All Quiet on the Eastern Front....But Not For Long

Things around here have been quiet lately. Every morning I wake up and the first thing I do is read the Washington Post. I have become quite a fan of it. I then proceed to write blog posts for my newly improved education policy forum blog www.kablaucommunications.com. Then I check my emails for any responses from the days previous regarding jobs, networking or other opportunities. So far, nothing has really happened on the job front yet....but then again, I have only been here for 2 weeks....and I have made a lot of great connections. Here are some of my thoughts:

• People here are so welcoming and willing to help. I can't tell you how many people have told me that they moved here without a job too, and how things have worked out so well for them. It gives me hope that I am in a place where jobs are more accessible and applicable to what I want to do.
  
  
• Every day I feel that if I am not giving 100% to the job search that I won't find one. I have been a little MIA lately and my aunt and uncle once commented that I didn't need to seclude myself to my bedroom all the time. The fact is, once I get going, I get going and can't stop until I finish.
  
  
• I think I have at least 7 drafts of my resume...that is a lot! But hey, it is worth it. Some include my new professional pic...thank you Jamie. I also posted all my professional information on my Linked In site, which I have had for almost 5 years, but have only recently been able to fill it completely.
  
  
• I love The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Every lesson has been focused around keeping the faith (specifically from the Book of Ether) and maintaining hope. I have had some pretty unique growing and spiritually-building experiences already, focusing on what I need to hear. In addition, I was able to attend the Washington D.C. temple with my stake last Saturday. It was amazing. I have never been in such a big chapel area. It was amazing to see a line of sisters as we waited and prepared to do a session. Elder Quentin L. Cook, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles, is coming this weekend for stake conference. The temple gave us the perfect opportunity to think about and prepare ourselves for his arrival.
  
  
• My family here in McLean (from now on referred to as VAfam) has been amazing. They have made me feel so welcome and I already feel like I have been living here for a while. They have exposed me to some amazing things like food, the sites of McLean, the mall, but most importantly, they have exposed me to a quiet lifestyle. After dinner, quite often the family will go to the family room and sit together, not necessarily talking. My uncle will play the piano, my aunt will read or follow up with emails on her computer and my cousin will too. I started joining them...and am now reading The Count of Monte Cristo over again (unabridged)! I love reading for fun!
  
  
• Ah, the cat. This following section is dedicated to Sarah Huber. My VAfam has a cat. All of you who know me, know that I am deathly allergic to cats. Prior to my coming here, my father prayed that my health would be sustained. I would like to think this is God's little blessing for me....to be able to live with a cat with rarely any problems. I was touch and go for a while, but now I am doing much better. I have tried to avoid the cat completely, making it clear that he should avoid me too. Unfortunately, this little cat gave me this look of wanting that I have never experienced before. It reminds me of the cat on Shrek who looks with his BIG EYES and everyone falls for it. I am not saying that I am in love with cats or anything, but the idea of living with one isn't as repulsive....especially when it joins us for dinner at the table, literally, he has his own chair. In the meantime, my new friends have to forgive me for being doped up on allergy meds. I get really silly about 11:07 p.m.
  
  
• I just joined the local rec center. YAY for pools and swimming and weights and elliptical machines. YAY for not being lazy.
  
  
• My aunt and uncle are gone for a while, so my cousin Andrew and I are tearing it up here at the house. We got creative the other night and made Ethiopian food. Andrew may say that we 'attempted' to make it, but I feel that we were very successful....except making the Injera. That was just wrong.....
  
  
• I know, I know...all of you want to know about my dating life. Let me just put it this way. Yesterday, I pulled up the online magic 8 ball by asking if I was going to marry a certain someone this year (who doesn't know that we are supposed to get married...but he is my soul mate ;) I checked with 5 different online magic 8 balls, asking questions intermittently...you know in order to skew the stats. The funny thing was the answer to my very specific marital question was always, "Probably Not." Don't worry people...I am not letting a magic 8 ball persuade or undermine my dating/marital status. In fact, I am now determine to prove it wrong...hee hee. On the other hand, I also asked the online magic 8 ball if I would get a job this month and the answer was "Definitely Yes."

So, there you have it people...the adventure of Lindsey Blau just keeps going.