New New New New

Wow, things have changed a lot since my last post. I will try to catch everyone up quickly.

I flew up to Baltimore early on Friday 9/19 and, with all my stuff that I could manage to bring on the plane without paying an extra fee, took bus and train from Baltimore to Alexandria to stay with my friend J and her roommates. I couchsurfed her house and spent every waking moment looking on craigslist for apartments. I was too stressed out and crazed to go to parties and be social, which was frustrating because J and her roommates and friends are really cool. I got really homesick and scared the first night but I've been mostly ok since then.

I took the metro a lot to meet with my roommate, E, who was my childhood best friend from home. We went to school together for 14 years! Back together again! It's so amazing how things come full circle sometimes.

The first apartment we looked at we really liked. We let the landlord know that we wanted to sign the lease and he said he'd get back to us in a day about it. He didn't get back to us! So we sadly gave it up for lost and looked at another mediocre place... I thought I was doomed to couchdom for ever (this feeling occurred day 2 of couch time). But the next day the landlord emailed E and said we got it! We signed a lease on Tuesday and I moved in on Wednesday. I'm still on a couch, but at least it's my couch (the apartment even came with a really nice couch, matching chair, and coffee table!)

So I started my new job on Monday and it has been an adventure. I am a low level bureaucrat in a county government. I am a Commercial Recycling Inspector. I go around and inspect businesses and multi-family homes to make sure they are recycling the way that they are required to to comply with the county RECYCLING LAW. That's right, RECYCLING LAW!!!!!!!!! I am really happy, and EXTREMELY lucky that I got this job. Basically I will be teaching people about recycling all day. I won't be stuck in an office all the time! One main hilarious part is that I do have an office, a cubicle, in a short row of cubicles. It's so hideous! I'm going to spiff it up soon, though. So basically recycling <3 <3 <3 dreams can come true. I get to talk trash all the time with people who know more about recycling than I do!!!

Today I woke up early to go yard-sailing. The apartment doesn't have anything in it and E and I both are living out of suitcases only, so we don't have house crap, or a car to get it. I picked up some nice hangers, a pot, a hairdryer, hair straightener, picture hanging kit, peeler, etc at a church yard sale for $10 so that was very fruitful. E and I went to Target and got a lot of things we needed. I'm so used to doing that kind of thing at thrift stores but we really needed the stuff ASAP.

I just got back from going to check out a bed I found for sale on craigslist. It is AMAZING how expensive brand-new beds are, and yeah Ikea beds are cheap but they are crappy. The apartment I went to was a guy and his girlfriend, they had really nice stuff. I wish I weren't so broke (the security deposit and the rent really broke the bank and I don't get my first paycheck till next week!) But I am springing for this bed because it is really nice and almost brand new for a fraction of the new price. I got an iron, too. I haven't ironed a damn thing since I graduated from high school.

It's so weird having to wear work clothes, it's the same crap I had to wear in high school (we had a strict dress code) and I forgot how uncomfortable it is / the ironing part. yeesh.

So I am going to update the blog so it's not "recent college grad looking for work" to "happy college grad starting out new in WASHINGTON DC!!!!!!!!!!!" I'll keep you posted on the happenings of DC, there is always something insane, every day!

OH YEAH: NEW COMPUTER= FULL POSTING CAPABILITIES! I'll get on that!