Homeward Bound

Yesterday afternoon I moseyed on down to one of the synagogues in the new hometown to check out the Purim carnival and get a sense of how they do things ’round these parts.

I saw kids dressed up as clowns and princesses, pirates and superheroes and if I am not mistaken even saw someone dressed up as Mary Todd, Lincoln’s crazy wife. But unlike every other year I didn’t see my kids or any faces that I recognized and that was strange.

Strange because it is the first holiday without the family and one that I have always shared with them. Strange because I am used to being surrounded by friends and familiar places and though I knew exactly what was going on around me I still felt a bit like a stranger in a strange land.

So even though there was food and I was hungry I chose not to eat. Even though I am quite comfortable with my own company the idea of eating alone in a room filled with people made me feel more alone so I didn’t.

You Have To Put Yourself Out There

When you are the new kid in town you have to put yourself out there and be more outgoing or you won’t meet anyone. So I did.

I put myself out there. I introduced myself to several people, shook hands, exchanged stories and enjoyed making their acquaintance. That was perfectly fine with me, but eating is different.

Meals are communal and holiday meals even more so, which I suppose is part of why I just didn’t want to sit and eat.

So I left and resumed my search for an apartment.

Where To Live & How To Furnish

For the first time in forever the decisions about where I want to live and how I want to furnish my place are mine and mine alone. The decisions about whether I should be downtown, North, South or on the moon are mine.

One bedroom, two bedroom, loft or penthouse is up to me.

Since almost all of my stuff is locked up in storage three states away I’ll probably spend a couple of bucks acquiring some new pieces of furniture here. It will probably be more cost effective than shipping those boxes out my way.

Part of me doesn’t want to do it because why spend money when I own some of these things, but there is also a piece of me that is excited because it is a new beginning.

My daughter says she would like to go shopping with me because she thinks she should be the one making the decisions about what to buy, but I think this time around it is going to be much more fun to let these choices be made by yours truly- all hail the testosterone laden man. 😉

Don’t know what that last line means so don’t ask.

Roots

The most important part of finding my own place and moving out of the hotel is that it provides a chance to start building roots. Tourist time is over and now is the time to make a home.

I am pretty good about living on the razor’s edge but I am done with the Jack Reacher impression. The next phase of life has begun.