I can’t stand to look at my face when I don’t know where you are.

You know, I’m not really sure how much I’m going to continue here. I started (damn, Tiff, the auto-correct on this Word is fast. And I like that your name is an autotype)
Sorry.
I started PoBaL when I moved to the last town and hadn’t been at the last job that long. I needed a way to vent. I needed a place to share all my random theories about pop culture, teen librarianing, etc.
And that’s not to say I won’t still need that, but I’m definitely in a different place now, mentally, physically, and professionally. So, you know, don’t be surprised if I’m not as verbose around these parts as I used to be. At least for a while, while I settle into things. I kind of suspected this would happen, actually. It was a big part of the thinking behind doing nablopomo (even if I didn’t finish). I figured, even if I was going out or slowing down, I might as well do it with a bang. Right?
Speaking of my physical place, damn! I got out of shape over the past two years. Everyone remember that this was really my first experience with car-commuting, and living in an environment where everyone drove. Compared to a lot of my other moves, this one wasn’t that bad, but it totally kicked my ass. Luckily, my neighbors here are much less shifty than they had been in the last town, and one was nice enough to help schlep boxes up 3 flights.
A little feminine wiles didn’t hurt, either. But I’ve been getting the impression more and more that this particular Wacky Neighbor* would have helped either way. And that’s the way I was raised: you see someone carrying heavy shit, you offer your services.
I walked around for an hour and a half (at least) today and it felt so nice. Even nicer was that I wasn’t the only person enjoying the late fall/early winter sunniness. And I bought the latest Rogue Wave album. It’s really good. And the hill I live on now isn’t as steep as it seems when you’re driving up it.** This is nice when you’re a girl like me, who grew up on the kind of hill you could pause at the bottom of, to look straight up and think, “damn, why didn’t I wait for the 67F?”

*Melissa has some theories about this particular neighbor that will probably be a part of a future blog post.
**Plus, there’s like an inch thick layer of salt on it—good to know that they overboard when it comes to iciness. Now I just have to convince everyone else on my street to turn their wheels the correct way when they park, so no one’s car comes drifting into mine. Which actually happened to my dad.