Having spent the past several weeks reaching out to friends and contacts as well as applying for various jobs, it’s easy to lose sight of where I’m supposed to be headed and just feel frustrated.  However, that’s just the point…losing sight.  I have several things to follow-up on this week that have been in the inbox of my mind, and yet I haven’t done them because I have been applying to random job openings.  If I just sit down and  focus on clearing out the inbox… those items might just lead to other jobs.  This is obviously me thinking aloud in front of the universe… but it helps to keep things in perspective.

And also look forward to things in the future.  For example, I have to go to France sometime in the next two months to deal with the house there.  Renters are gone and I need to get the place in shape for vacation rentals among other things.  And my mother is taking me with her to South Carolina to stay with friends for a week or so… so that doesn’t sound too painful.  And at some point, I will make a decision on where I am ending up and be able to take things out of storage and read through my books and continue living life.  This is all very good, right?

I think the other challenge with my current situation is that I miss my friends… I should email them and call them, but it isn’t the same as seeing them.  And while I have no qualms with making new friends… since I don’t know how long I will hang out in State College, there doesn’t seem much point in reaching out and making new friends.  Well, that sounds somewhat depressing.

Truly, I am enjoying the break in the action.  I have a lot of opportunity to be a hermit – which as many of you know is my way of recharging/refueling.  Again, this is all very good.

What isn’t so good is that my parents own a medical scale and I keep weighing myself with depressing regularity.  The scale is right next to the washer and dryer… and surprising as it may be – it’s really not possible to lose weight between laundry loads.  So as much as I would like to see the 7 pounds hanging around me wash away with the whites cycle, it ain’t happening.  I have become a  workout  addict, self-appointed trainer to my parents, and dietician to us all… it still means 7 pounds is slowly dissolving instead of disappearing like those haphazard single socks in the dryer.  Bummer.

Snow tonight – and going with my father to redeem his Christmas gift tonight – basketball game – Penn St. vs. U of I.  My dad is torn over who to cheer on… his alma mater or his employer.  Decisions….and I will probably cheer for U of I out of loyalty to the family.  Random fact which I learned while reading this morning’s local paper:  Penn State is changing their home game uniforms from white to grey in an effort to excite the fans.  If changing from white to grey is a way of generating enthusiasm…. you can pretty much gauge the excitement level here in Happy Valley.  On that note, I’m going to go watch paint peel…

As ever,

K. Quinn