What next.....?

Just when things seem to be OK, Virginia Tech happens...... What is it about the Americans, and their freedom-loving ways, and their "constitutional right to bear firearms"...... I have to admit that the longer I live here, the more I wonder about this place, and wonder if freedom is really what they really think they have..... Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy living here 95% of the time, but that 5% of the time, I really wonder.......

On other things, am settling in slowly but surely to my new place, and I don't even miss my old place in Severn, MD at all..... Where I'm at is just so quiet (granted, I do get to hear more sirens, etc., but that may be more to do with living pretty close to Union Memorial Hospital too), and the room-mates are just so much friendlier..... Definitely worth the money I'm paying for the place right now, and am certainly enjoying it....

Work is a mini-state of turmoil, as layoffs were announced last week, and changes are still happening, and the ripple effect is still kicking in too.... I'm not worrying about it too much, as decisions are being made from NYC where the HQ is (it's a large, world-wide company), and if more jobs are going to go, so be it.....

Anyway, have finally gotten my taxes done, thankfully!!! Federal taxes are coming back to me, but I owe MD just a little bit, so it works out fine........ Just glad to have both sets of tax returns filed and finished with for this year!!

More later...!

Some photos...

These were photos I took at my old place back on Valentine's Day - the day of the excessive snow, as well as the run-in with my former landlady... :-/ But it was such a beautiful evening, with such a nice sunset, I really needed some calming, and couldn't help but take these photos, and I've just come across them. Just had to share...

Changes continue to happen......

Paradise is taking a break, and we're both fine with that, as we need our respective space....it's not easy, but under the circumstances, it's the best thing we can do, and take priority for ourselves first, and then each other.... Uncertainty is never fun, but taking time out for myself is nice too, so I'm feeling a little better because of that, and so is he...

Other changes are happening at work....impending layoffs are in the process of being announced, and we're not sure how things are going to pan out in our part of the company or even how things will be effected in our department. But, we'll find out more details in the next day or two, and I'm not going to, and can't, worry about it all, as it's something that's out of my hands, And as I'm doing the kind of work that can transfer anywhere (to almost any company at at geographical location), I don't feel tied or stuck to this company, so it'll work out fine in the end.......at least for me. I'm not one of those who is tied to a mortgage, or has a spouse or kids to support, so I feel I'm one of the luckier ones. Yes, I have my share of financial responsibilities like most adults do, but I'm less tied down, so if there's ever a good time to get laid off from a job, this is the time..... We'll see what way the cookie crumbles.....

And yes, I'm settling into the new place slowly but surely, and have put more stuff into storage, have a bag of stuff (largely clothes) now sitting in the car for Goodwill, and am finding space slowly but surely for my things I'm keeping. I've a few small things on eBay, and I've gone one item already being bidded on, so I'm excited about that..... I don't miss the old place at all, though I've had to stop by over the past couple of weekends (albeit briefly) to pick up a few things I've left behind by mistake. But I don't foresee any more visits back to Severn anytime soon, unless I'll be down at Arundel Mills Mall, which I'll get to every once in a while.....hey, we women like to shop!!! No photos to update yet, of how my room is getting cleaned up, but I may start reconfiguring how the furniture may work in this room.....or not, as the case may be.

Anyway, I'm tired, so will have to log off soon........'til next time!

Still unpacking... :-/

Still have so much to get through, and have started a "Goodwill" bag of mostly clothes, and have put a few more things into storage since Sunday. Continued going through some kitchen stuff last night, as it looks likely that I won't need most of my own stuff, as there's quite a bit in the kitchen that seems to be for common use, so I am continuing to pack that up. Am looking towards the day that I move out of this place in Guilford, not knowing how long or short I'll stay, but am in no rush to go anywhere anytime soon!!!

Haven't been sleeping well either for the past couple of nights, so I'm feeling very exhausted as I write. Still continues to be trouble in paradise, and that's been mentally draining, so my sleep has been effected. That's all I'll say here about that for right now.

But, will be glad when I figure out what to do with my excess stuff, and at least get some of it cleared out, and minimize the amount of stuff in my bedroom, which is looking a lot better than what it was on Saturday!! I should take photos of my progress, even just for my own piece of mind!!

Anyhow, must get back to work, as I'm on a late lunch, and must return..... Traffic was a nightmare this morning with a combination of wet weather and some Motivational convention going on in town today. Marylanders just don't know how to drive in the rain, and Baltimore so badly needs to improve it's public transportation system.....sorry, but 1 lightrail line, and 1 subway line for a city this size just doesn't cut it...... The Baltimore buses suck too, as do the streets, which are covered in potholes, but I totally digress - another subject for another time!!

Must....get....back...to...work......

"The Move" is finally over!

OK, am now finally, oh so finally, ensconced up here in my new place in the Guilford neighborhood in Baltimore, and am still in the process of trying to organize myself in my new place. The final end of the move happened on Friday, 3/30, and seemed to have gone well for most of the day. My boyfriend came with me to help me pick up the UHaul on Friday morning, a little earlier than planned, but that was fine, as it gave us the head start that we needed. Then packed it up with mostly furniture to bring to storage in Glen Burnie, then back to the house, to pack up the bed, and some other bits and pieces, and then up to Baltimore to face the real challenge of the day for the 2 of us, and that was to bring the queen-sized bed up two flights of stairs to my room :-/. We managed, but not without him indicating that the next time I move, he'll be busy that weekend!!!??!!

But got my man out on time to meet with his sailing buddies for 4pm, and me on my merry way to get gas for the truck, and to return it, which all happened by 4:30pm, grabbed food, and got home to eat by 5pm, and was totally anxious as a woman who said she'd call during the day to pick up a piece of furniture that I was getting rid of through www.freecycle.com hadn't called yet, and I really needed everything gone.... Called her at 5:40pm, and she was out to me in an hour, and the couch was taken by a guy who came out at 7pm that night, so I finally was able to get all the big stuff out of my way. Other folks had come out last Monday night to pick up other stuff I couldn't sell at either attempts at my yard sale, so that worked fine for me.

Only problem was that I still had a few too many "piddly" things still left in the house, and in between cleaning/vacuuming/straightening things up as best as I could, I found myself spending more time taking care of stuff than I thought it was going to take, so by the time my man got back at around 8:30/9pm, I was tired/stressed/wound up, and totally spaced out and on edge. Suffice to say, an argument ensued, and caused for a not very good night's sleep, and he left yesterday, not a happy camper......... Nothing like the stress of a whole move to bring out the "best" in a relationship.....! It's a downer on top of what was an almost smooth move out of the house, but luckily, I've had unpacking and further reorganization to keep me busy.

Also, managed to make it out for a hike yesterday afternoon at Patapsco State Park in Catonsville, though I was late for meeting my friends, and so hiked by myself, but met them afterwards, which was nice. Then other friends were having a BBQ later, so we got to join them......and then tonight, I got to meet with my Stitch 'n Bitch group (knitting and gossip, and gossip covers everything from local politics, work, kids/family, whatever's going on in our lives, etc.), so that was great to hang out with some women friends, and have a badly needed glass of wine...very relaxing.

Will be waiting with anticipation as to how my much shorter commute will be tomorrow - will be one of the many things that I will not miss about my old place..!!

Until next time, good night....am off to bed, as I'm sooooo tired!