The Work of a Weekend

Over lunch today, I got to thinking about moving out into my own apartment. (It's such an exciting thought!) I thought about getting my bed out of storage - ooh, and my giant desk! And the other half of my DVD collection! And the other 3/4 of my books! - and I thought about the things that I would need to get and how much fun it would be to go shopping for home furnishings without having to try to blend my decorating taste with that of someone else.

And then I suddenly thought about actually living alone. I thought about those weekends when I don't have anything planned. What would I do? Would I sit at home all weekend, watching movies and eating ice cream, or working on one of my many little projects? Never speaking unless someone happens to call...

No, of course not, I tried to tell myself. You've been home alone many weekends before. Just because you have a roommate doesn't mean they're always around. Just call up some of your friends and go do something!

And then I tried to decide who I would call.

There was not a single name that popped instantly to my mind.

Back in the midwest, I always had someone I could call. My Swedish friend was always up for fun and frivolities (as she called it), and if she wasn't available, there was my old roommate or the library girl or my friend from work - just for starters.

Out here in California, though, the list is much shorter.

Oh sure, there are people that I could call. When I stopped and really thought about it, I came up with plenty of people who might be willing to hang out on a random Saturday. The problem is that I've never before called most of them with a spontaneous invitation to do something on a weekend, and I'm not sure how they would react.

Okay, that's just my fear talking. I've been telling myself over and over for the last six months that if I want to make friends, I have to put myself out there and make myself available for friendship. I think I've done a pretty good job of it, too. I just forgot that the next step is actually following up on some of those connections - inviting people to hang out and really trying to get to know them. I can't expect to get all of my social interaction through work or church. I have to make a little one-on-one effort, too.

It was an eye-opening train of thought.

Actually, I also had an eye-opening conversation last night. My mom and I were having dinner with some family friends, and the husband was encouraging me to look into getting my Master's degree, since I would get free tuition from working at a university. He was telling me about his job in career development at a different college, and how much he loves working with students to help them figure out what to major in and where to go after graduation. I almost hate to admit it, but I was interested! I love it that my job lets me work with college students, and I get to do a little - a very little - bit of academic advising with them, and I like it. So I think I could be interested in that career development thing he was talking about.

But . . . I would love to be self-employed. I'd really love to run a business with a friend or two - and I have my ideas - and some of my friends have ideas, too. And having that as a career goal doesn't really mesh with getting a post-grad degree and working up through the university system.

On the flip side, I've always felt like it's the kind of career goal that I would have to fall into, rather than actively pursue. Which leaves me needing a regular job in the interim.

Wow - that's a lot of stuff to be percolating around in my head! (Especially over a weekend!)

I think I'll finish cleaning the studio now...