The C's...

I was going to title this blog "The 4 C's," because that's what it started out as... but I think there are more C's than that... Let me explain. =)

When I came back to America last year, there were four C's that I wanted/needed: carpet, computer, camera, & car. I was able to get the first three, but not the car... until yesterday!!! Even before I got to Arizona, I started looking online for people selling their cars, because I knew I'd need one here. After much frustration and not finding the right thing, I spotted a 1999 Toyota Corolla in great condition with less than 100,000 miles (a rarity among what I had seen). Last week Matt, the guy selling it, drove it over to our apartment complex and my roommate Jeremy went down with me to check it out. Everything looked and sounded clean. We took it for a test drive and I was sold! I couldn't get it for a week though, because Matt was hoping to keep it until he had to leave for New York (because of that, we negotiated a slightly lower price, since it would save him money on a rental if I could wait). Soo, I got it yesterday! I am very thankful, excited, and relieved that I don't have to impose on my roomies anymore if I want or need to go somewhere (although they were awesome about that whole situation). =)

Alright, let me move on to a couple more C's... The first is confusion. It's the story of my life! What to do, what to do? Well, a big situation making me confused is the one with Steve. Without going into too much detail (since this is on the internet!), basically the way it breaks down is that we've known each other for three weeks, and he's sold on me. Yes, we've talked a lot, but we've only hung out twice. He has told me that I have many qualities he didn't think existed in women, I am amazing, beautiful, etc. etc. etc., and that he "doesn't want to let me slip through his fingers." Basically he has said he wants to be with me for the rest of his life. So YEAH. Scary stuff. He is a wonderful guy, but I have some reservations. The biggest being the most important, the spiritual stuff. We've talked about it, and we have the same core beliefs... but in some of our conversations and from hanging out with him, I don't think we're on the same page. That really bothers me. There are other things, but without getting into them, I will move on to the next C...

Commitment. I never would have thought of myself as someone who has commitment issues, but during this year especially, I've realized that I have them. The thing is, I don't even have them solely in regards to relationships, but really I have them in general. I think about it... I only signed up to go to PNG for two years, instead of long term. I never want to make definite plans for anything... just "pencil it in" so it can be erased and changed if I want it to... When I got based in Chicago, I didn't know if I should put in a transfer or stay there... When I got the transfer to Tucson, I didn't know if I should keep it or put in for another transfer... Maybe that's a reason I like this job, is that I don't have to stay committed to one place but can move and keep the same job/pay! =)

Now let's talk the relationship side of things. I think I want commitment, but really, I don't want to be committed to someone... not right now anyway. In the last couple of years, I have been enjoying my freedom... It started before I went back to PNG in 2004. I was thankful I wasn't in a relationship or married then, because I could freely go where God wanted me to. Now, with this job, I'm glad I'm not in a relationship because of the freedom it's given me with all the moving and traveling to different places. So basically, Steve and I have been talking for three weeks and he's ready to settle down. Am I? No way!!!! It makes me want to run... fast. Ooh, maybe I will be like Julia Roberts in Runaway Bride! ;-) Let's hope it doesn't get that bad, but it is interesting the way things have played out recently. I'll just say that since I got this job, I have realized that there are more "fish in the sea" than I thought. We'll leave it at that.

To change the subject... I left Chicago on Wednesday morning, giving myself the entire day to try to get back to Tucson. I woke up before 4am, without much sleep, and made my way to the airport. My plan was to fly Delta to Tucson, connecting in Atlanta. The flight to ATL looked ok, but to TUS didn't look so good... Thanks to the grace of God, it didn't take me 20 hours to get back and I got on both flights! =) Kinda ironic, Steve pushed back my plane... I could see him on the ground, because I had a window seat. He didn't see me though. On the flight to Atlanta, I met Rob, who was in the aisle of my row. It was his birthday, and he was on his way to Costa Rica for a few days to hang out with his friends. We talked the whole way, from Chicago to Atlanta! We had some time between flights, so we hung out and grabbed some breakfast at the airport before going our separate ways. Awesome guy, great stories! =) I really liked his hair.

Now I'm back at home in Tucson... at home while I'm on call, flying on my days off! =) It's the good life. It's another beautiful day today, so I'm going to go down to the pool for awhile... Hope that your weekend is a relaxing one! =)

back in Chi-town

For my days off this week, I decided to come back to Chicago, where my old roomies generously welcomed me back and gave me a place to stay. =) They are great!! I flew in on Sunday evening on American, where I had an entire row to myself. Lovely! The flight attendants were good to me and hooked me up with a chicken wrap - lunch for the next day! I got in and got on the train that I have not been missing, and made it back to my old place at 11pm. I had tried to get ahold of people here but no luck... so thought I'd just see what would play out.

I mentioned Steve a couple posts ago... I met him on the train, and he had helped me out the day I left Chicago. He works for Delta doing ground stuff. He pushes back planes, loads cargo, all that fun stuff (you know those guys that run around on the ground before you take off and after you land, wearing the orange vests and waving the orange wands?). Well, yesterday after Steve got off work, he called me and I got on a bus to meet him near his place close to Lincoln Square. We took a walk around the neighborhood he lives in, and eventually made it to a little Mexican restaurant on the corner of a quiet street. It was just before 6:00pm, and since it was so early, we were the only ones there. I opened up the menu and immediately looked at the prices... Steve must have seen the look on my face and told me not to worry about the prices but get whatever I wanted! Alright... So I was looking at two different things that I was deciding between, and he told me I could get them both! Wow. I ended up getting a DELICIOUS meal of almond crusted fish with asparagus over a bed of couscous with sundried tomatoes, and caramelized plantains (like cooking banana from home!!!)... all with a super yummy coconut sauce on the side. It was great! I was so full... I'd been so hungry! (I know that will come as a shocker to any of you who have lived with me.) ;-) After our meal we walked around the area some more and then decided to catch The Simpsons Movie. So fun. =)

Steve is such a sweetheart and a gentleman. It is such a new thing for me to be... what's the word... hmm... I guess it's just a new thing for someone to be interested in me. I'm not sure what to do with it. We shall see I guess!

My first week in TUS

I've been on call in TUS for a week now, and have been called once... on my day off. =) This month there are only 4 of us on reserve here, and we all live together. Jeremy and Melissa were on trips, and Morgan and I were on our days off. My phone rang at about 11:00am, it was a Utah number... I answered it, and it was Crew Support calling and asking me to pick up a trip that day, just a turn to Salt Lake City. Since I'm so nice ;-) I said I'd do it. I woke Morgan up and she took me to the airport (she is so sweet!). I flew with a Captain who is the only female Captain out of Tucson, and she and the FO were both really cool. We got to SLC, where we had about an hour... then went to get to our plane to come back and found out our plane was "broken really bad"... so we waited some more, and finally they found us a plane to come back on. I was so relieved! I didn't pack for an overnight! Plus Morgan and I were going to have sushi for dinner... mmmmm... =)

After dinner we watched a movie... so fun! Jeremy got back late that night from a trip. The next day, we finally put together our bunk/loft bed. It was a 3 person effort, but we did it, and I had a bed to sleep on last night!! No more air mattress!

We've just been kickin' it a lot... Tucson is a nice place to hang out. Lots of normal places to go, like our favorite, Target. =) Then there are all these cool restaurants to check out, and we're having fun with that. This afternoon Jeremy, Morgan and I laid out by the pool, then went mattress shopping (only one came with our bed) THEN went to Rockin' Baja Lobster to grab some dinner! So it's been a good, relaxing week. I'm feeling more settled now that our apartment looks like an apartment and not just a crashpad! =) Pictures to come soon...!

More changes!

I am in Tucson, Arizona!

I spent Tuesday in Chicago, packing and relaxing a little. In the evening, Kindl and I had dinner at a little hole in the wall Mexican place near our house, muy delicioso! Then we took the train downtown to meet up with Joy. Got another guy's number, woohoo! I love it how guys just give you their number. Ok... so in case you didn't sense the sarcasm in my typing, I don't really love it, but I do find humor in it. Anyway, Kindl and I met up with Joy and we walked around downtown a little, and went to the beach and saw Lake Michigan. The city is so pretty at night! I'm bummed that I didn't get to do any touristy stuff while I was living in Chicago, but I guess that means I'll have to go back there on my days off sometime and check it out!

On Wednesday morning, after a couple hours of sleep, Kindl and I got up and made our way to the train station. She is super sweet, and offered to help me get my stuff up to the airport. We left the house at about 4:45am and got to the train station around 5:00. That's where we happened to meet up with Steve, who I had met on Saturday morning when I was on my way to the airport for my trip. Since he works at the airport (and because he is such a gentleman!!!) and was on his way there as well, he offered to help me with my luggage and Kindl got to go back home and sleep! I made it on the jetBlue flight, even got a seat! When I went to say hi to the pilots as I was boarding, they were cool, glad to give me a ride home, and offered me a donut. I have more and more respect for those jetBlue people all the time. They are so awesome, and have saved me many times. Highly recommend flying jetBlue!!!

Dad met me at the airport in Long Beach, and we got my stuff and headed to Starbucks for breakfast. Mmmmm, breakfast sandwiches. I haven't found those at any other Starbucks in America, just Cali. We got my favorite, reduced-fat turkey bacon. Dad got an iced coffee and I got my strange but surprisingly refreshing iced venti half passion half green iced tea, no h2o, light ice, 5 Splendas. Try it sometime! It was soo good to see people there again... Larry, Kathleen, Lichelle, Mia, Tiffany, Crystal... love it! After our time there we went back home, then Dad went and played golf. I spent much of the afternoon with Jenni. =) It was her birthday, and I was very happy that I made it back to California that day so we could hang out together. We went and got pedicures, then she showed me her cute house in Fullerton! Afterwards I went home and packed a little, did some laundry, and took a much needed nap.

The next morning Dad and I left bright and early for LAX. It wasn't as bad getting through security and flying out of there as I thought it might be! From our house to the gate (through security) it took about an hour. After getting some tea at Starbucks I got on the first flight to Tucson! Morgan was at the airport to pick me up, and we went back to her (our!) apartment. In Tucson, I am living with Morgan and Jeremy (who are both from my training class and originally got based here) and Melissa (who was in Chicago as well but also got transferred to Tucson). Melissa and her Aunt Wanda drove and got here the same morning I did! After dropping off my stuff, the four of us went to Sweet Tomatoes (aka Souplantation in Cali!!!) for lunch, and it was WONDERFUL!

We've spent these first few days in Tucson shopping, looking for furniture, hanging out, and getting settled. I love it so far! It is beautiful and hot (as you can see by the picture of our thermostat... the a/c in our apartment broke!). It feels normal... lots of familiar stores around (Trader Joe's!!!), and pretty low key. The cost of living is also nice and low! I'm hoping to be able to get as tan as Melissa ;-)... we have a pool just outside our apartment... so while I'm waiting to be called, lots of opportunity to work on that! I am feeling a little unsettled right now, just because we don't have all of our furniture yet and I'm not completely unpacked, and also because I don't have a car. My roomies are awesome (in lots of ways!) and have offered me their cars, but I feel bad having to do that. So I'm hoping to find something soon...

It is awesome that Amy Hauschildt (from PNG) and her family are in Tucson! They've taken great care of me so far and I'm so blessed that they're here. I got to hang out with Amy on Friday afternoon... basically she took me around and we picked up some stuff that I needed! Only a good friend will put up with stuff like that! I am definitely looking forward to spending some more time with her.

Tonight I am spending a quiet night at home... all my roomies are out... So I thought it time to update! I have the next three days off... not sure what I'm gonna do... always an adventure. We shall see!