City Life

Thank you all for your lovely responses on my last post! I really appreciate your kind words!!!

APARTMENT UPDATE:

So, I've been "moved in" to my apartment since Saturday! I've spent most of my time organizing/unpacking, exploring my neighborhood, and relaxing with Bailey the beagle and Amanda, my awesome roommate. We get along really well!

Yesterday, I took a visit to the Whole Foods by the Inner Harbor, and although it was depressingly expensive and I couldn't really afford anything, it was amazing. I also walked through Little Italy, and through my neighborhood to see which bars I'll probably be hitting up this weekend! ;-) It all still feels so surreal to me. It's only been a couple of days, so I guess that makes sense. But honestly, I love my new home, and I really think I will stay in Baltimore for awhile. I love it here. I am super close to my parents, but I am still far enough away that I can be completely independent. Also, I love the city! The water, the air, the sounds, the smells...all of it!

JOB UPDATE:

I just got a call from my boss today, and due to some issues with the HR department, I may not be starting my job until April 4th. I'm a little bummed, to be honest. My brother and my friends and roommate were like "oh that's so awesome, you'll have more time to just chill out and do whatever!", but I am ready to go! I need to make money to pay the bills, first of all. But I'm also genuinely excited to get started in my career. I'm sure once I start, I'll look back and realize how great it was to sit around doing nothing, though....

I am trying to keep myself busy with social plans, and also to keep myself accountable. I know I haven't really talked candidly about my eating disorder on here in awhile, mostly because things have been fairly stable. However, it is definitely true that moving out on your own makes it hard to stick to a meal plan, or at least a general schedule. I think it's hard for any person, but especially someone with my history. My roommate works nights, so dinners have been on my own. I stocked up on cheap/quick/easy to make foods that I also enjoy, like chicken breasts, lots of frozen and canned veggies, and rice or pasta dishes. So far, so good.

MAN UPDATE:

The man and I have a date tomorrow night! I offered to drive to him since he drove to me last time. Plus, he's a teacher and works early in the morning, so we can't stay out too late. I'm going to meet up with him at his house around 5:30 tomorrow evening, and then we're going to go out to dinner somewhere and then probably for a drink or two somewhere as well. I am so nervous every time I hang out with him because I honestly have never felt this intensely about a guy before. I want things to work out so badly, but I don't want to hold my expectations too high in case it doesn't work out. Can anyone relate? I know I should stop overanalyzing everything and just enjoy our time spent together, but it's hard not to wonder where it will end up going.

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So, that's pretty much all for now. I am exhausted so I am going to head to bed!

What is your favorite city and why?

My "home" city of Baltimore is great, but of all the cities I've been to in the world, PARIS is my favorite. Hands down. No competition.

A Photo Tour of My New Home

As promised, here are a few photos I snapped of my new townhome in Baltimore. I am renting from a girl named Amanda who is also my roommate. She is 24 and has a beagle named Bailey, whom I have inherited. I only just moved in, but I already feel right at home.

me in front of the front door!

living room

our awesome, spacious kitchen

my room--LOVING the exposed brick! that door also opens to a pretty large private balcony!

I get my own bathroom! It has a skylight!

Bailey, Amanda's doggie :-)

So, I have one week to settle into my new atmosphere and explore the city, especially the Canton neighborhood, before my full-time counseling position begins on March 28th! What a whirlwind my life has been! This is proof that hard work and patience and perseverance really do pay off, in recovery and in life. I have worked very hard to get where I am. A few weeks ago, I was afraid I'd be living at home forever and would never get a "real" job. Now, I am living independently and am about to start my career!

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Oh yeah, and things with The Man are going SUPER well. He drove more than an hour last night after he had worked all day, just to come see my new place in Baltimore and to hang out with me. He stayed the night, but it honestly was innocent (besides like, passionate making out haha). It was adorable. We talked and had a couple beers and stayed up til 4am. Then this morning, we woke up at 9 and laid in bed talking and cuddling for 2 more hours before we finally got out of bed and he headed home because he had to work.

I really like this guy. A lot. And I know I've said stuff like this before in the past, but it honestly feels different this time. This guy is older, so he's more mature, respectful, and intelligent than other guys I've dated. I really hope things work out between us because I think it could potentially be something wonderful.

Cross your fingers for me!

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I'm off to explore my new city! Have a wonderful Sunday and a great start to your week tomorrow...and HAPPY SPRING!

Apartment!

I am officially a resident of Baltimore City!

So excited!!!!!!!

I am moving TODAY into my new townhouse in Canton!

Pics and details to follow.

Oh, and the man and I have been consistently talking and have a date tomorrow night :-)

He is pretty rad.

My life is pretty rad. I can't believe I have a job at Hopkins and that I am moving out on my own and that I have a wonderful new man!

My life is beginning. Finally!

From College Grad to Career Woman!

Ladies & Gentleman, boys & girls, it's official!

I am a WORKING WOMAN!

After being a member of the college crowd, to a proud grad, to an unemployed mess, I am now finally transitioning into a working woman!

A "young professional", if you will.

I got a call TODAY from Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, MD. I am going to be a Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor in their Addiction Treatment Services Program.

This is a legit job with a salary and benefits like healthcare, paid vacation, and tuition reimbursement for graduate school!

I am officially a REAL person. My start date is in 2 weeks--Monday, March 28th!!!

I am beyond excited...and also nervous and scared. I have ZERO experience actually counseling people, let alone heroine addicts, so this is definitely going to be a learning experience. I am going to be responsible for a caseload of about 40 patients, and I will be conducting both individual and group therapy sessions. I am really excited though. This is a dream job for me because I am directly interacting with patients and making a positive impact, which is important to me.

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So, this job means I need to MOVE into an apartment in downtown Baltimore--pronto! Anyone have any recommendations? So far I have been scouring craigslist and have already found quite a few affordable places in the Fed Hill, Fells Point, and Canton.

I'm nervous to move into a new place--especially dealing with roommates and being on my own (aka NOT with my parents). Plus, I am going to have to deal with rent, utilities, food, social/extra costs, gas, insurance...I guess I really am an adult now.

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SOOOOO......

I went on date #2 with The Amazing Man on Sunday night. He is wonderful. We have been talking on the phone frequently. Sunday night, I met him in Gettysburg at his house, and then we went to dinner AND drinks. The date lasted 4.5 hours, and would have lasted longer if he had been able to stay out later (he works full-time as a permanent substitute teacher at a middle school so he had to cut the night short).

Tonight, we talked on the phone for an hour. He works all weekend as a waiter/bartender, but we may get together later in the week.

I really like this guy (or should I say MAN?! After all, he is 27!). He is sweet, kind, caring, intelligent, and hilariously funny. Our conversations flow and we have a lot in common while still bringing different opinions and perspectives to the table. I know it's only been 2 dates, but there is something about this man that is different from anything I've felt before.

I don't want to jinx anything, but I could totally see this being "the one". I never even used to believe in that romantic cheesy stuff, but now I'm not so sure. We "click" and everything is falling into place so well!!!

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Ok, well, I'm headed to bed, but I thought I'd share the news! :-)

Falling Into Place

Hello, loves!

Sorry my last post was so...brief. And cryptic.

Basically, I met the most amazing man ever (we'll call him B) and we had a fantastic first date last Friday night. I met him in a very funny and random way--he was the bartender at my brother and sister-in-law's rehearsal dinner in Gettysburg! We talked for awhile there, and then saw each other at the bar the next night (I went out after the wedding), and then we became Facebook friends, exchanged some private messages, exchanged phone numbers, and finally last Friday our schedules coincided so we could meet!

He picked me up at my house (yes--he drove 50 minutes from Gettysburg to MD just to take me out hehe) around 6:45, and our date lasted until...midnight. And probably would've lasted longer but he had to work the next day. We talked, and talked, and talked, and drank, and ate, and talked, and drank, and talked some more.

And then kissed.

It was perfect. Sublime.

And guess what?!?! We have plans to see each other this weekend! We actually aren't going out until Sunday, which sounds kind of weird, but I am going out of town for a psychology conference in BOSTON (super pumped!!!) and don't get back until 11pm Saturday night. So, he said how about Sunday because he "definitely wants to see me again" and I said um YES PLEASE! hehe.

OH! And other things are falling into place as well.....

I GOT A JOB!!!!!!!!!!

Well, it's not official yet, exactly. I can't go into too much detail, but basically, I got hired by one of the TOP hospitals in the nation to work as a Drug & Alcohol Rehabilitation Counselor. I am beyond thrilled. Seriously, this is a dream come true. My mom and I have already started looking online at APARTMENTS in Baltimore (right now the commute is anywhere from 30 minutes to over an hour, depending on traffic). I can't believe things are falling into place so perfectly!

Anyway, cross your fingers that it all works out for me!

P.S. Has anyone been to Boston? Any ideas for places to go and things to see???

On Cloud Nine

Best.

First Date.

EVER.