It seems strange to be back in a place that's changed so little in the last year while I've changed dramatically. I see things from a new perspective so it's almost like experiencing them anew. Probably the easiest way for me to tell I'm seeing things in a whole new light is the amount of poetry I've written since I've been back. I've been writing almost every day and have at least 6 poems written in the last few weeks that I've redrafted and edited to a point where I'm entirely happy with them. Having a proper writing desk set up in the corner of my room is definitely helping that cause.
Exploring the bar scene is proving to be quite enjoyable also. There's a lot of live music around town on a weekly basis and it's generally pretty good. Aside from music, I go to a pub quiz in town every Thursday night which is a lot of fun. I also discovered an interesting pool hall down a side street which is an awesome hang out spot and pretty chill place. I went there with some friends when we were in town a couple of weeks ago on a Friday night. They have a bunch of free play pool tables set up and at the time they had a band playing who were decent followed by a DJ who also wasn't bad. All in all it's fun being a part of the night scene for the first time ever.
I really haven't been motivated to do a whole lot and pretty much all the socializing I've done has been people inviting me to things and me just saying yes to everything which is kind of nice. There are people I'd like to see that I haven't bothered to contact yet but it's taking me a long time to begin to adjust to being back here. When I'm totally comfortable with everything that's going on with me, I'll step out and initiate things myself. Until that happens, I'll do what I have to do for me and go with the flow whenever friends invite me out to do stuff.
Skype is a wonderful thing and I'm really enjoying being able to talk to Blair (girlfriend) and other people from Wisconsin to keep up with what they're up to over summer and such. I don't know what I'd do without it, probably mope a whole lot more. As they enter into their preparation camps for marching band and show choir I'm once again reminded of how much I love those things and how much I miss them now. It's a weird feeling after having lived 17 and a half years in total ignorance of their existence. Now, I'd do anything to be able to have one more season with either of them.
The most challenging part of the first month at home has been keeping myself entertained. After a couple of weeks, sleeping past noon and not leaving the house terribly often kind of gets old. The next few months of life are probably going to be taken up by work which hopefully means they'll go a lot faster than this last one has and I'll be able to put money away to go towards my return to Wisconsin.
Oh, I almost didn't mention that we got a kitten a couple of weeks after I got back. She's beautiful, mostly black with white feet and underside. I chose her and decided on a name that Blair suggested: Sasha. I think it fits her perfectly. She's annoying as anything and constantly knocks everything in the house that she can down from where it's supposed to sit but she makes up for it by being adorable.
That's pretty much the important parts of the first month covered. I'm excited to start work at Mcdonald's on Tuesday this week and excited to get paid this week for a couple of odd days I did temping in an office last week. I'm working 12 hours this week, so nothing at all strenuous but enough to get paid decently for it. Hopefully I'll pick up more shifts after I finish training.
