All things in this world are impermanent. They have the nature to rise and pass away. To be in harmony with this truth brings true happiness.

Buddhist chant

9 Days & Counting…and a Bit of Good News!

Well, I’ve been a whole series of ups and downs this past week, and the last 24 hours has been a lovely mixture of both.

Still, my time in Michigan is winding down, and I have been less and less looking forward to saying goodbye to anyone, while managing to become increasingly excited about the journey my life is about to take me on. At the risk of sounding a bit melodramatic, I’ve been repeatedly breaking my own heart lately over a certain life situation that won’t go away, no matter how much I think about it/ponder it/try to ignore it, whatever. And it seems that every time I’m a complete mess about it, sometime right afterwards, I see a bright flash of hope, and I’m in this place of peace about everything. Like something inside me is saying, Everything’s going to be all right. And it will be. I’m just not sure when. And that’s the current state of ignorant bliss I’m living in at the moment. 

But anyways. That has nothing to do with my good news. I found out this morning that I’ll have a job in Portland once I move! The week after I settle into my apartment, I’ll start work in one of my professor’s labs transcribing interviews for a large research project that they’re working on. It’s a part-time gig, and it pays good money, so I’m pretty thrilled about it! This also means I won’t be completely aimless, jobless, and money-less before school starts up in September. Yippee!

One last story for tonight: I’ve been horrible about doing any writing this summer (blogging aside, I’m also a creative writer—that’s what my other undergrad major was in). So after a particularly depressing 36 hours, I took my ass to the local Starbucks and plopped down with a good book (Eat, Pray, Love—55 pages in, and I’m already in love with it) and my notebook. I wrote a quick poem and a few paragraphs of creative non-fiction (something I fell in love with this past year), and then found myself writing affirmations. I had to write a page of affirmations each month for the past year and a half or so as part of the McNair program, but I’d stopped writing them as soon as they were no longer mandatory. Basically, they’re a few short sentences of things you’d really like to happen, but written in the past tense—as though they’ve already happened. It’s a way to visualize being successful, and—I’ve always liked to think—a way of sending out some good karma into the universe. I’ll end this entry by sharing a few of the ones I wrote tonight—though I’ll save a few others for myself. 🙂

I have moved into my new apartment and absolutely LOVE it! It’s cozy and my belongings have made it feel like home.

I’ve been able to stay in touch with my friends from back home, and they’re so happy for me—and I’m thrilled to be hearing from them.

My new job is actually something that makes me happy, and that I don’t find tedious at all. I’m so glad I’ve gotten a jump start on all of this, and some spending money! 

The most revolutionary act one can commit in this world is to be happy.

Hunter (Patch) Adams 

17 Days & Counting

While I don’t have a ton of new information to report, I thought it would be nice to take a few minutes to update you all on my move plans.

I’ll be officially heading out of Michigan just 17 days from now, and while I’m scared, I’m also incredibly excited. The initial plan was to rent a U-Haul trailer and tow it behind my father’s Explorer. After some further discussions, though, we decided to forgo the trailer and instead just pack everything I’m taking into the Explorer, and worry about buying a few essential furniture items (i.e., futon, desk, TV stand) when we get to Portland and have the truck unloaded. This will save about $500 right off the bat, plus another $200+ in gas, since we’ll be getting better mileage. 

Admittedly, I have not been doing such a great job with packing. It’s been difficult for me to get the motivation to pack my life away in boxes. Also, since most of my belongings are at my dad’s, and I’ve been staying with my mom, this requires trips back and forth between houses. (A poor excuse, since they’re really only 10 minutes away from one another.) Really, though, I need to get on it. Since packing in a sweltering attic is really the last way I want to spend my last few days at home. 

Well, here’s to hoping the next 17 days are the best of this entire summer…though they’re going to have to work pretty hard to top the days I’ve been having lately! 

Big News!

So, my apologies to all of my loyal readers (the three of you) for neglecting to post anything since I returned from my last visit to Portland. As you may have gathered from my giddy writing, I had an absolutely amazing time, and, thankfully, mercifully, do not find myself with any lingering doubts over whether or not I made the right decision about heading out to Portland.

In the weeks since returning, I found myself having to sift through my photos and information about the numerous apartments I looked at. I needed to make a top pick, so that I’d know where to call and apply to when the time came. I ended up choosing Bel Aire Apartments. It doesn’t have a ton of amenities, but it was a rather clean building with a nice-sized studio in a good part of town (right up the road from Powell’s Bookstore!) for a pretty decent price. So, this past Tuesday, I called up the apartment manager and asked if they had anything available at the beginning of August. I was in luck! They had a 360 sf studio open at the end of July for $555 a month, and a 410sf studio open on August 10th for $565 a month. I decided to go with the second option. 50 extra square feet for $10 extra bucks a month? I can wait an extra 10 days. That same night, I filled out an application. The next morning saw me off to the post office to express mail the paperwork (which only cost me $18—ugh). The very next day, I got a phone call from the background check place with a few simple questions. Friday rolls around, and I get a phone call from the apartment manager—I was approved! 🙂 I’ve got a small security deposit, and since the first month’s rent is free, it pretty much all balances out. 

I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty excited, but things are definitely settling in now. Before this, the move date was this abstract idea that loomed in the distance—something I didn’t have to worry about. Now, it’s all too real. I’ll be moving in exactly a month from today, and since we’re driving out there, we’ll be leaving on the 7th or 8th of August. So my time is slowly winding to a close here in sunny Michigan. I’ve had a few tearfests over the last 24 hours about it, but I need to keep reminding myself that this is an amazing new journey that’s about to take place in my life, and that I should be excited about it! (Of course, it’s normal to be nervous, but I know I’m making the right decision.) 

Side note: I went to Target today to make a list of all the things I might need in my apartment. So many things to get!