Tempus Fugit

Ah, how time flies. It is already mid-October and I find myself still thinking it is July, or August, at the latest. So much is going on all the time it seems. For those out of the loop, we moved to College Station, Texas, and I started a new job, while John started a new program in Wildlife Management. I think the program suits him very well, and in time, I think it will serve him better than academia, or any realm of Czech he may have found a niche in. In truth, both of his areas of study work well together, though that was an unforeseen bonus.

I like my job, but miss the old, only because the old was of my own devising, at least so far as admin work can be. The bonuses to College Station above any other place we have lived are great, though. To name but a few: I am once again riding horses, as it is more affordable here for me than in the past, there is an archery range that is free and rarely used, and John is also taking archery as a class. There are parks aplenty, a great neighborhood park near us for Ein, and a fishing pond very nearby. There are two public hunting grounds, which we now frequent, within 30 minutes of us. The Texas Renaissance Festival is but 45 minutes away. My parents are a comfortable, yet safe, distance from us at 70-90 minutes. Austin is only 2 hours away, Waco about the same, which leaves Dallas as the only city farther from our reach at 3-3.5 hours.

Rent is cheaper, though we could have found the same rate in Waco, just not as conveniently located as we are now. We are so close to Texas A&M Campus that we don't drive to work or school (same location for both), and the grocery store is close enough to walk to. To my shame, however, we have not yet begun to walk to get groceries, but we will with the advent of cooler weather, ~70s or lower 80s.

I am enjoying a smaller space, which many of you may find crazy, but 1200-1500 sq. ft. is far too much for us, and always will be. Three bedrooms, of nearly any size, is also right out. One to two bedrooms of approximately 700-1000 sq. ft. is our maximum size, and I hope will always be the size we live in. Currently we are in an 800 sq. ft. one bedroom, which is perfect. It is a two-story townhouse, which makes Ein happy as a clam. She loves to run up and down the stairs and uses the bedroom upstairs as a tower of sorts. I will make sure to take pictures and post them soon.

In traditional, eclectic John and Alex style, we have made each area a different "theme", though this was only realized later, really. The kitchen is sadly, just a kitchen, but I am debating about using a decorating idea I found for sticking colorful paper to the drab cabinets, which comes off easily and without damaging the cabinets, perfect for rental property decorating. The "dining" area is old-European themed with natural woods, and the old china hutch we own, replete with china and silver, situated next to our tall bookcase.

The "living room" area is done in a sort of middle-eastern or Moroccan theme with fabrics hung from the walls, candelabras, incense, and colored glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling in the corner. The bedroom is done in a similar fashion, though not as exquisitely executed. And finally, the hallway, or staircase, is done up with family photos, wedding photos, and most importantly...wall-stickers of Space Invaders. We're nerds, what of it?

When last we caught this heroine, she was making Thundercats pillows for the couch, which are sadly still not made, but I will have them done soon, I swear...ahem, yeah.  Picture of those too will come.

We had quite the time moving here, with lots of bad management on this end with the landlord here, but it is working itself out. The landlord in Waco was wonderful, and a charm to deal with, so no issues there. My only regret, and sadness in this whole move is that we are now cat-less. PK would not come to us, and the one time I got a hold of her to put her in a kennel, she fought like a tiger and ran away. I only pray she is okay, but I fear she is not. I can't put into words the guilt I feel about her, that maybe I could have held on longer, maybe I could have gotten her in the kennel. I'll never know, but I feel awful. Never has that happened to me, never. As all you will know too, Tama, our male cat, went feral when we moved to Waco over a year ago, so we lost him to his wild nature. I am, however, not worried about him. He has fought bobcats and lived to tell the tale. He has endured owl attacks, frigid winters in New Mexico, and far worse. He is a hunter, and a keen one, and we knew he was fine because he kept leaving half of his dead rabbits on the back porch for us, as he is wont to do. No, Tama is fine, and thriving, of that I am sure, but PK couldn't catch a beetle if she tried.

All in all, things are good. Life is progressing, and I am trying to find things I want to really do with my life. I have no bloody idea, but I'll figure it out. I struggled with what I wanted to do with my life while I was in college, and didn't figure it out there. I did struggle with what I wanted my major to be, and I did decide against chemistry, and against my job ruling who I am, but despite majoring in something I love, it left a void in what I wanted to do with my life. As a freshman I thought I would either make money as a chemist, or become a professor. When I changed majors, I realized in short order that academia, especially in my field, was not an option for me. Not only do they try to murder graduate students in my field, but it has to be the only thing you do, or you are shunned. Not to mention that I am not the most studious of students, but my field is also a dying one, soon to be a memory I fear. I have friends who are successful/will be successful with it, but they had a drive I never experienced, and the ability to lay aside their other desires for the pursuit of that one dream. I couldn't, and I applaud my friends who did, but for me it wasn't to be, cannot be, and it isn't what I desire. So, back to square one, again and again it seems, as I have try my various options. One thing is bound to stick, I am sure, I just need more time to find it.

And if, at the end of my life I find I have traveled a well worn path in pursuit of finding that one thing, at least I was not stationary in something I hated. If one cannot find what they are, then the next most noble pursuit is trying to find that very thing, and not just settling.