Due to full-time work schedule at one job, part time at another, and moving things, I've been unable to update anything like regularly.
That's untrue. Instead, I found it inspiring to sit on my couch, read lots of diet books, and completely change my lifestyle to account for an extra person. And consume what must be an unhealthy amount of non-fat dairy products in the form of yogurt, both frozen and simply chilled variety. But due to a very recent change in my work life and increasing internal/external pressure to update people on my life, I've decided to take a few minutes today to jot a few impressions down, and possibly provide insight into the last three months since returning from Europe.
First things first: Best Book Read in the Past Month
While it was a close race between my first Agatha Christie book (Murder on the Orient Express; phenom!) the diet that changed me for the next year of my life (The Dukan Diet, which is going swimmingly, thank you), and the entire Harry Potter series as I was gearing up for the last movie, the prize must go to Chocolat.
Let me begin by saying that it's almost nothing like the movie. While I've never actually watched the movie version, it's my understanding that the female character seduces Johnny Depp, and he ends up falling in love with her and her free-spirited drifter hippy child after moderate unpleasantness with the townsfolk. A decent movie, possibly quite good considering the cast, but overall played and seen before.
The book, however, is in its own special category for excellence. The setup is parallel first-person narrative, and only half of it is from Vianne's perspective. It's a modern tale of living as a single mother, the daughter of a gypsy, whose internal compass led her all over Europe and eventually to America, constantly running from "The Black Man," who seeks to force women to conform to society's steriotypes. The road is no life for a child. One must go to church every Sunday. You must live as your neighbors do, and respect your priest, and not indulge the senses. The story is a champion of freedom within society instead of slavery to one's social milieu. Oh, and there are deliciously-crafted scenes during which Vianne cooks her chocolate, almost as intricate as the confections Joanne Harris depicts.
There is a sequel, which I will be picking up as soon as I get the chance. The style is earthy and realistic and fragile. A lovely read. Highly, highly recommended.
On Gainful Employment
I am now the proud employee of two companies, both of which are located very far from my current living quarters. Armani Exchange, which is a two-hour drive away, and ESM, which is also two hours away. Luckily, ESM allowed me to work from home, since the majority of my work is simply sitting at a desk and answering a phone. Also, being an insufferable know-it-all, which is one of my many natural talents.
Work interferes with a lot of things. I am grateful to have the jobs, and I do enjoy the autonomy the money allows me, but I still feel as though I'm wasting a good portion of my life. I'm exchanging valuable hours of my time and energy for meagre wages that would be lower if the company could get away with it. It's better than the limbo I was in before ESM hired me on, of course, but there are positives and negatives to any situation.
On Living, and Relationships
David and I moved in together lyke offichul this Monday. Looking back, I really have no idea how it happened, but we just get along really well. Also, as I've concluded, this was the only way we could stay together during the school year.
Long distance doesn't really work. It can, as long as the understanding is that the situation is temporary, and you have a very solid base of trust under the relationship. If the timing of long-distance is undefined, you end up going crazy like the pidgeon in the Skinner Box that keeps getting shocked with no sense of control over the pain.
At least now, when we say "hello" or "goodbye," I know that the standard is the former. Since I work from home, I can go into his closet at any moment and see his clothes. His pictures are on the wall (something I've just come to accept, in spite of our completely divergent opinions on design) and his movies are in the DVD rack. His shoes are lined up next to mine on the shoe rack. We share a bed. It's unbelievably strange to look back on our awkward courtship and countless misunderstandings with the perspective of today, but there it is. I'm now living in Greeley.
School
I'm at the school here, but I have no time with work. I'll need to ask for at least one more day off per week in order to get anything like a normal schedule, but it's nice to be registered for at least once class, and an interesting one at that. All about literature and art. Not something that will techincally help me with my degree, perse, but it's fascinating, and I look forward to learning a lot.
Other things
My diet's doing pretty well. I've been on it for about a month, and have another two months or so to go. It's difficult for me to work on controlling portions, but luckily, this diet doesn't restrict quantity. Just type.
My life is consumed with a million little household dramas that resolve themselves in due time, of course. When are the dishes going to be done? Who's going to make the bed? Where do I put all of my shoes? Do we need a drying rack for dishes? What about clothing?
Time passes quickly, and I always intend to contact people, but it doesn't always happen. I need shelves for the books and I need more time in the day. Possibly less time working.
Till next time!
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