There's Just So Much... Corn.

Hi friends... those I don't yet know and those I do. It is August 17th, 2010 and I applaud myself as I say that I have officially survived 10 days in the midwest. I say 10 even though it's only been 9 because I fully intend on making it through today as well. I digress.
Some of you know why I'm here... you were the ones who read the About Me on the right hand side of this blog. For those of you more like myself, you have absolutely no idea why you are reading this ramble and are probably in a library somewhere avoiding a paper you're supposed to be writing. Well, kudos to you for veering away from Facebook and reading something other than a poorly spelled status update.
The long and short of this is that back in January, my boyfriend Chris and I had a Skype date where we agreed that long distance love between Indiana and Boston (I say Boston as though it's a state and in my personal opinion, it is wonderful enough to be one) was getting to be a little frustrating and to be honest, a little expensive. Knowing I had been trying to find a way to get back to school to become a nurse anyway, Chris thought the logical and lovical (I invented this word as it is basically logic influenced and persuaded by love) thing to do would be for me to move in with him and start classes. Hmmm.... I remember chewing my lip thinking, "Ok, so I would essentially quit my job, pack up, leave all of my friends and family, and move to Indiana, into a boy's house, to start science classes.... ummm. Ok."
I hemmed and hawed for a few days, made lists of pros and cons, consulted with the powers that be (Mom and Dad, roommates, friends, former teachers, the Gods, whoever would listen) and decided I would take the plunge.
And so here I am, on a sunny day in August, sitting at a kitchen table that I did not buy in a house that I do not own, drinking coffee, and pouring my heart out to you. In the future, I plan on cutting right to the chase and telling you funny and/or heartfelt stories about the days and moments that pass but I felt an intro and some background were relatively important to get you "up to snuff" (I love that phrase).
For now, I will recap for you via bullets what it has been like in this new life I have started:

1. After 23 hours, my sister Kristen and I arrive in Indiana. One full hour of said trip is spent marveling at the waves of golden corn we pass. There is just so.much.corn.
2. We sit at a bar in Broad Ripple with Chris, drinking beers to stay cool. It is HOT here. We're talking sweating behind your kneecaps hot.
3. Chris, Kris (so confusing) and I meet up with friends Mer, Sam, Nic, Jes and baby Silas for pizza and cornhole. Cornhole is not, in fact, a derogatory term even though the sound of it makes me giggle. It is actually bean bag toss. But the midwesterners choose to call it cornhole because to them it makes more sense. *Insert quizzical look* Difference #1 between New England and here.
4. Kristen and I find ourselves at a pub downtown, drinking at noon. This is not actually something to be proud of, but feeling horribly uncomfortable in my own skin, I decided liquid courage might help. I only eat half of my mac and cheese. This is not normal for me. We roam around the mall after, hoping to find friends. We feel we have hit the jackpot at the Cinnabon stand but realize it is awkward and inappropriate to try to pick up friends at fast food joints day one.
5. Chris and I go grocery shopping together. This for some reason cheers me up. Maybe it is because I love eating. And maybe I am still hungry since I never finished the mac and cheese.
6. Tuesday is better. I have learned how to use the coffee maker and have had approximately 5 cups. I am empowered by caffeine and run around the house unpacking and doing errands. It feels good to be my spastic self again. On impulse, I buy fun lights for the porch off the kitchen and a fire pit. I like fire. Not a pyro, I promise. Kris and I also buy food for a Mexican fiesta. Chris walks in and his house has been transformed into a makeshift restaurant, as Spanish music fills the air. We eat, we laugh, we are merry.
7. Wednesday Kristen and I get our nails done at a Chinese salon. We end up paying more than we intended as we are, predictably, conned into getting nail art. We try to see a movie but the fire alarms at the movie theater we find are going off. We wait in a parking lot, almost on E, for Chris to come find us and go to a bar with other pharmacy residents. I am in a mood, though I have omitted this information and try to put on a fake smile. We get to the bar, I steal a Fedora from the waiter and ask for a job application. I refuse to eat to control my anxiety, and end up crying at the table in front of Chris's co-workers. I am embarrassed and uncomfortable and feel like I will never make friends. I want desperately to go home. Chris is wonderful and understanding... he knows I am a little crazy. He knows I do not like being the new girl. We go home.
8. Thursday is better. I have decided to stop being a pyscho if possible and give this place a chance. I get a few more errands done, go to see The Other Guys with Kristen and when Chris gets home, we head to Bed, Bath and Beyond for a wedding present for his friends. After we pick out their gift, we walk around and pretend like we are registering ourselves. We decide that when we get married, we will ask for things like a donut maker, ice cream maker, Wii and Rock Band. I feel very, very old.
9. Friday Chris has to work until 10 pm so Kristen and I plan a fun-filled day for ourselves. We head to Ivy Tech where I will be taking a few prereqs to get into nursing school and settle a bunch of fun loan crap. After, I drop off a volunteer application at Riley (children's hospital downtown). We eat lunch at Qdoba and end up at Target for the 80th time this week. I buy a few citronella candles for the porch and some flowers. Once home, we crack open a bottle of wine, sit on the porch, and ponder life over a berry medley that Kristen has made. Chris comes home, kisses me and ask how much wine I have consumed, I tell him. Oops. Time for sleep.
10. Saturday we go to Patachou for breakfast. I love it here. People are sweet, hippy dippy and fun. I feel right at home. At my old job I was known as the Earth Mama. I eat a yummy, savory breakfast with Chris and Kris and then we race home to get ready for the wedding. All dolled up, Chris and I head to the church. The wedding is beautiful- lovely colors, lovely flowers. I am able to meet a few of Chris's college buddies who are wildly inappropriate and hysterical. This also feels like home. They joke that I am the cultured girl from the Northeast and I gently remind them that I am from Maine originally- you know, the land of moose and lobsters. Ayuh. We go home and take Kristen with us to Ram for beer, cheese dip and dinner. Mmmmm.... Today has been good.
11. Sunday, Chris proves to me once again just how wonderful he is when he agrees to see Eat, Pray, Love. This is my favorite book. The audience is full of white-haired women, looking for answers from Julia Roberts. I am totally engaged in every moment and word of the film. Chris and Kris... well, I'm not sure. We leave and I ramble on about wanting to buy a bike and go to Bali. Chris says we can get Indian food for dinner if that would help. I laugh and kiss his cheek. How did such an unlikely pair end up together? Mer and Sam come over later. Mer has baked delicious chocolate chip cookies for us. I look at the plate of slice and bakes I made earlier in the week that have gone untouched. Sigh. I am just not domestic.
12. Monday Chris has to work and it is Kristen's last day. We shop, eat delicious Japanese food, and find ourselves at a winery in Fishers. I love the winery... the people are funny and kind and I want to be their friend. They tell me they will be my friend and hug me. I drink wine, laugh and marvel that such a treasure exists in this town. I steal every flyer I can find on free music, wine and canvas nights, etc. and leave to take Kristen to the airport. Chris and I go grocery shopping when he comes home and then sit outside on the porch by candlelight, drinking wine and talking about what we would do if we didn't have to work. You know, dreams and such.... I feel warm and happy and we go to sleep.

And so here I am... starting to feel like this life is maybe not so different from the one I left behind. Signing off for now.... lots of love.