Howdy folks! It's been approximately forever and a half since I last posted something here, although I do have a few drafts written, or rather half-written. But so much has changed in my life recently I thought I'd give y'all all an update!
First. So I was in Philadelphia for about 2.5 years, which is about as I had planned. Although, once I met Brendan I realized I was absolutely open to staying there for much much longer because it is his home. However, one of my favorite verses can be phrased as "man may make many plans, but the will of God prevails." In other words, "to make God laugh, tell him your plans." And He went and knocked things around from my mental plan, but all to the better, after months of uncertainty and discomfort. Change is hard, man.
So as I said, I had planned to be in Philadelphia and my first job about 3 years, definitely no more than about 4, so somewhere along the way I kept tabs on various job openings and applied as I saw fit. In December and January my need to apply more vigorously increased, not by my choice but in good timing, and I began an exhausting but exhilarating round of traveling, interviewing, getting my suit dry cleaned, and trying to be impressive.
To add to the job search parameters, I also wanted to look for a terrific position, in what I want to do, in a good location, with a good salary, with an excellent team, oh and also somewhere that Brendan could find a job. There are not very many places in the country where there are both excellent voice centers and jobs for chemical engineers who work in the pharmaceutical industry. But North Carolina is one!
So after many months of deliberation, difficulty, and decisions, it appeared that the Research Triangle would be the best location for both of us. Brendan could transfer within his current company, and there are a zillion other opportunities for him. I would be working at my dream job, the goal I had set for myself since I was about 17-18 years old, and beyond that there are several opportunities for me here. It's a tad bit closer to my home in Texas, and overall not too far from his home in Pennsylvania. The weather is good, the people are nice, and the cost of living is much better.
Finally, after packing for about 4-6 weeks, moving day came along, starting early in the morning with picking up the GIANT 26' truck (really only needed 20' or so, but guess what, they don't make that size! Penske doesn't, at least) and maneuvering it into and down the streets of Center City Philadelphia. Brendan earned a ton of man cards that day, including backing the truck up into a driveway, into a narrow street, and doing a three-point turn in the middle of the road. Impressive! Movers came and efficiently loaded up alllllll my stuff (of which I have too much) and we got on the road!
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| Bye house! Bye Philadelphia! |
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| Everyone grab your driving buddy! |
I had made an amazing playlist and we sang and listened and talked as we drove through the Delaware and Maryland countryside. Brendan had his first experience at Cracker Barrel, which is almost a requirement on road trips, and then promptly fell asleep after I took over driving. Which allowed me to sing as loudly as I wanted and cruise down the empty highway, wide awake and having a great time!
Not surprisingly, driving a giant truck and stopping for dinner and gas and a driver change takes longer than google maps estimates, so we finally got to Raleigh pretty late, like 1 am. But all's well that ends well, because I got access to the new place on Monday morning and moved right in! (With the help of movers who were much less efficient. Sigh.)
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| soooo tired |
Brendan left to go back to work, driving the truck himself the whole way back to PA. My mom flew into town and we set off to BUY A CAR!!!! Y'all know that I sold my beloved Jeep when I moved to Philly, and I missed it so much. The flexibility and ease and convenience of driving wherever I wanted was gone in the city, but now, in the suburbs with a commute, a car was a necessity. It took a couple of days to end up with the right car, but I found Rory and we have been traveling happily along together ever since! It's so nice. So nice.
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| Official! |
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| My car!!! |
I had a whole week or so to unpack and organize and clear out stuff, with the TREMENDOUS help of my mom, without whom I would still be organizing my closet I bet. By the end of the week, after a lot of sweaty, dirty, tiring work, I finally got 99% of everything organized and decorated. It feels like home!!
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| Helping me put on a slipcover |
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| Let me in! Let me in! |
Work started this past week, initially with orientation and then with working with my team and learning the lay of the land. I am working in two different locations, one at the main Duke hospital in Durham and the other at the Duke Raleigh hospital, so I am having to learn two routines and two commutes and just a lot of stuff that is filling my head, but I am very appreciative of my colleagues and supervisors for supporting the transition and creating a structure that we can all work in to get me seeing patients as soon as possible! Each day I am getting more and more comfortable and familiar, and really really enjoying it and knowing for certain that I made the right choice.
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| Got my ID, ready to go! |
Some things are a challenge, however. Like....parking. The first few days I was parking in the nearby visitors lot as I didn't have a parking lot pass/access yet, but toward the end of this week I started parking in my remote lot. It's very remote. Timbuktu is closer, maybe. I had a freak out moment this afternoon as I left the office to go to an off-site training and discovered that the bus which goes to my lot stops running from 10 am to 3 pm!! I had to leave at 12! But we are in North Carolina now and the friendly bus drivers of another route helped me out. Phew! I was late to my training by a few minutes because the bus route takes so long, but I did it, and now I have my updated basic life support skillz too.
I really feel like I am settling very well here. It feels familiar, as I have been to Durham quite a lot and Raleigh several times, so I recognize landmarks and roads and such. In fact, my parking lot is in a very familiar part of Durham off Hillsboro Road - I was like, "hey! I've eaten at that Chick fil A before!" and I am quickly learning the layout of both hospital clinics. Don't ask me where the cafeteria or bathrooms are though... Cary, where I live, is essentially equidistant from each location, and while there is a commute, it's going against traffic both ways to both locations, and I discovered that the toll road can really make a difference in my commute times. Cary feels comfortable and homey and very nice and clean and new and safe and essentially the opposite of Philadelphia, which I don't mind at all!
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| Ate at Cook Out, the official local burger joint of North Carolina |
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| Found my favorite Reading birch beer here! If y'all haven't had it, it's like Dr Pepper and Root Beer mixed and it's terrific. |
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| Found an amazing park by a lake |
Brendan gets here soon and I CANNOT WAIT!!! I am excited for both of us as we forge ahead into this new adventure and new stage of life.
Good news, the cat is settling in juuuuuust fine too.
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