At Least It's Something

Some days, you take whatever success you can find. Today, I finally unlocked my mailbox after a week of trying. I'm not hoping for anything else out of the day.


(To my credit, it turns out I was given the wrong combination. I got it on the first try once I tried the right numbers.)

Pictures

First day went well. More on that tomorrow, possibly (it's 9:20 and I'm still eating my supper). For once, I'm going to post pictures first.

view of my office from doorway

view from one of my two office windows

view of the shelves and door from the desk chair

close up of the desk. note I've already unpacked all the desktop essentials (e.g., hand lotion) and been to lunch at the union building (thus the soda cup).

I'm a Freshman All Over Again

Well, not really. Actually, it was pretty cool to walk around to places on campus today and tell the counter attendants I am a new faculty member. But driving and walking around campus this morning, lost most of the time, I felt like a freshman. Only being a freshman with a car is even worse, because that opens up whole new vistas of lost-dom.

I was carrying so many things with me today that I didn't take my camera, so pics will have to wait. As for the agenda, I didn't get to most of what I said I would. No PO box, no pedicure, and I haven't ironed a thing yet. But, I do have a parking tag, an ID card that will unlock the back door of the library, and 3 pounds of benefits literature to read and decide upon by Tuesday.

I went by the library today and dropped off my two boxes of "office stuff." I'm to report Monday at 8 am. I think that I will be working 8 to 4:30, with an hour lunch. Ha ha. I'll probably only be able to keep that schedule for a week, until I have too much to do (and of course, I'll have desk duty on nights and weekends sometimes). To answer previous questions, I earn two vacation days a month and one sick day a month.

When I got done on campus I drove north of town for a bit, looking at all the older ranch style homes in which I probably can't afford to live. I did see a few rentals, but until I figure out my benefits and know what I'll be taking home paywise, I'm reluctant to get my heart set on anything. And of course, the big dilemma is deciding how far from campus I want to live and am willing to drive. Particularly if I get an apartment, I don't want to be too close. But I do sometimes dream of my days in prisontown, when I was 10 minutes from work.

Timeline of a Trip

Wednesday, 1:36 pm: Leave house, right on schedule, thanks to Dad (and Elizabeth and Mary). Armed with ham crescents, snickerdoodles, Diet Coke, two new cd's (thanks Mary) and Carl Hiaasen's Hoot on cd, I'm set. BTW, do you know that my mother is the world's best cook? I'll be very sad when the ham crescents and snickerdoodles are gone.

Wednesday, 20 minutes outside of Texarkana: Take a break from Stevie Wonder and Music & Lyrics to pop in Marty Robbins' Gunfighter Ballads & Trail Songs. This, of course, is requisite listening on any car trip, and I felt I needed to start it before I left Texas (sniff, sniff).

Wednesday, 8:30 pm: Having traveled 405 miles I end up at the Travelodge in Forrest City, Arkansas. The room's not much, but for $49.99, what do I expect? Head to Subway for dinner, unpack the car, and settle in to watch Lost on the tiny tv.

Thursday, 10:30 am: After sleeping in and taking my time repacking the car, checking oil and tires (see, I have learned something from you, Dad), I'm finally off on the second half of my trip.

Thursday, 3:00 pm: Arrive in Murfreesboro. On the way, I stopped in at the Tennessee Welcome Center to get a map and some brochures. I also managed to connect to the Internet in the parking lot and looked up the address of my hotel.

Thursday, 4:30 pm: Having partially unloaded the car, I shower, talk to Mom on the phone, and have a lie down.

Thursday, 6:30 pm: Unwillingly get out of bed, sort of fix hair, and head off to Cracker Barrel for dinner (my first visit, ok, but guess I was expecting something better).

Thursday, 7:30 pm: Wander around Target for what seems like hours, dropping an inordinate amount of money on supplies and some food, a watch, and a DustBuster.

Thursday, 9:00 pm: Log on to the Internet and find out there's no Barnes and Noble in Murfreesboro. Head back out to Super Wal-Mart to pick up the groceries I couldn't get at Target (eggs, Light Silk Soymilk, etc.).

Thursday, 10:30 pm: Back at the hotel after spending another obscene sum at Wal-Mart, on things like a frying pan, can opener, and groceries.

Thursday, 11:50 pm: Finish blogging, trying to decide whether to turn in or to first impose some order on my temporary home. Decide I have to do some picking up or there won't be room on the bed for me to sleep.