Dear everyone,

As you may be able to tell by the pathetic lack of new posts on this blog, and by the long periods of time between the existing posts, I have been really busy lately!

The new job is going well, though there is certainly a lot for me to learn here. I don't really need a lot of help with the music side of things, but there is much more to liturgy and planning than I have ever learned. So, I am learning a lot of things on the fly, and have been for a month. Between the learning new things, the tidal wave of new information that I'm trying to drink each day, and driving for an hour each day to get to and from work, I've just been overwhelmed with the abrupt, new changes in my life!

Things are going well. I'm doing all the things you normally do when you settle down in an area and get a new job: get some new clothes for work (I wore the same two pairs of pants and three or four tops daily for a year; it was time), looking at places to live, and doing something on the spectrum between planning and daydreaming about getting a car, trying to find a gym, etc.

I still haven't spent as much time with my friends as I would like, but that is a simply a function of geography and schedules. I will see people soon! There is something about getting out of college or a volunteer commitment and settling down for "real life," and you come to understand the disappointing reality check that is adulthood.

For instance, for the past several years, I lived in very close proximity to my close friends. Whenever my homework was done became "playtime," for lack of a better word. We worked hard and became stressed out about many things, certainly. But I also had comparatively few worries. My budget included rent, food, and utilities, which I shared with a house full of people.

But there were no thoughts in my head about car payments, car insurance, or leases that only I am responsible for. It never used to be difficult for me to find time to grocery shop because I spent four hours at day, at most, in class, then maybe three or four in the library.

But now that I devote 40 hours-plus per week to work, and so do most of my friends (not to mention that I work on Saturday and Sunday), I'm seeing how hard it is to maintain relationships the way I did in college and JVC. In fact, I don't even know if I can-- at least, not with as many people as Iused to be able to. It's kind of a hard pill to swallow. But I also look forward to spending time with my loved ones that much more, which makes lunch dates and visits that much more exciting and fun. I appreciate an evening with a buddy so much more now! (Although I'm a little scared that if/when I start dating, it'll be a lot harder to put in the time that that person and that relationship deserve.)

So, this is adulthood. Huh.