given a Shovel, Americans Dig Deeper Into Debt


Woes Afflicting Mortgage Giants Raise Loan Rates

Two Troubled Banks Each Post Billions in Losses

Losses Mount, and Airlines Plan Steeper Spending Cuts


Trying to Save by Increasing Doctors' Fees


The Culture of Debt


Now, I've been feeling these pinches, for sure. I've been essentially "underemployed" since March, now just drawing my first paycheck (and not a full one, yet). I have definitely noticed food prices going up, and I'm definitely spending twice as much on gas as I did when we first moved into our place. I have been one of the unemployed masses. At times in my life, I have made some stupid decisions on how to handle money. I'm sure I'm not alone here.

But this transition time has been especially hard. I get paid once a month now, and my first paycheck wasn't a full (or barely even half) a pay period. I had tapered off my freelance quite a bit since I was in Hawaii and then working on getting a full time gig. So I essentially have like...a week and a half's worth of money to last until August 15. It sucks. Hard. Worse than college, because now I have more worries, more responsibilities, and more expensive taste.

Times is tough. All over. I know I'm not alone. But being broke can be sort of isolating, if you can't spend money and your friends are going out.

So what I'm saying is . . . if you know me in real life and notice I am not around much in the next few weeks socially, I'm not avoiding anyone or being too cool (trust me, I'd rather go out!). I simply do not have the cash, and won't for a while. (and maybe even extendo-awhile since I need to get a new mattress before I break my back.)

If you want to join in on a cheap bottle of wine and some CD-playing, I'll be in my living room.

And while I'm at it, once I get used to a steady paycheck again, I'm trying to be more fiscally responsible, too, so I'm trying to figure out ways to cut back and save more. Kat on a budget. Boooooo.

turn the wheel

sorry for the absence. it's been a strange week.
william's grandma passed away this morning. she had been sick for a while, and it was her time. we heard last week that she was not going to be in this world for much longer, so last weekend we drove to brookings, the small town in south dakota where she's been living, to see her. she was mostly asleep. we talked to her about getting married, and william told her he loved her. it reminded me of when i visited my grandma for the last time, which still brings tears to my eyes, so of course i felt deeply sad, knowing what he was feeling in those moments. i didn't know his grandma at all, but i feel the pain of that loss nonetheless.
william's aunt, who is a wonderful lady with a beautiful smile, found out she has breast cancer. please think some happy, healthy thoughts for her as she embarks on her treatment. since william and i have met, and i met her, she has always been very welcoming and sweet to me, which meant a lot to me. i think very highly of her, and i'm thinking all kinds of anti-cancer thoughts. i know that she can beat it.
and hten there's that whole other new life that's come into our world, and it's very happy news! william's sister had her baby, and it is a boy, and he is darling and perfect in every way. i got to hold him the day he was born and the day after, and there is just something so incredibly special about brand new babies. i know i'm going to sound cheesy here, but it's so miraculous. that baby was just inside someone, and now they are here, and ready to learn and be loved and all this good stuff and it always gives you such hope for the future. he opened his eyes and looked around the room and it was like. . . no child had opened its eyes before or something. and oh, the yummy new baby smell. can't replicate that anywhere.
so that's been the last week (and most of that last weekend), and so there's been a lot going on here, so sorry for the absence. i'm still in a blocky area where the words just aren't coming the way they should, which is frustrating and hard, especially at a time like this, when writing can soothe me so much.
rise and fall, turn the wheel, all life is, is a circle. ("circle", big head todd and the monsters)