Week one been done

I made it! I made it through my first week on the east coast, my first real week in my new position, my first week living with my parents, my first week working from home. WHEW. It can only get easier from here right? I have no doubt that leaving Seattle was the right choice. No doubt it is good to have no doubt. The east coast heat feels good and the humidity is actually welcome! My first thunderstorm rolled through earlier this week, storming and pouring for more than two hours. It was amazing! This morning, my long awaited first Saturday, is rainy, quiet, and cool. Ah, perfect.

Here are some of the sights my iPhone camera captured from my first week. Keep in mind I didn't leave the house much...

This is not a very good picture but it is of something very good. When you haven't had your Mama's homemade cookies in a long time you may feel inclined to take a picture of one. You may also be inclined to eat several hundred in your first week back home. Good thing I got that treadmill set up already.

Mom made this salad for her lunch one day and it was so stinkin' pretty I declared it blog worthy before she was even done.

Setting up my temporary home office with Dad went very smoothly and here is the result. It actually feels like my office, like a work space. Many interviews will go well here and many will go bad, very, very bad.

I am a dork who takes pictures of storms. You can't see the rain so much; it is basically a picture of the back yard.

Ah, but in this one you can actually see the rain! My love of coffee, wine, and rain traveled across the country with me. They are welcome companions.

Survival of the stuffiest

I am happy to announce the safe arrival of my stuff. It all arrived safely stuffed into its stuffy container, and as far as I can tell everything survived in one piece. There is some dust and dirt that got in but it's fun to think about its origin. Is that piece of dust from the highway in Wyoming? Is it from a transfer station in Nebraska? Ok, you know what, who cares? It's not that much fun to think about where the dust came from. However, it is fun that my stuff is here with me now, cluttering up my parent's basement. I neglected to take a picture when the Relo Cube was first filled but here is a shot of just how packed it was. Filling it up and emptying it wasn't much fun but look how much fun we had AFTER the cube was empty!

Unfamiliar familiarity

Same job, same parents, yet life is feeling unfamiliar. Half of my job is new and working at home is really new. Working at home in my parent's house, where I haven't lived in 13 years, is really new and then some. I'm trying to do my new job but I don't know what the processes are, I don't have access to the drives I need, and I don't know who anybody is. Here is what today was like.

You've got mail: "Eme Ashe, let's meet to talk about what is going on with my open positions." Um..."What position and who are you?" All day long.

After staring at my inbox for a few hours, then staring out the window, I went upstairs to make lunch. I found the food pretty well but I couldn't find the plates, the silverware, or the cups. Hundreds of doors and drawers were opened until I was fully equiped to assemble my lunch. It hit me that while I've known my parents my whole life, (ponder that for just a second,) there is still much left unfamiliar. The same goes for my job. I know my recruiting system, I know how to login, how to contact my co-workers, where to get most of my questions answered. Yet, there is so much I don't know it is a bit overwhelming, for today at least. Ok, for this week at least and probably next week too. Soon I will remember where the forks are kept and I will know every name that dare enter my inbox.

AND I WILL GET USED TO SEEING THIS TYPE OF THING STARING AT ME!

The End

I've arrived. I made it to Blacksburg unscathed, ate a turkey burger with the parents, and promptly fell asleep at 8:30. Wow, that was a long drive. 3,000 miles = long.

Where did I leave off? Ah yes, Dallas. Saturday morning I drove from Dallas to Nashville...and then I kept going. I reached Nashville by about 6:00 and I still had a few hours left in me. As I approached Knoxville I got cocky. She. Could. Go. All. The. Way. Then I got tired. Blacksburg was another 4+ hours and it was approaching 9:30. Choosing the responsible path, I pulled off the interstate near a cluster of hotels. It was 9:30 and there were people everywhere. I started having flashbacks to my Grand Junction experience. After a few attempts at finding food and shelter, I headed back on the road to find a less popular spot.

And then I got inspired. Asheville was only 100 miles away. Surely I had another hour and a half in me! E had encouraged me to "power through" to Asheville. Haven't seen him in 5 years, I'm sure I can spontaneously just stop by at 11:30 at night. No prob. Seriously, it was no problem! I went to Asheville, arrived at 11:30, shared a bottle of wine with E, caught up on 5 years, went to bed at 3am, and toured the city the next day. It was the perfect almost-end to my trip. Eme Ashe was in Asheville and she can't wait to go back. Here are some fun, fantastic photos from my brief tour.
The door to the city. It is, I swear.
Pretty. (It does look kind of computer generated Sweats!)

I know a LNPO or two that would like this!
An activity for the niece and nephew perhaps?
Wow. So much to say about this one...
Right, Asheville is in the south. I forgot.

Dallas is done

Done being 100 degrees I hope. Storms rolled through the area tonight, none passing directly over me unfortunately. The temperature plummeted finally, the sky grew dark, and lightening flashed in the distance. Tonight I ordered room service, sat in my 19th floor hotel room, and watched the dark sky. I didn't get to see hail, rain, or wind. Just darkness engulf the bright sky several miles away.

Is that my future? Dark and stormy, I'm just not there yet? Or is that my past and I'm just watching from afar? Maybe a little of both. I am going to have to work really hard. I don't mind hard work; I just think my new role is going to have such large quanities of work that it is going to be all encompassing and not much fun. I guess I'll take it one step at a time. This week has been overwhelming but I have been successful at turning off my brain at night. I know there is so much I don't know, so much I have to learn and try to remember, it's not worth stressing over it. It's not worth spending my few free hours at night trying to catch up on work that will only stress me out. It's called work/life balance and I don't care if no one else does it. I'm going to.

Tonight I am staying in Dallas. My room is paid for, my bed is comfy, the traffic is bad, and it's stormy outside. I'm going to bed early, rising early, and driving. Again. Tomorrow's destination: Nashville. Sunday: Blacksburg. Hurrah.

Dallas Schmallas

I'm looking forward to the day when I can relax and really "write" a post. These days I feel like I am throwing up all over the blog. What comes out are just a bunch of chunks of my life. Gross.

Training started today and I'm officially overwhelmed. Already. I don't want to rant too much on here but I do have concerns that melting two sets of processes together is going to prove complicated, perhaps more complicated than originally thought. My current processes probably let me off the hook too much, giving my hiring managers too much control over the hiring process. The processes I was, sort of, trained on today do the opposite. Really, I'm supposed to schedule your interviews for you? For you and three other people? What am I, your secretary? I don't think so. They better get that Recruiting Coordinator hired fast because this is not what I signed up for.

On a positive note, my old apartment rented for August! Yay! That means I will get some money back. Though, a lot of my security deposit might not be returned - apparently I didn't clean well enough. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. I ran out of time to scrub under the bathroom sink. And no, cleaning the pigeon crap off the corner of my balcony was not a priority. Sorry! I tried. Did you look at the freezer??

Three more days of training, two more days of driving, a week of getting settled, a year of recruiting, and then...we'll see where I end up. I promise this blog will be filled with pretty, thoughtful, meaningful words strung together creatively one day. Just not today.

Day #4: Amarillo to Dallas

Monday: Amarillo, TX to Dallas, TX

It doesn't sound like I went very far today since I stayed in the same state but Texas is big! Actually, I intentionally planned my trip so I would drive a short day today to rest up for my week of training. The drive from Amarillo to Dallas took about 6 hours and quite frankly, wasn't very exciting. I missed the Rocky mountains and I just wanted to get through this part of my journey. Thankfully, I made it to Dallas with no problems and am happily settled into my room with a view.
This is the view of Dallas while driving into the city. I quickly realized I needed two hands on the wheel and maybe a few prayers. The jury is out on these Dallas drivers but they give east coast drivers a run for their money! On the sign advertising the rest stop, there was a smaller sign that said, "Tornado Shelter." I didn't even need to stop but I had to see the tornado shelter! And here it is! Thank goodness I didn't have to use it! Weather has been great the whole trip so far. Whew! This is what I first saw when I pulled into the rest stop in the middle of Texas. Yikes!

Day #3: Grand Junction to Amarillo

Sunday: Grand Junction, CO to Amarillo, TX

Ya'll, I'm in Texas! I have always wanted to come to Texas; I am so excited! I've been through the Dallas airport a few times but that does not count. There is just something about Texas. So much pride in Texas, so many songs about Texas. I hope I convince myself to explore the city of Dallas this week, but I can see myself working a lot and just retiring to my hotel room for the night. We'll see, I guess it's up to me!

The day started in Grand Junction at my hotel that was really about 5 miles west of downtown. It turned out the entrance to the road I needed (Rt. 50) was a quarter mile from my hotel. Perfect! Rt. 50 from Grand Junction through Delta, Gunnison, and the Rocky mountains was amazing. I highly recommend this drive. Here are a few pictures. I actually stopped to take pictures, which is a pretty big deal for me. I will say that Rt. 50 could use a few more guardrails. 10,000 feet without guardrails can be a bit unnerving. The drive was perfect except for one ill-timed pass of an RV that had the oncoming pickup truck saying his final prayers. He flashed his lights at me and dramatically started driving on the shoulder. He was overreacting; I had everything under control. Though, I did learn to be a little more careful and take into account that oncoming traffic is also going 70 mph, which means you reach each other very quickly. Not a game of chicken I want to play.




I have to say, I am rather proud of my ability to photograph and drive. Most of these pictures were taken through my windshield, a window, or with the camera hanging out the window while I watched the road. When taking a front picture while driving, I found myself watching the road through the camera. This was both rather cool and slightly terrifying.



Is it just me or was this cloud smiling at me? I had to take his picture!
I picked up I-25 in Pueblo, CO and headed south to New Mexico. My first time! One more state checked off my list. I stayed in the north east corner of the state so I don't think I got the true New Mexico experience but that is ok with me. Rt. 87 took me into Texas, again, my first time, turned into 287 at Dumas and there I shall remain. Rt. 287 will take me straight into Dallas tomorrow in about 6 hours. Woo-whee! For tonight, I am at a great hotel in Amarillo. Again, more expensive than I expected but I suppose maybe times have changed? Also, I don't want to hang out at the Motel 6 for $35.99. Tonight I have a handicapped room, because that is what was left, on the top floor, with a king bed. The room is spacious with 12 foot ceilings. I may or may not have spilled salad dressing on my comforter already. Hey, at least I was eating salad! Here are some pictures I took on my way into town.



Good night!

Day #2: Boise to Grand Junction

Saturday: Boise, ID to Grand Junction, CO

Today was my second full day on the road. Second of 6. I am thankful I have a week in Dallas in between Day #4 and Days #5 & #6. I started out in Boise after about 7 hours of sleep. Not the 8 or 9 I could have used but combined with my adrenaline and determination, it sufficed for the day. I am proud to say I had an on-time departure and on-time arrival. I am not proud to say that I ate Wendy's twice in one day! At least it wasn't McDonald's right?

Why twice? Well, the first time was in Utah during my lunch stop. I choose Wendy's for lunch because it is good and healthy (Ultimate Chicken Grill and water to drink.) For dinner I chose Wendy's again because I was hungry, it was late, and the pickin's were slim. Dinner was not as healthy but I suppose it could have been worse. Tomorrow I promise to try something different.

Why were the pickin's slim? Well, Grand Junction didn't exactly work out as planned. Apparently the last weekend in July it is a very popular spot for weddings, swim meets, family reunions, you name it. No rooms. NO ROOMS. I eventually found one at the Comfort Inn for $150 bucks. I politely declined and saved my scoff until I was back in the car. Thank goodness for iPhone. iPhone saved the day! It found me a hotel just a few miles away for less, with free Wifi, and a complimentary hot breakfast! It was more than I wanted to pay but at least I got a room and it is really nice! Flat screen TV, microwave, refrigerator, nice courtyard. Oh, and all of those families and kids littering the lobbies and streets of Grand Junction? Well, they are being loud in Grand Junction right now and I'm a few miles away. Ahh. Plus, a thunderstorm rolled through just as I settled in. Perfect!

I've been tweeting away with updates and pictures. Here are a few others from today.

Friday/Day #1

Day 1: Seattle, WA to Boise, ID

Friday was hard. I only got about 5 hours of sleep and had to finish cleaning and closing up my apartment, get on the road by 9:30 so I could make it to Boise in time for dinner, and try to check in with work during my lunch pit-stop.

I took a “moment” right before I left my apartment for good. I looked outside at the city but it was blanketed in some of the densest fog I’ve ever seen in the summer. It’s like it was hiding from me, shielding me from its beauty and appeal. “No, Eme Ashe. I’m not here for you anymore.” I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, smiled, and left. My usual route to the freeway just didn’t feel right so I opted for the on-ramp less traveled. I did have a moment of fear and sadness but it was brief.

The particular on-ramp I chose isn’t really an on-ramp, it’s basically a street, a stoplight, and then BAM, you’re on the freeway. It’s what I needed, like diving into the deep end of a pool, rather than starting with one toe, or one tire in this case. Just before I went through the stoplight, when I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it or if it was going to turn red, my moment started. An involuntary surge of emotion rose up from my stomach into my chest and head. It was the same feeling of fear, uncertainty, and excitement I felt as a child when it was my turn to slide down the water slide. Sitting at the top, waiting for the child who went before me to hit the water alive, I would be feeling all of those emotions. The lifeguard would signal and then I was off. Well, the light stayed green and I was off.

I merged onto I-5 and immediately started bawling. It just happened, I couldn’t help it. Even though the fog was working overtime to hide the city from me, I knew it was still there. 9 years of memories flooded over me in 9 seconds. But by the time I merged onto I-90, a mere mile later, I was fine. It was just a moment. I had a few more of those moments as I drove to Boise and I’m sure many will follow in the future. It’s more than fine, I am allowed to be sad. I am happy I feel sad. I don’t feel sick and that is a good thing. When I left Seattle the last time I felt like I was going to throw up as I drove over Snoqualmie Pass. No such feeling this time. I took in the beauty of the mountains for one last time and barely noticed when I reached the summit. It’s over.

My first destination was Boise because it gave me the opportunity to visit with some friends, T and C, say goodbye, and as a bonus, it was on the way! C made us all a delicious dinner – the man was smoking chicken on one charcoal grill and grilled vegetables on the BBQ, all while making me margaritas. Then he did the dishes! Seriously, what a catch. Unfortunately, with the small amount of sleep, the stress of the day, being taxed from the drive, and well, a margarita or two, I was only awake at their house for a few hours. I don’t remember falling asleep. Bed, pillow, head, out.