settler

it will suffice to say i am quite lazy about unpacking.
and nothing more needs to be said about that.

yesterday i called one of my co-workers who also hails from the midwest. she, her boyfriend, and her friend, and i all went out to catch a movie at this great little neighborhood theatre. an wrinkly and shaky old man took our tickets as he welcomed us to the theatre. the onscreen dancing vintage box of popcorn and large soda welcomed us to the theatre, and we all settled and waited for our feature presentation to start. and an hour into the show, just as burn after reading was about to reach the most climatic part of the movie, the power went out. we waited for an hour, hoping that the film would recover, but, alas it did not. so we settled for margaritas.

i went to church this morning at the methodist church up the street. never have i felt so welcome in a church. there was no sense of church hierarcy or bureaucracy, nothing but friendly handshakes, hugs, and peace-be-with-you's. the music was good, and the church was a mix of old, young, black, white, and hispanic. they were having an activities fair or something, to display all the different ministries that the church has going on. this was quite convenient for me, since i'm new to the block and looking for some social outlets. i also met some other americorps members. it seemed pretty cool.

after i came home and made brunch for myself, and had a good talk with an old friend. there are few people in life you can really say have seen you at your best, worst, and most ugly. this friend has seen me in everyone of those conditions, and he never fails to let me forget it. today he caught me at one of those "worst" moments.

now i'm not afraid of much. i can deal with all kinds of bugs (with a small exception to mississippi's flying love bugs) and i know how to deal with mice. but in the midwest, we don't have geckos. those little buggers are quick and they change color, and they are not something i care to encounter in my home. my dad had warned me when he left that there might be one in the house, but in the midst of settling in, i'd completely forgotten. until today when i saw it while i was on the phone. "oh come on, molly," my friend said. "you're fine, you're not afraid of that are you?"

you tell me what i'm supposed to do with a gecko? it runs faster than i can, and swatting at it with a broom will only prove to be unsuccessful, and only end with the gecko hiding out under my couch. (trust me- i tried.)

so now we have a third roommate. and the little bastard isn't even paying rent.