Well, I'm back. The England adventure is over, and it feels very strange to say that.
Right now, I'm taking my new life one day at a time, and I'm focusing my thoughts on reorganizing my bedroom. It's something I've felt needed doing every time I came home for visits, but I never had the time. Now there is both time and necessity: I've returned with three suitcases of clothing, and boxes of books and miscellaneous items will be headed my way soon. I have to find a place to put everything, and possibly get rid of some things I haven't missed while I was away.
I'm no psychiatrist, but I'm self-aware enough to realize that part of my enthusiasm for this project is that it gives me something to do that I can control. I'm literally bringing order to chaos as I shop around for a bookcase that will fit what little wall space I have left and research the options for creating more closet shelving. It also helps that my old roommate (whom I liked very much!) has moved out, and she had a lot of stuff in the common spaces. Although I miss her cheerful presence, I can make more use of the living room now that her furniture is gone. My professional future may be murky, but by the time I'm done, my apartment will have a place for everything, and everything will be in its place. Even me.
When not sorting, shifting, or assembling, I continue the part-time editing work I've been doing for about a year and a half. The company has been very patient and flexible with me as I traveled the world, and I want to repay that generosity with some fixed dedication now that my life is a bit more stable. It will take time to work out my new routine, including extracurriculars, so I focus on the satisfaction of getting a little bit more off the floor each day. And it is very satisfying indeed.
I'm no psychiatrist, but I'm self-aware enough to realize that part of my enthusiasm for this project is that it gives me something to do that I can control. I'm literally bringing order to chaos as I shop around for a bookcase that will fit what little wall space I have left and research the options for creating more closet shelving. It also helps that my old roommate (whom I liked very much!) has moved out, and she had a lot of stuff in the common spaces. Although I miss her cheerful presence, I can make more use of the living room now that her furniture is gone. My professional future may be murky, but by the time I'm done, my apartment will have a place for everything, and everything will be in its place. Even me.
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| My new IKEA bookcase, plus a newly framed photo of PhD graduation |
When not sorting, shifting, or assembling, I continue the part-time editing work I've been doing for about a year and a half. The company has been very patient and flexible with me as I traveled the world, and I want to repay that generosity with some fixed dedication now that my life is a bit more stable. It will take time to work out my new routine, including extracurriculars, so I focus on the satisfaction of getting a little bit more off the floor each day. And it is very satisfying indeed.
