Working girl

This past Monday was my first day at work in almost 5 months.  It is really bizarre how humans eventually get used to everything.  Right before we left DC, my life was ultra hectic with preparations for the move, social events to say good-bye, last minute stuff for the condo, and tying loose ends at work.  If you’d peeked at my planner, there wasn’t space for absolutely anything else.  I literally worked until the day before we moved. I walked out of my office at 5pm on a Thursday and 24 hours later, I was sitting at the gate at Dulles Airport with 2 carry-ons and two lap cats, munching on my last real American treat, some yogurt pretzels and texting all my friends for the last time before turning off my American cell forever.

Fast forward the days I spent sleeping off the jetlag, and there I was, sitting in our temporary apartment, with my planner so wide open that that I could have started writing celebrity birthdays to fill it up, and with all the time in the world to do whatever I pleased.  The problem was that I didn’t have any friends, any knowledge of what I wanted to do or even the stuff to do anything with, since our stuff was not arriving in Belgrade till two months later.   But eventually, I got used to it.  I made my routine of nothingness and settled into a slooooow paced life, where I could take my sweet time getting dressed in the morning, if I was going to get dressed at all; where I could go grocery shopping every single day, carefully planning every meal.  I also got to be next to the fridge all day, so I could fix myself real breakfasts, lunches and dinners daily.  I eventually made friends which translated into lunches during the day, text messages at all hours and evening and afternoon plans.

So last Sunday, I felt THE DREAD, that sinking feeling that you have to be somewhere, soon, and looking somewhat presentable, awake and aware.  I was overwhelmed by the mere thought of having to be somewhere before 10 AM and having to pick out clothes and pack a bag with all the stuff I would need for an ENTIRE day.  But I survived.  I made it through this week unscarred and already settling into my old habits (hopefully just the good ones).  My commute is pretty short and because it's getting to be spring, it's definitely light out by the time I wake up, which makes it a whole lot easier to get out of bed.  There is nothing like having stuff to do to make you want to do nothing instead.  How ironic.