An explanation

Hello world.

I've decided it's time.  Time for me to get off my duff and stop wallowing in my debilitating homesickness.  Today is my four-year anniversary in Lafayette, and I've signed on for several more.

A little back story, for the, like, seven of you who may not know:
I was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska.  With the exception of a 15 month stint in South Central Illinois for my first run at graduate school (where I was also miserable), I lived the first 27 years of my life in Anchorage.  I went to college across the street from the hospital in which I was born.  My one change in sixth grade to a different elementary school within Anchorage was traumatic. My best friends haven't changed in over ten years.

In short, change is difficult for me.  I don't like it.  Adventure, yes.  Travel, yes.  Change, no.

So when I moved to Lafayette, Indiana in 2007 to be with my now-husband (J), I cried all the way to the state line - which is about 7 hours away.  I won't sugar coat it - I actively and thoroughly hated Indiana for the entire first year I was here. I hated the weather, the sales tax, the lack of scenery, the EVERYTHING.  Midwesterners are early risers and always early - what's up with that? The culture shock was overwhelming.

I adapted well enough after a year when I got a job as a library assistant.  My coworkers were awesome, our patrons didn't yell at me, and I didn't have to be up before the sun in the summertime. But I still missed home.

I've decided that enough is enough already. People move all the time, and they're excited to do so - why have I taken so long to adjust?

I recently (finally) began my career as a public librarian, where I work with members of the community every day.  Hoosiers love their communities as much as I love my own hometown.  The friends that I've made since I moved here, but have since moved away, miss Indiana as much as I much as I miss Alaska.  I've decided it's time, as a now-professional member of this community, to explore it and see what I've been missing out on for the last four years.  Hence this blog.

I will focus mostly on the goings-on in my community as I explore it further.  Some of my posts will be personal (as in, if I hadn't moved to Indiana, such-and-such would not have happened), and some of them will be from the perspective of an outsider and may make no sense to someone who isn't either A.) from Alaska or B.) from an extremely small town, but they'll be something for people from the lower 48 to think about.  I consider my audience to be virtually anyone, but especially those dealing with homesickness and anyone who wants a different perspective about their surroundings.  Other librarians are fun friends, too.

Other things to consider:

 - I still consider myself Alaskan.  As I said to a friend, Alaskans are always Alaskans, sometimes they just live in other places.
 - Keeping that in mind, I'm still getting my Big Dipper tattoo.  Just as soon as I convince J that it was his idea.
 - This blog is PG-13.  Not that it will be explicit, but it may sometimes include the words "margarita" and/or "damn".


I'm off to do community things.  I shall report back.