Now that I've been back for almost 2.5 months you're getting a whirlwind overview of my very exciting life. Brace yourselves.
Mostly these months have been spent reacclimating to California life and accepting opportunities to serve. Some of these tasks have been easy, and some have been horrifying, like tossing all the notes I had saved from Jr. High days, which I tried to do as quickly as possible without actually reading anything. I also had some lovely conversations with AAA trying to figure out how I was signed up for their safe teen driver program. Then, of course, Covered California, hopefully I don't get the measles because I have no clue if I have health insurance. I also had the opportunity to co-create, with my cousin, a Christmas trivia game, Joypardy, and made a really spectacular mission bulletin board for church.
Another step of acclimation has been honing my babysitting skills, fortunately I have plenty of opportunity to do this. I do appreciate the zest for life that children bring, but one day recently I didn't answer the phone because I was afraid it was someone asking me to babysit and I didn't want to be caught off guard. It wasn't about that at all, I am just irrationally paranoid (or maybe rationally). I realize when writing this it's a little like when I was staying at a friend's a few months ago and she kept saying how annoying house guests are, so dearest siblings and cousins I love you and your children.
Since went to grad school many people think that I actually have formed career-oriented goals. This is still not true. My plan since I came back was to start thinking about a job in January. Since I've been living with my parents (and grandfather) I haven't been financially pressed to start getting income but have come to the point of actually desiring a job as a form of escapism. The company I used to work for in San Ramon offered me my job back, but they called the week of Christmas and said I could start the next Monday. I stalled and said I'd let them know and then, after all of my family laughed at the prospect, formally declined. Since then two friends have encouraged me to apply for their companies but neither of them seemed that appealing. Some of my confidence in declining these has come from conversations I've had with my cousin's husband for working at his company. I have no idea what the job actually is but it has flexible hours, a good commute and decent pay so finally yesterday I bit the bullet and applied. They only have online applications so I was told I should apply for kind of a generic job and it will get me in the system until we decide on a more permanent fit for me within the organization. This seemed all fine and dandy until I actually read the job requirements for the Environmental Technician II, there was little I could do to beef up my resume and tie in my strong administrative skills to the ability to drive a forklift and lift 50lbs-100lbs. The good news is I was finally able to reference that class I took in tractor driving on an application.
Yesterday I was talking to my mom and she compared my life to that of Job. You know, the guy in the Bible (not Arrested Development) who loses everything and is miserable. This makes me seem quite pathetic, especially since there are a lot of people around me that are going though actual trials. But yes, the transition back to life here has not been easy (but it is really nice to sit outside in a tee shirt in January). Although I would always claim that my fulfillment comes from the Lord I am learning more about what this means when I don't have a lot else going for me.
Happy Superbowl Weekend, my goal for today is to find out who is playing so I can drop it into conversation like I know what I'm talking about.
Love,
Joy
