In the transition from St. Louis to Charlottesville, I’ve focused a lot on what is different between the two. After a year, I find that I’ve changed as a result of having a foot planted in each.
- I am now friendlier to acquaintances (when you have few friends, you’d better be)
- I have a friend who says “to-mah-to”
- I am much more likely to approach strangers
- I am open to hanging out with people with whom I’ve been acquainted for less than 17 years (I’ll admit it, I was in a friend rut)
- I am more conscious of what I look like when I leave the house (in STL, I never once ran into someone I knew while at the grocery store. In C’ville, it’s guaranteed)
- I eat sushi
- I know who the Dave Matthews Band is (as in, I would know DM if I saw him on the street)
- I am more relaxed
- My stress is more concentrated/compressed/targeted
- I drive less than 45 mph at all times, unless I’m in STL
- I feel like I belong
- I’m often wistful
- I am a seasoned, frequent flyer (I don’t even get nervous anymore)
- I write more, am more introspective and slightly more introverted, all a result of working solo in a home office
- I’m taller. No, I can’t be; I just feel that way because there’s a whole new crop of people unused to my freakish height
Have you changed at all in the past year? Why?
Isn’t it amazing how many people you see that you know at the stores? While C-ville is getting larger, I can still say that no matter where I go I see someone I know.
And, C’ville has done that to me as well–I feel like I belong. I have also set my inner creative person free here. That is the one positive change in me the past year.
The other–I’ve become a sadder person. Elaborating would take too long. It’s all wrapped in the shroud of my father’s death.
You are now eating Sushi???
The Bob’s would be so proud of you!
As far as Dave Matthews Band goes. I saw that Dave will be making his acting debut on House this week. I like the show… but the “guest starring Dave Matthews” is a bit Scooby Doo-ish if you ask me.