Made in the Image: I'm a Real Person now

Well I guess technically I have always been a real person. This ain't no Pinocchio business. I just feel more real now that I have a full-time job and place of my own. I even have my own benefits. I now know what a 401k is. When did that happen? Well actually it happened this week. Monday to be exact. This past weekend I moved from Cincinnati to Des Moines, Iowa to start my career as a designer at Gannett's Design Studio. It is the first time in my life that I have lived outside of Ohio.

My first day of work was a little overwhelming. It consisted mostly of watching, taking notes, and trying not to make a fool of myself. It was all sort of a blur. After a few more days, I can say with a fair amount of assurance: I have a really cool job. Seriously. I LOVE it. I get to make a career out of something I love doing anyway. AND, I get to work in a place where I am surrounded by immense creative talent.

When I initially heard about the job here I was lukewarm about it because it was in Iowa. I thought, "Who moves to Iowa?" But I accepted the job because it sounded like such an amazing opportunity. Every time I told someone I was moving to Iowa they would make an obligatory joke about corn and cows. I became somewhat defensive about Iowa. I would reply to their jokes with something like, "Oh, you're right. Appalachian Ohio, where we currently are, is sooooo much more interesting than old podunk Iowa. There's absolutely no corn or cows around here. How will I ever make the transition between big-city Athens and rural Des Moines?" I may have even threatened physical punishment for the next person who immediately brought up corn when I said Iowa. Honestly I was so defensive because I myself was hesitant about moving here, and I was looking to others for reassurance about my decision.

Well Iowa...I'm sorry I judged you. That was unfair. You did not deserve that. You are more than just corn, and I love you already.

Iowa, overall, is treating me really well. God has continued to heap blessings upon me in this new chapter of my life. I have two awesome roommates who immediately made me feel at home, and after living in Athens, 45 minutes away from the nearest mall, it is nice to live within 5 minutes of a Target. Des Moines itself is a beautiful city. It has the definite feel of a big city without all the negatives- crazy traffic, excessive pollution, litter, and expensive parking. It's really small, which means it's also really clean and easy to navigate. The easy to navigate part is imperative for me because I am incredibly skilled at getting lost. The first day I drove home from work, I took several unintentional detours before I finally made it back to my townhouse. I am really enjoying working in the city, although I spend way to much money at Panera already. They are definitely going to know me in there.