Fall

I've said it before, and I will certainly say it again, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. So of course I am just loving New York right now. By all accounts, Fall lasts forever here. Perfect! If only I had more time to get out and play in the leaves... but driving through the falling leaves is more than I could ask for. A week or two ago I drove to work through what seemed to be a one car ticker-tape parade. The flakes of glittering sunshine dancing in the breeze completely took my breath away and I had one of those moments, when the beauty all around filled me with such an amazing happiness that it hurt.

THE WORLD is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man’s smudge and shares man’s smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.
And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs—
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast and with ah! bright wings. ~Gerard Manley Hopkins~

The new job

Well, I am well and truly started at the new job. For starting such a big new job I am pretty impressed with myself. Usually the bigger and more critical the job, the more I tend to freak out. Yes, I did feel stressed my first day coming in, and certainly on my first day actually interpreting - but it was manageable stress - the type that normal people feel. (I think. Never having been what you might call normal, I don't know for sure.)

All I can say is that these people are GOOD. They have this whole orientation thing down to an art. They put someone in charge of the four of us newbies and left her with us to babysit for three days of introduction, paperwork, procedural nonsense and exploration. Plus, she was awesome at explaining all sorts of ins and outs related to the place. (The part where she treated us to Ben & Jerry's the last day just added to the awesomeness.)

Honestly, the way interpreters are taken care of here is astounding. We are treated like actual people! My first day here I had an email address set up, a mail box with my name spelled correctly, an office (with supplies that I didn't have to provide), vacation days and sick days I can actually USE, a reasonable and healthy schedule... I am still in a state of happy-shock. As much as I LOVED my last job (not being sarcastic here), they really have some work to do. It took me 2-3 months to get an email address. A year to get a mailbox. Five years to get an office. And while I technically had sick days and vacation days, most of my vacation days got cashed out, and in six years I only used one sick day. Not because I didn't get sick, but because I had no emergency subs. Training was never provided, there was no orientation - they basically didn't know what to do with me.

When I applied to RIT, I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into, or what to expect. I suppose being flown out and given a place to stay for the interview should have given me a heads up. And interviewing here I learned about a lot of the benefits, but it wasn't till I started working that things actually became real - not just some nice abstract idea. It's so nice. I have been so blessed in coming here - I can't help but feel that this must truly be where I was meant to come. I am sure I will enjoy my time here.

Other things I am not so sure about - orange and brown for my school colors? Not such a fan. But I suppose it could be worse... purple and teal perhaps.

Settling in

It takes time for me to get used to new places and really settle in. I wouldn't say that I am 'settled' quite yet (it will be a year or two before this is really home), but the process is going much smoother for this move than it ever has gone before. Impressive, considering this is the biggest move I've ever made!

I think a large part of that is the drawn out nature of the whole process - this deadline has been looming ahead of me for years, and I was able to work myself through the process of saying goodbye in a way that worked well. I also had several months to specifically work on finishing my trailer, look for a new job, sell my place, etc... I don't know how people survive when they have to do it all in a matter of a few weeks, or even days. Anyhow, that in combination with a large dose of help from family (and a whole lot more from Heavenly sources) meant that adjustments have gone well. Once I dropped Dad and 'Nae off at the airport, the tears dried up and the homesickness receded into the background. No anxiety attacks (thus far) - even with challenges faced at work!

I've managed to get mostly unpacked - there are still a few boxes in the garage, but after having a home full of stuff, I am impressed that there there isn't more still boxed up. I even had to go out and buy some furniture (bookcases, a desk, more bookcases) so that I could get properly set up. Books are out of their boxes, clothes are in the closet and art is on the wall!

Meanwhile I have been trying to learn my way around town and get a feel for what this place will be like. To aid in that quest, I sought my brothers advice and based on his recommendation, wound up buying a fun little toy.

I love my Nuvi :) It tells me right where to go, recalculates after I mess up, keeps track of where I am and never lets me get lost - so I don't have to stress about getting my directions exactly right, or worry that I might get lost and end up in Canada (an actual possibility around here.) Plus, it speaks to me with an awesome British accent. So far I have discovered a couple different parks, wandered through all sorts of neighborhoods, found a couple of random addresses, gone on some lovely Sunday drives, and have almost learned the rout to Palmyra. Not bad!

I have even been somewhat social since coming here. Shocking, I know. (At least pretend your jaw didn't just drop.) FHE twice, out to dinner with roommates and friends a couple of times, a cookout with the Deaf group at church, voluntary participation in various meetings, and lots of hanging out with my cousin (though not as much as I would like). There are even some cute guys here - maybe St. George will freeze over and I will actually get a few dates.

Overall, I think I am getting the hang of this place - all I really need now is a BIG umbrella. Preferably a red one.