Friday, June 25, 2004
Deja Vu: End of Chapter II?
Three years ago I had a pretty steady life. I had been living in Colorado for almost ten years and had a group of loyal friends; a couple of fun hobbies; a nice house with a view and within walking distance of an amazing park, where Grace and I spent a great deal of time. At BIPC's subsiduary (LUPC), I managed the customer service department and, I think, was fairly well respected. I didn't have a boyfriend and I didn't care -- just as now, a lot of my social life revolved around exes.
I was set in that life.
One day, my boss asked if I'd be interested in transferring. Despite the fact that I couldn't have left Ohio fast enough when I was eighteen, it didn't take me longer than a day to accept. The 30% raise that came with it played too much of a factor.
It was miserable.
The first year was the worst. Every possible thing that could go wrong, did. At the end of what I call "The Dayton Experiment" I felt I would lose my sanity if I didn't do something. My one non-BIPC friend was a landlord in Cincy who had an apartment that suddenly became available. Nearly overnight, Grace and I moved an hour south.
Despite the commute and a reputation for conservatism, the decision to move turned out to be exactly the right one. Almost immediately I grew a social life and friends. I was a dating monster; I dated more than I had in years. And Cincy's reputation made no difference once I began meeting interesting people...
Luscious Desert: Chapter One
I had been living in Cincy for almost a year when I discovered the Wonderful World of Blogs. It coincided with the realization that I couldn't continue commuting to a job I hated. I had made the mistake, during the "experiment", of purchasing The Duplex -- an albatross, a money pit -- and I needed to move back and deal with it. I dreaded it. I had plenty of anger, confusion, fear and misery to blog about; the Blog World would know no writing more petty, vicious and bitter. (ha ha)
Luscious Desert: Chapter Two
And now here I am, six months back in Dayton and three years out from Colorado. The picture has not been so dark and no one is more amazed than me. I have a nice house with lots of shade trees and a front porch; a group of fun friends; some cool hobbies. BIPC is no less odd, but the project I now have brings me into contact with new people and promises to be a success. It will help the resume. Perhaps most surprising to me is that, when I've considered the growing likelihood of being single for the rest of my time, my mind has been total zen.
Uh oh!
Luscious Desert: Chapter Three?
(In which I hope I learned something these last three years.)
Off to Boston for a week! XOXO
I was set in that life.
One day, my boss asked if I'd be interested in transferring. Despite the fact that I couldn't have left Ohio fast enough when I was eighteen, it didn't take me longer than a day to accept. The 30% raise that came with it played too much of a factor.
It was miserable.
The first year was the worst. Every possible thing that could go wrong, did. At the end of what I call "The Dayton Experiment" I felt I would lose my sanity if I didn't do something. My one non-BIPC friend was a landlord in Cincy who had an apartment that suddenly became available. Nearly overnight, Grace and I moved an hour south.
Despite the commute and a reputation for conservatism, the decision to move turned out to be exactly the right one. Almost immediately I grew a social life and friends. I was a dating monster; I dated more than I had in years. And Cincy's reputation made no difference once I began meeting interesting people...
Luscious Desert: Chapter One
I had been living in Cincy for almost a year when I discovered the Wonderful World of Blogs. It coincided with the realization that I couldn't continue commuting to a job I hated. I had made the mistake, during the "experiment", of purchasing The Duplex -- an albatross, a money pit -- and I needed to move back and deal with it. I dreaded it. I had plenty of anger, confusion, fear and misery to blog about; the Blog World would know no writing more petty, vicious and bitter. (ha ha)
Luscious Desert: Chapter Two
And now here I am, six months back in Dayton and three years out from Colorado. The picture has not been so dark and no one is more amazed than me. I have a nice house with lots of shade trees and a front porch; a group of fun friends; some cool hobbies. BIPC is no less odd, but the project I now have brings me into contact with new people and promises to be a success. It will help the resume. Perhaps most surprising to me is that, when I've considered the growing likelihood of being single for the rest of my time, my mind has been total zen.
Uh oh!
Luscious Desert: Chapter Three?
(In which I hope I learned something these last three years.)
Off to Boston for a week! XOXO
Monday, June 21, 2004
Livin' Large
HugShyHermit lead-foots it around rusting Ohio in his Honda; windows down, sunroof back, wearing an Indians baseball cap and sunglasses from Everythings-A-Dollar. At the loudest setting the carfactory stereo allows (which is pretty loud), The Pixies gasp and scream. (Bossanova. Hands down, my favorite recent CD purchase.)- "You know, don't you, that The Pixies are from Dayton."
No!
The woman who told me this was the hostess of the swanky John Kerry fundraiser I attended a week or so ago. It was at her loft, an upper floor of an old factory, with floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows and a three-sided panorama. From its vantage, you could see that the Downtown nests at the joint of the Great Miami River in a shallow valley.
The woman collects modern art, and she had a troupe of life-sized cherubs in "distressed" paper-mache placed at random throughout the room. They gave the appearance of odd additional guests or giant chess pieces, wise and sensuous.
The booze flowed. Like a flash flood. There was a speech: This is the first year Democrats in Ohio have jumped to volunteer as strong as they have in opposition to the current administration! Latest polls showed Kerry ahead. Resounding cheers and wolf-whistles. More booze.
There was entertainment. Turns out I'd already met one of the entertainers, and I met the rest that night. There was a trip to the roof. A sudden downpour that caught everyone running for the elevator. Manic laughter and booze.
I woke up with phone numbers in my pockets. Jose. And "Skeeter." I don't know who they are. The hostess has sent me a new invitation. I hope you can join us for the 4th of July!
Yes... I believe I will...
