Well. I'm now sitting in my beautiful
flat, beautiful sunlight streaming through the open blinds, let in by the
10ft high windows that I have. Those windows are great, the light is
wonderful, although they do ensure my heater is running all the time. There
is some music blasting on in the background (Francis Yip belting out the
theme from "Shanghai Bund") - the player and the CDs arrived with the air
shipment that I received on the day I moved in here. Can't wait till my
other things arrive.
Every now and then, I look at the mountains
of things yet to be done in my flat, and wonder "How am I going to put in
those 14 bookcases...and where will the piano go..." I was sure I had more
space before all this rental furniture turned up!
Anyway. So far, it's been a case of good
news/bad news. Good news - picked up a hire car. Bad news - I still
don't like driving. Good news - made it from the hire car lot to the
supermarket and back. Bad news - I missed the turning for downtown
Cincinnati twice, and had to go down the highway for a while before I could
double back. Good news - my air shipment has arrived, so all my clothes,
some of my books etc are with me. Bad news - ALL of the clothes needs
ironing. Good news - there seems to be a number of small delicatessens
around which means that I will at least be able to get some fruits before I
make it to the large grocery store. Bad news - they close at 6 and do not
open at the weekends. And the list goes on.
Still. I suppose I will have to learn to
adjust. For instance, I find it odd that I have to get onto the interstate
highway/motorway just to go get my groceries! The largest chain of grocery
stores here, Kroger, has it's headquarters here in Downtown, but does it
have a store here? Of course not! Nearest one is two exits of the
interstate!
Still with the driving: I'll have to learn
the Ohio highway code and actually get my Ohio licence soon. I am only
allowed 28 days on this hire car, so I will have to buy something soon. I
think I'll settle on a Volvo sedan. The most important thing is that it is
a safe car! Oh - the parking bay allotted to me in this building has to be
seen to be believed. The only way to get into it, is to reverse into it.
Which is normally fine: I'm okay reversing - in a right hand drive car.
The natural inclination to turn and look over my left shoulder doesn't
really help. Looking over my right shoulder just doesn't work. SO. What
I did is to turn the car around in some other parking lot (I can still do my
three-point turns..) and drive into my bay. Maybe I should ask for a
change of bays - after all there seems to be so many going spare.
Work-wise, I'm still pretty much of a blur
as I haven't really applied my mind to job. Jet lag didn't help. And add
to that the paperwork etc. Still next week I will have to start working on
the job at hand. We have a new VP, and next week all the regional
directors have been summoned to Cincinnati to meet the new boy. I laugh -
and ask those directors with whom I get along well which they are bringing:
gold, myrrh or frankincense...
Anyway. First week. Over, bring on the
next!
Regards
Darren
***************************************************************************
It is our choices that show what we
truly are, far more than our abilities..."
~ Prof
Dumbledore
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