Thursday, January 29, 2009

music, shine, and newness

A trumpet cuts through the cold wet morning on my way to work.

Icicles shimmer in the morning sun from their temporary homes on store awnings.

I bond with a new person in a new city discussing people in the city I (temporarily) left behind.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

newness, comfort, and a musical interlude

I forget to buy dryer sheets. The static electricity shocks me as I make my newly cleaned bed but completely amazes me as I turn out the lights and discover the firefly-ish display that awaits.

The first snow of the year coincides with my first day of work at the new job. I dread this at first but ultimately regress into childlike wonder as I trudge from the metro to the office. It takes all possible restraint to keep me from stopping to make snow angels in the freshly powdered parks I pass on the way.

"Sittin on the dock of the bay" breaks the clamor as I ascend from the warmth of the metro into the winter chill of street level. I grin as I discover that three bums have formed an a capella trio with perfect harmony.

I find comfort at my new job once I find the other non-native speakers (...both of them.).

Monday, January 19, 2009

misery, home, and change

Shared misery lifts me out of a funk for a bit, even if it quickly returns later in the evening.

I have completely decorated my apartment, which now feels like home.

The excitement in the city is palpable awaiting tomorrow's festivities.

Saturday, January 10, 2009

new homes and old friends

40 pieces of tupperware for $20 mean that my leftovers will have spiffy new homes.

I go grocery shopping with old friends and realize that I have become quite the chef since we last knew each other.

My new chef's knife slides through fresh brussels sprouts with a satisfying crunch.

The sleet begins to hit my car as we are about a block from home. We quickly unload the groceries from my trunk and run into the welcoming warmth of the apartment lobby.

Friday, January 9, 2009

new starts, morning sounds, and warmth in the cold

A new year has begun, and with it came new opportunities - I am in a new city and have an (albeit temporary) new start.

The construction noises were loud this morning, but I was up before them, so I watch with amusement as my friends' cat looks on with great concern.

A spiffy new coat, gloves, and scarf keep me warm(er) in the bitter cold of the mid-Atlantic seaboard in January.