the navel times and observer

Erm, it's been so long, and I don't know what to say. Well, not really.

It was crazy on the drive back from my new home tonight thinking that exactly one week ago all I knew was that the Blade, at least for the very immediate future, was behind me, and somewhere in the ether was a new job for the Joplin Globe. I found out since then that I still have health insurance (Huzzah!) which let me fix up my tooth which was completely exposed as the gum material receded (oh, such lovely terms those dentists use). This means I may be able to save one more tooth from falling out. After all, without my retainer I already look like "Toothless Joe".

It also means two appointments in a week's time to do the procedure and take out the stitches (fun? you betcha), and possibly a third and a fourth to finish this puppy up. I'm excited, my mouth will once again look "normal". At least as normal as mine ever will.

I also discovered this new city, Lamar. Lamar, at pop. 4,425 (according to the welcome sign), would pretty much meet your expectations of a city that size. It's small, has a few restaurants, the courthouse is old and in the center of town. Most of the people I've talked with (admittedly very few) are somewhat close-minded, but honestly in every small town I've seen there's something to love. I like being astounded by buildings, I also love being astounded by vast open country and natural scenic beauty (I look like a slack-jawed gawker in either scenario). I think Lamar will be a nice town and I look forward to living there. I'm not sure at this stage I'm missing much from not living in Joplin (the only big thing, really, is not getting to know my co-workers as well, but I plan on doing what I can to rectify that situation). I mean, after all, Lamar has a 24-hour Wal-Mart Supercenter, honestly, that's pretty hot stuff relatively speaking.

I'm very anxious about the job starting next Tuesday, but have been assured by many people (thanks, people) that I'll do a good job. And when I can completely convince myself and/or hear some compliments from my superiors I think I will start to believe it. No offense to my supporters, I couldn't live without them, but I've never been completely happy about a performance until I hear something from the highest-up horse's mouth.

It did help, though, to get perspective from someone really quite new to my list of supporters: a former babysitter, copyeditor and now, I believe, some level of editor at the San Antonio Express-News who helped me find the person who helped me get my DC internship.

In any case, after describing my woes at the Blade she told me I was a great writer. Granted, I write e-mails differently than I write stories. I try to be clever in e-mails, I try to be dry in writing stories. And I don't really see myself as clever to begin with but she, an editor, liked it. Irrational as that may be it helped immensely.

Beyond that I'm trying to see the people I know really well in St.L, maybe actually spend a little time in Columbia. finish up my medical stuff and move to Lamar to start a new job. What a week.

P.S.: I just spilled a bunch of lemonade in the kitchen because I forgot to swivel the lid of the pitcher so the spout would match the drain in the lid. I'm a functional adult, really, I swear, just ask anyone who doesn't know me very well.