Nashville

As the newly crowned Queen of Temp Work – the Temptress, if you will – I received my first job assignment. This week, all week, I am the receptionist at a swanky financial firm on West End. From my 11th story perch, I preside over downtown Nashville with a foxy hair-do and high heels that…

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this whole Nashville thing. I’ve been here for 7 weeks now, and they have been challenging, hard weeks. The questioning and stress that happens during transition is unsettling, and in no way have I been immune from this rough passage. I have wondered if I made the…

You guys should see my new apartment. Really, you should. Unfortunately, my camera is out of commission, since I dropped it when I was in Seattle a few weeks back. And just like that, with a tiny crack, all of my road video dreams came to a screeching halt. I had grand plans of giving…

I’ve heard it said that “courage” is being the only person in the world who knows that you’re scared to death. Well, I suppose I’m blowing my cover. Tonight, I just feel a little bit scared. I feel scared of failure. Of running out of money. Of never finding a place to live. Of making…

This weekend in Seattle has been one of revelations for me. First of all, I realized that this was the first time in 4 months that I’ve had any idea where in the hell I am. I have spent months glued to MapQuest for directions from point A to point B to point C, back…

I have scarcely lived here for 3 weeks, and I have already won something. I never win anything! But through a local tapas restaurant, I won two tickets to the opera. My new friend Erika came with me, and we saw Gilbert & Sullivan’s “H.M.S. Pinafore,” which was incredibly silly and enjoyable, as it was…

The first and only job interview I have ever had was in high school. I was late to my meeting at Blockbuster, and when the interviewer asked, “What quality would you most highly value in a manager?” I responded, “Someone who is totally understanding of my life, like today, when I was late.” Needless to…

The housing options continue to line up, and then get knocked over like dominos. It is frustrating. It is disappointing. I think that my favorite thing in the world is having a home – and this is magnified by the fact that I have not had a home, a real home with my stuff set…

I may be jobless. I may be homeless. But I’ll tell you what: I am far from friendless here in Nashville. I might never take a job, just to keep up with my social engagements. People have been overwhelmingly kind and welcoming. I have met up with different people – very different people, from very…

This whole “chase your dreams” thing is scary business. In the span of one week, I don’t know that I have ever felt so uncomfortable, uncertain, afraid, lonely, or self-doubting. I am one who loves structure, and for things to be “set.” I want to know where the money is going to come from. I…