Our Hearts Are Restless

One down, unknown quantity to go.  A year ago today, I moved into a two-bedroom apartment in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and took up legal residence in this corner of the Midwest.  All things considered, A2 is a great location, but the state and Michigander culture certainly have unique points. As I've been repeatedly asked "So what are the differences between Michigan and Indiana?" I decided to whip up a list based on my experiences of this first year. 1. Speed Limits are Suggestions You know you live in Michigan when the policeman standing on the shoulder of the freeway with a radar scanner doesn't blink when you cruise by at 15 over.  At this point, I wonder how fast one must actually drive in order to get pulled over?  Definitely, don't go the posted speed limit, because you'll get run off the road. 2. The Great Lakes Obsession It's all about the Great Lakes.  (One might think there's nothing else to brag about?  See #4.)  "Unsalted and Sh...

If you are currently in college, just flipped your tassel, or - like me - are still struggling with calling a new apartment "home", p lease enjoy this guest post from one of my good friends, Amy Marter.  Amy just graduated as Valedictorian from Christendom College, with a BA in Literature and a minor in Classics.  She is working for Our Sunday Visitor for a second summer, volunteers at the Catholic Writers' Conference, and will attend Catholic University of America this fall for a MA in Literature. CC0 Public Domain via Pixabay A Patron Saint for College Nomads If there is one practical skill that I have gained from my college education, it has been that of packing. After four years of moving into dorms and returning home for breaks, I like to think that I have mastered the art. There is an exhilarating liberation that comes from the decision that all of one’s necessary earthly possessions can fit into the back of the station wagon. It gives rise to freedom to ro...

I'm still surprised I survived for three months without a library card!  Thankfully, I'm familiar enough with the city that I felt up to exploring the local branch of the Ann Arbor District Library last night. I'll have to poke around more in the daylight, because the building is very interestingly designed.  It's modern-art-y but in a fairly tasteful way; very open and brightly lit with big windows. I only had an hour, and a project to get finished, so unfortunately I didn't get the chance to look at their book selection.  I basically just found a comfy chair and used the wifi!  But happiness and joy, I can check out and return books interchangeably between branches; this location is just ten minutes from work, and there's another one close to my apartment.  So that makes life easier! It seems I'm officially a resident of Ann Arbor - had to show proof of residency to get the card.  And now that I have a library, I feel more at home in...

This is the weirdest experience of my whole life.  Okay, maybe not, but it's awfully close - I had an entire Saturday with no plans .  No homework to do, no wedding planning, no travel, no family or friends nearby, no urgent tasks.  There were a few things that needed to get done (some necessary shopping, a little apartment cleaning) but really, I had hours to waste.  Lord knows I needed the rest after last weekend's wedding frenzy, and the last six weeks of non-stop running to get moved up here.  But I've been vegging out all week, and need to "recalibrate" as my dad puts it. So today's been a mix of boredom and spurts of energy.  I got up for morning Mass at the parish I think I'll join; came home and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast with my roommate.  I baked a pineapple-blueberry dump cake, then went out for a slow shopping trip for a few necessary items.  After a late lunch, I've done basically nothing except shift some stuff around in ...

Before: After: Yes, most of those are double-stacked.  And please ignore the fact that there are still 7 or 8 boxes of books left to be unpacked!

Hello!  Sorry for the long silence over here.  It's been a crazy week, between funeral prep, packing, a trip to the State Fair, visiting my grandma, attending the funeral, driving to Michigan, and settling in at my new apartment and job.  So yeah, I've been growing up with a vengeance in the last few days. There's been ups and downs, all lessons learned for the future. Sunday, after driving up, I attempted to iron a blouse for my first day of work.  It melted in 0.75 seconds.  So now I can't use the iron because it has very interesting blue melted gunk on the soleplate.  Thanks, polyester. And I wore the wrong shoes to work the first day.  See, my office building is about a mile long, and the chapel is at the other end.  I didn't expect that the walk to noon Mass was going to be quite so...penitential. I keep getting lost on the way to and from work, although I'm rather proud of myself because I keep finding my way back.  I'm telling ...

Hi, y'all!  Pop on over to The Starving Inspired for a video tour of our new apartment in this foreign country called Ann Arbor. Facts I have picked up recently - it's not blue and gold/yellow, it's "maize", and it's EVERYWHERE.  Also, the town is colloquially known as A2, there are college students everywhere, I plan to stay indoors on home game days.  And I'm pretty sure I won't be able to find a good tenderloin.  I'm telling you, this is a whole new world, y'all. Yep, I'm skeptical.  Aladdin looks like one of those sketchy Rome tour guides anyway.

Linking up with CatholicMom again today! Moving out is quite the challenge.  For some silly reason, I expected the process to be basically like going back to college.  Not so much...there are ties being severed in a way I haven't experienced before.  It will be a very difficult transition, but I think I can make it. A few small successes this week as I get ready to move - just baby steps, but they're helping the list get a little shorter. Martha (my new-to-me VW station wagon) got blessed this week!  The old blessing has some lovely phrases in it.  It mentions the holy angels surrounding and accompanying the car, and asks that "just as by Your deacon Philip You gave faith and grace to the man of Ethiopia as he sat in his chariot reading the Sacred Word, so, point out to Your servants the way of salvation."  And maybe it's all psychological, but I have felt better driving Martha now that she's blessed.  Driving solo in a new vehicle, which was ...

Remember those awful conversation-starters like "If you were alone on a desert island, what three books would you want to have with you?"  Here's a new one: If you were facing the most challenging transition of your life so far...what books would you want in your Emergency Reading Kit? I've included practical books, spiritual reading favorites, a little Shakespeare, fiction favorites and newbies, fairytales and poetry: I chose books that I knew I would want to be readily accessible, no matter what else I unpacked.  They're essentials for the mind, heart, and soul, to keep me sane through the first few weeks of this life-shift.  As I'm thinking about it, there are more I should have included, but this will be a good start for now.  Here's a breakdown of my Emergency Reading Kit. Practical books: Betty Crocker's Cookbook  is a family favorite, with all the essential, basic recipes I could ask for.  There's a lot of love i...

Just a quick update for those of you keeping tabs on me here!  In a week, with the help of St. Joseph and my parents and numerous other kind people, I managed to get a car, a roommate, and an apartment.  The apartment process was agonizing, but luckily we had a lovely saleswoman helping us.  My roomie and I are excited about our little two-bedroom flat in Ann Arbor, and I'm trying not to go nuts with all the college dorm sales at Bed, Bath & Beyond and all the other shops!  I have to keep reminding myself that a lot of things can wait until after the first couple of paychecks. At final count, I packed up twenty-three boxes of books.  Yes, 23.  Somehow Arabic numerals seem more innocuous?  Pretty sure I could build an emergency shelter out of the fiction alone.  I'll post soon about my Survival Kit, books that I've set aside to help me keep my sanity during the first month or so. The other major project on my plate right now is wedding planni...