Doc Hop

Today marks one month in California, and while my posts have been few, my days have been absolutely beautiful. My first week was jam packed with official business, but the calm yet steady pace of the past three has really allowed me to settle in and find my footing in Long Beach.

I’ve spent most of my time making this new apartment feel like home. I left a lot of my old furniture in Augusta, which allowed me the freedom to search for some necessary staples before my U-Haul box arrived. I ended up purchasing a loveseat and dresser for the “game room” (more on that later), a desk chair, and a lounge chair for outdoor reading. This all came in exceptionally handy, as I did not have many places to sit and relax while I waited for my things to arrive. It also helped my place feel slightly more like a living space and less like an empty office.

My U-box arrived on Aug. 5, which was earlier than I expected given all the confusion that arose when I moved my trip up two weeks. While finding a spot to park the box was a bit of a hassle, unloading was a breeze. I had all my things into my apartment that afternoon, and the company picked up the box the following day. I’m much more of a Penske person, but shipping my stuff was definitely the way to go.

Unpacking took a bit longer, but not by much. Anyone who knows me even peripherally is well aware of the passion that I hold in my heart for drag, and anyone who has been to my place in the past three or four years knows that I have A LOT of it. I line my walls with signed photos from queens I’ve met at various performances and events throughout the years, and at this point I have so many mementos that it might as well be wallpaper. There was so much that I barely knew where to begin. So — needless to say, while I was unpacked in the span of a few hours, it took about a week to really drag up the place. My apartment is finally together and feeling like home.

While unloading, arranging, and rearranging, I decided to put my bed and desk in the area intended for use as the living room, which allows me to use the bedroom as a lounge/gaming room. This was absolutely the move and the best way to use the space. I love an open floor plan, and gaming is SO much more comfortable now. In Augusta and Ohio I gamed in my bedroom, so I had to sit at the edge of my bed. The backrest is MUCH appreciated and I’ve been gaming much more lately as a result. My current obsession is Rise of the Ronin, which is essentially Assassin’s Creed meets post-feudal Japan. And I loooooooove some Assassin’s Creed.

Feeling at home has allowed me to begin to fall into a more regular routine, which helps with both my productivity and my mental health.

Lemon and I take anywhere from two to four walks a day, which has allowed us the opportunity to explore our new apartment complex from top to bottom. Together we found the game area and the puppy spa, neither of which we will likely use too much. Lemon’s met a few doggos and I’ve met a few of our neighbors. We’re really beginning to get a feel for the lay of the land, but there are still plenty of new smells to keep Lemon interested and our walks long.

I’ve also had time to stick my head into a book or two (four), which really means I’m home. (I have a California drivers license and apartment, but closing my first cover sealed it.) Most days I wake up early so I can spend hours on my patio, reading in the shade and feeling that gentle breeze off the Pacific Ocean. It’s not sexy, but it’s one of my favorite places to be. I’ve walked through so much chaos to enjoy the peace I find in these easy moments.

The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky was my first read in Long Beach, followed by The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker, Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman by Marjorie Shostak, and Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova. Up next on my TBR: Dostoevsky’s The Idiot and Shostak’s Return to Nisa. My library card definitely won’t stay cold for long!

(As a side note — I highly recommend Monstrilio to any fan of magical realism who has experienced great loss. It’s heartbreaking and odd and beautiful.)

It took me some time to find my groove on the nearest bike path, but I’ve finally begun to fit exercise into my routine as well.

There is an urban route that runs beside the San Gabriel River about two miles from my apartment. I jump on at Edison Park and bike south to Marina Park at Seal Beach, where I can spend some time with sand and water before biking home. I see all sorts of people biking their pups around in little bike baskets and would love to bring (not-so) little Lemon with me one day.

There are SO many bike paths in LB that I barely knew where to begin. In Augusta I pretty much stuck to one route, so it will be fun to have many local options to choose from. This route also runs right past the community gardens, which reminds me of my many rides in Athens, where I fell in love with biking all over again.

In one of my final steps toward solidifying my spot at The Beach, last week I picked up my keys and moved into my office on campus. I’m still waiting for IT to switch out my computer, and I need to get my degrees on the wall, but it feels great to have a place to lay my books. And meet with students! Oh, the important thoughts and research that I hope occur within these walls…

(Side note — this office used to be a shared office for adjunct faculty and lecturers, hence the additional desk and computer set ups. I will be the only one using the space and plan to move the extra chairs out once I know what to do with them. Four chairs in an office for one person is far too many chairs.)

I’m glad that I was able to get into my office a little early, because work really begins to pop off this week!

This morning I had a new faculty photoshoot with the campus photographer, so that the university has a professional photo on file for any upcoming events or press releases. My first faculty meeting is tomorrow, and afterward a few colleagues and I are going to grab lunch at The Nugget Grill & Pub, which is a popular lunch spot on campus. Last week I had lunch with the chair of the department at Crema Cafe in Seal Beach, so I’m beginning to get to know both my colleagues and where to go for great food.

Wednesday and Thursday is orientation and classes begin on Monday morning. I’m a little nervous about the first faculty meeting, but it helps knowing that this is my last first day at a new school.

I hope everyone teaching or taking classes has a lovely and productive start to the new year. As usual, I’m going to watch Son-in-Law and blast The White Stripes We‘re Going to be Friends on repeat until I feel the full fall vibe.

“Fall is here, hear the yell
Back to school, ring the bell
Brand new shoes, walking blues
Climb the fence, books and pens
I can tell that we are gonna be friends
I can tell that we are gonna be friends.”

— The White Stripes, We’re Going to be Friends