and yet another chapter begins!

Two shocking things to the system:  it was in the high 50's and sunny yesterday and today it's snowing.  Also, Spring Forward... not a fan.

I'm especially tired because of a full day of skiing yesterday.  It was a really excellent day for it though.  Great weather, except for clouds rolling in during the afternoon, but it was warm and the snow conditions were great.  Plus, Michael's brother was out here for his spring break and he went with us.  While he was here, we also went to a hockey game, some of our favorite Denver restaurants and Michael also took him to Red Rocks and to his job to volunteer for the day.  So it was a pretty busy week, especially when you factor in this:

It was my first week of my new job!!!

I haven't updated since getting the job.  This is the job I wrote about in my last post before I had interviewed.  Within one week, I found out about the job, applied, had three interviews, and got the job... haha so it all happened so fast.   The position is an administrative assistant at the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.  I think I'm really going to like it and it is the kind of position I was looking for.  The responsibilities are all office support and acting as the front desk receptionist.  It's less money than my last job but also less responsibilities.  It sounds like I'm lazy when I praise that fact, but the truth is I wasn't mature enough or professionally developed enough for my last high-stress position.  This is going to be better for the stage of life I'm in now and to help me gain more experience.  So far, I really like the staff, though it's going to be tricky because my immediate supervisor is a girl my age with whom I could really be good friends.  But if she's my supervisor, I'll have to watch my comfort level with her.  That's too bad because we really get along.

So the organization works on sustainability issues and brings together around 30 other nonprofits with similar missions to collaborate.  We own the building (located downtown) but lease space to all of those other organizations to use as their office.  This is good because it brings everyone into one place to create a real generator of ideas and actions.  So the whole building is green and each employee gets a bus pass to encourage not driving to work.  Plus, they only have 4 parking spots and it's located downtown which means parking is extremely limited or very expensive.  So that's what I'm doing - taking the bus!  I actually really enjoy it and I feel good for being environmentally friendly.  A lot of the employees also bike, which I plan on doing when the weather is good.  The benefits are really good for this job (they pay 100% of health insurance!) with a lot of vacation time.

I'm going home this week for a long weekend and my new staff are very supportive of me taking that time even though I just started.  I feel like they take good care of their employees.  My main job this week has been to help organize our newly renovated office, so it's been pretty chill so far.  I feel very lucky to have been unemployed for only a month.  So, I'm going to try hard to keep this job for as long as I need it.  A lot of lessons were learned from the last one.

Anyways so yes, going home this week for lots of wedding planning appointments.  I very much look forward to the trip and spending time with my parents.  The trip will be from Thursday to Monday.

I'm watching Up for the 3rd time since I've gotten it.  This movie can be too sad sometimes... but still I just love seeing the relationship that the main character has had with his wife throughout his entire life.  I really hope for that longevity of bliss and see myself having that.  My relationship with Michael has really become totally solid and natural.  Something that is completely ingrained into myself.  Over the past 5 years, we've gotten to 100% trust and knowledge about each other.  It really does take that many years to get to such a solid place.  A couple of years ago, I thought I was there but, looking back, there was so much more to learn.  I'm sure there still is more to learn, but now there's not an ounce in me that questions if we are meant to be.  I'm so ready to live together and it's so exciting to think that it will finally happen this year.  Not sure exactly when, either when our leases are up in August, or if we can each find something temporary, then it would be towards the end of the year... just to get as close to marriage as possible.  I do want to have moved in before the wedding though, to get that stress of finding a place and settling in over and done with so that we have somewhere to go home to (that's already set up) after the wedding.

Alright, that's enough of a check in for now!