Well the first part of the move is completed.
I had assistance from the Mundschaus, and also a little from Lorch and Knitt, and I left Oshkosh once again at around 2pm on Saturday. I made it to the Public Storage joint on the same day, so we unloaded immediately (rather than taking Sunday to get that done).
There was a little drama at the P.S. In the evening, the gate is supposed to remain accessible between the hours of 6am and 9pm, but when we were ready to leave shortly after 6pm, the gate wouldn’t open. The area is controlled by a code-accessed gate, much like you might see in a parking garage or what have you. There was a small mob of people who wanted to get out, and a slightly larger mob trying to get in. This is in West Allis. It was a recipe for disaster.
There’s no 24-hr contact for the office, and when I tried to call the corporate toll-free number, I got cut off as soon as I finished explaining what was going on. By that time, a few of the other people had taken it upon themselves to dismantle the chain-and-motor mechanism that operates the gate. So, it was open, and we got out, but I’m not the one who left that chain in a jumbled mess on the asphalt. I definitely wouldn’t have wanted to be one of the people working at the Public Storage on Sunday.
Jen and Joe and I went to the Tischer’s house in Menominee Falls after that, and we watched a silly movie that sort of deconstructed the slasher genre. It was OK. I laughed a bit. We also ate food from Saz’s.
On Sunday, I spent the majority of the day trying to figure out where to live. I focused on places that I thought I might like that are vacant right now, or available in the very near future. I’m going to look at a place after work today that is really close to campus and seems to be reasonably priced. It includes parking, which seems like it would be a real bitch in this neighborhood, and when I drove by this morning, the street seemed to have well-kept houses on it for the most part. I’m not sure about living among a lot of college kids, but that is sort of the bed I’ve made, isn’t it?
Couple last words on Oshkosh:
I sat up for a while on Friday night contemplating the last 3-and-a-half years, and how much has changed, once again. I thought about how, even though Oshkosh is nothing like it was when I lived there the first time, and even though there may not be a lot going on over there on a day-to-day sort of basis, it’s not that bad a town. Once you get yourself a decent job, the rest of “where you live” is kind of what you make of it. I’ll miss living close to the Knitt’s, Lorch’s, and Schrubbe’s, but I’m looking forward to having Michelle and all sorts of family close by. I’ll miss my nice and (now I realize) obscenely cheap apartment, but I’m sure I’ll find something else I like in time.
I was just sitting on my couch in the dark on Friday night, staring at the walls and the ceiling, hoping that the future will be worth the sacrifice of the present. I think the toughest hurdle for my mind to get over right now, today, is that so much about what will happen next is still unknown; so much remains unsettled. Then there is a nagging doubt about making the best decisions; is this where I should be? How long should I stay, and when should I think about trying something else again? These thoughts, too, can probably be traced to the uncertainty hovering over my head right now. I’ve got a lot that I’d like to have settled sooner than later.
Thanks to everyone that helped me along the way during my 2nd round in Osh Vegas, and some advance-appreciation to the folks I hope can help me adjust to Milwaukee. It’s another leg of the journey, just getting started.
