HiHo! HiHo! - off to work I go!

Public Transportation - 1

One of the many things that makes moving traumatic is the number of changes that must be made that are not always apparent. You know...the changes you can't really prepare for... the changes that you don't even realize will be necessary...like Public Transportation.

As I prepared to move my friends attempted to encourage me by mentioning the new city's wonderful public transportation system. They talked about how clean and bright it was and the informative and pleasant workers. I can report that: Yes the system is clean and bright. Yes most of the staff are informattive and pleasant. However there is a marked difference in riding public transportation as a tourist and riding as a resident.

What my friends failed to mention --or more likely did not know-- is that there is no eating or drinking anywhere on the system--not on the cars--not on the platform-- and there is a one hundred dollar fine if they catch you.

Seriously? This will not work for me. Let me mention that eating on the way to work is how I've consumed breakfast for the pass "cabillion" years. On the go. On the train. On the bus. NOW what?! I have to eat before I leave the house? I have to ride an hour on an empty stomach? This is not good. This is not acceptable. AND this is not included in the Chamber of Commerce's "come live here" brochure.

So if you have suggestions that don't include getting up an hour earlier I'm all ears. In the meantime, I'm using my ride time to figure ways to either make another change or skirt the system.

Dizzing Days in the District - how it began

Well as you can see I haven't posted in quite some time! Since December 30th as a matter of fact. I have missed getting my thoughts on paper! Truthfully though, over the last eight weeks I have been so jammed with activity and decisions that I still can't believe that it is March, much less almost SPRING!

I MOVED! I was offered a job which I accepted. I was notified on January 15 to begin on February 1st! Yes I know just two weeks!. I seriously tried to have the start date be March 1 but they basically said "no". So I tidied things at work ( which meant working hard and long for three days); then got really busy packing my house. That was indeed a monstrous task.

I left home on January 30th and drove straight into a snow storm. It took me four hours to make a 2hr and 15 min trip! I brought essentials but of course you always end up needing things that you didn't expect to need, so the first two weeks were fairly disconcerting.

The movers came on February 13th and delivered on Sunday so I had the holiday (President's Day) to unpack.

The first week on the job was "interesting". Lots of paper work, ID distribution, fingerprinting, desk assignments, meeting training supervisors. I will be in training for about 4 months. I have learned the metro at least for the two places that I have to get to from home.

The second weekend (Feb 7th to be exact) we were snowed in - seriously...snow, snow and more SNOW!The snow started around 10AM Friday and continued until late Saturday. I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a Friday and be snowed in!

I am still unpacking boxes. However, I can find the bed and my underwear so I think I'm making progress. ;-) Despite the challenges (which I will recount in another post) I am happy to be here. I get to see the boys everyday--even though on Sunday afternoons I still begin to gather my things and put them by the door to "leave"!