(no subject)
Feb. 12th, 2010 12:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
figmentA couple of my friends have posted big-picture life updates here on lj lately, and I applaud this, since it’s true that facebook and twitter don’t give me the in-depth insight into my friends’ lives that I feel livejournal can. So here's me.
Romance
It's almost Valentine’s Day, so I will start with saying that life with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
azure_armand is as awesome as ever. Being married has not really changed our relationship, which is good, because we liked it as it was! I’m happy and lucky.
Home
I am absolutely delighted with living in the Lowertown Lofts Artists Co-op. Both the place and the people agree with me immensely, and while every place has its pros and cons, this place is heavily weighted toward the "pro" side. We made a huge push to be essentially moved in by the time of our party almost a month ago, and succeeded. We've managed to get a few things done since then, but mostly have just been enjoying living there. Still, there are a few small projects that need to be taken care of. (I like lists. If you don't, you can skip this easily.)
And then I have a long list of sewing and other projects that are lower priority yet – covers for our desk chairs, a new cover for the futon, etc.
Work
I trumpeted loud and clear that I was excited to take on a new job with the Center for Victims of Torture. It’s really wonderful to me that I will be able to do international humanitarian work, something I've essentially been working toward for 5 years. I'm anticipating that the job will be emotionally difficult but very rewarding. I start there on March 1. My last day at NAMG (which has sometimes sucked my soul, and sometimes been okay; it's gotten better lately but the commute would always suck) is Feb. 19. That leaves me with a week in between one job and another – the thing that everyone always says to do, but I had never yet done. I’m very excited to have a week off! Especially because...
Travel
...I'm using my week off to go to Belize with friends! Hooray friends who let me come along on their Belizean adventure. I look forward to lying on the beach, snorkeling, drinking fruity drinks, checking out some ruins, and maybe going cave tubing. I only wishazure_armand could go too. I'd love to add scuba diving to the list, but I don't think any of my friends going are divers – and I’m not really into diving alone/only with strangers.
Also, we just bought tickets to go to Cyprus in July. After the (mumble) years we've been together,azure_armand will finally see my parents in their natural environment. We're bringing his mom with us, so she will also get to do some exciting international travel, and will get to know my parents better. It's been a long-planned-for trip, and I'm really pleased to finally have the tickets bought.
Socializing
I looked at our google calendars the other day and remarked upon what busy people we are. It's true. We have very few evenings or weekends that are not taken up by a variety of things, be it a simple happy hour or dinner with friends, or some sort of funky art project, or a birthday celebration, or some other madness. It's great – this is part of why we moved back here. I wish we had more time. But that's okay.
Creative Stuff
I do find myself wishing I had more time for making my own art. I have done none of that since moving here – I set up my studio space, but the most I've done with it is modify a shirt forazure_armand to make it a better Rockits fan shirt. That was fun, but didn't do much to scratch the creative itch. My new job will involve less time spent commuting, so maybe I will have more time to be creative. I'm also hoping to make some of my socializing be creative time as well – for example, I keep thinking I need to throw another underwear-decorating party. The one I did years and years ago was fun.
Fitness
Considering how big a part of my life triathlon training was a year or so ago, it's astounding to me that I left this to the last item. But it reflects the sad state of this facet of my life. I have no gym membership, I have been incapable of getting up before 6 AM to work out at home, I am too tired when I get home at 6:30 or later to work out at home then, and it's too cold (for me) to work out outside. So I have been a lump. Shockingly, I have not turned into a bloated version of my in-shape self, but I am convinced that the fact that I weigh about 5 pounds less than I did this summer... but am substantially less in shape... reflects that whole thing about fat being less massive than muscle. It's weird. We are planning to get a membership at the Skyway YMCA soon, now that we have reliable income. That should help a lot.
In Conclusion
When we made the decision to move from DC to MN, we set a lot of lofty goals for ourselves. I'm happy to say that we are doing well on every one of them:
Yeah, I'm lucky. I really appreciate the good situation we’re in – and I know that some of that was my doing, but some of it was luck, and some of it was help from people like you. Thank you.
Romance
It's almost Valentine’s Day, so I will start with saying that life with
azure_armand is as awesome as ever. Being married has not really changed our relationship, which is good, because we liked it as it was! I’m happy and lucky. Home
I am absolutely delighted with living in the Lowertown Lofts Artists Co-op. Both the place and the people agree with me immensely, and while every place has its pros and cons, this place is heavily weighted toward the "pro" side. We made a huge push to be essentially moved in by the time of our party almost a month ago, and succeeded. We've managed to get a few things done since then, but mostly have just been enjoying living there. Still, there are a few small projects that need to be taken care of. (I like lists. If you don't, you can skip this easily.)
- Finish hack to install pants hanger in closet. Needed: more bad-ass screws. Managed to shear the brass one in half while attempting to screw it through a one inch thick piece of wood. Lousy screw.
- Install shelves in water heater closet.
- Take pictures of dolls and send to sis-in-law. Possibly mail off said dolls.
- Give away box of stuffed animals.Anyone local want ‘em? includes stuffed Cthulhu.
- Get rid of three under-the-bed storage bins. Anyone local want ‘em?
- Give away/get rid of framed art that no longer suits us.
- Hang up more art that we do like.
- Buy or make a folding screen to go in front of the water heater closet.
And then I have a long list of sewing and other projects that are lower priority yet – covers for our desk chairs, a new cover for the futon, etc.
Work
I trumpeted loud and clear that I was excited to take on a new job with the Center for Victims of Torture. It’s really wonderful to me that I will be able to do international humanitarian work, something I've essentially been working toward for 5 years. I'm anticipating that the job will be emotionally difficult but very rewarding. I start there on March 1. My last day at NAMG (which has sometimes sucked my soul, and sometimes been okay; it's gotten better lately but the commute would always suck) is Feb. 19. That leaves me with a week in between one job and another – the thing that everyone always says to do, but I had never yet done. I’m very excited to have a week off! Especially because...
Travel
...I'm using my week off to go to Belize with friends! Hooray friends who let me come along on their Belizean adventure. I look forward to lying on the beach, snorkeling, drinking fruity drinks, checking out some ruins, and maybe going cave tubing. I only wish
azure_armand could go too. I'd love to add scuba diving to the list, but I don't think any of my friends going are divers – and I’m not really into diving alone/only with strangers.Also, we just bought tickets to go to Cyprus in July. After the (mumble) years we've been together,
azure_armand will finally see my parents in their natural environment. We're bringing his mom with us, so she will also get to do some exciting international travel, and will get to know my parents better. It's been a long-planned-for trip, and I'm really pleased to finally have the tickets bought. Socializing
I looked at our google calendars the other day and remarked upon what busy people we are. It's true. We have very few evenings or weekends that are not taken up by a variety of things, be it a simple happy hour or dinner with friends, or some sort of funky art project, or a birthday celebration, or some other madness. It's great – this is part of why we moved back here. I wish we had more time. But that's okay.
Creative Stuff
I do find myself wishing I had more time for making my own art. I have done none of that since moving here – I set up my studio space, but the most I've done with it is modify a shirt for
azure_armand to make it a better Rockits fan shirt. That was fun, but didn't do much to scratch the creative itch. My new job will involve less time spent commuting, so maybe I will have more time to be creative. I'm also hoping to make some of my socializing be creative time as well – for example, I keep thinking I need to throw another underwear-decorating party. The one I did years and years ago was fun. Fitness
Considering how big a part of my life triathlon training was a year or so ago, it's astounding to me that I left this to the last item. But it reflects the sad state of this facet of my life. I have no gym membership, I have been incapable of getting up before 6 AM to work out at home, I am too tired when I get home at 6:30 or later to work out at home then, and it's too cold (for me) to work out outside. So I have been a lump. Shockingly, I have not turned into a bloated version of my in-shape self, but I am convinced that the fact that I weigh about 5 pounds less than I did this summer... but am substantially less in shape... reflects that whole thing about fat being less massive than muscle. It's weird. We are planning to get a membership at the Skyway YMCA soon, now that we have reliable income. That should help a lot.
In Conclusion
When we made the decision to move from DC to MN, we set a lot of lofty goals for ourselves. I'm happy to say that we are doing well on every one of them:
- get married (and have fun doing so!): 100%
- buy a home: 100%
- find permanent jobs we like: 50-70% (I have a permanent job, Azure still needs the job he likes to become permanent; everyone write your local reps supporting education funding, okay?)
- be active with our local friends: 90% (We have been active, but it’s hard for this ever to be 100%, because there are always people I wish I was spending more time with. What a wonderful problem to have.) We miss our DC friends, and friends in other places, but hope to be able to travel to see them... some time.
- be creatively active: 30% (Azure has done more of this than me, but neither of us is doing as much as we want. On the other hand, we are at least both set up to do this, now, which is a step forward.)
- be financially secure enough to visit my parents: 100%
- help with CONvergence: 80% (This is really only my goal, not Azure’s. I am happy to say I am now helping with Facilities. I need to do more, though, which is why so far I am only giving myself an 80%.)
Yeah, I'm lucky. I really appreciate the good situation we’re in – and I know that some of that was my doing, but some of it was luck, and some of it was help from people like you. Thank you.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 06:07 pm (UTC)That makes me happy...
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 06:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 08:23 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 06:20 pm (UTC)I'll take the under the bed storage (You know they fit under high couches too?) I would say put the stuffed animals and art out at the freebie table at CVG. I did that with a lot of stuff last year and it actually gave me a giggle to see someone gleefully carrying around nick-knacks that used to be mine. If you just want them gone, I thrift shop often and can drop them off for you (and get a receipt) when I pick up the under the bed things.
For the folding screen keep an eye on Ikea, they often have items like that. I'll try and keep an eye out myself.
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 08:24 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 08:25 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 07:16 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 08:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-12 09:23 pm (UTC)Not local.....
Date: 2010-02-13 04:07 am (UTC)Re: Not local.....
Date: 2010-02-15 10:02 pm (UTC)Re: Not local.....
Date: 2010-02-15 10:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-13 03:22 pm (UTC)Yes!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-15 10:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-15 01:20 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-15 10:03 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-15 09:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-02-15 10:04 pm (UTC)