New Neighbors, New Schooling

Just to keep you updated. I started Graduate School in Environmental Studies in the College of Urban Affairs at Clevleand State University. I am taking four classes - environmental technology, Geographical Information Systems, technical writing, and a project (called seminar) class.

I will have new neighbors beginning tomorrow. A woman named Liz and her two children, Vicki and Rancy, about 8 and 10, are moving in. This is great news for me. I really need a neighbor I can hang with.

The day before yesterday my phone didn't work. It made me feel vulnerable. When I went to report it, I asked for the directions on how to tell if the trouble was outside the house and the responsibility of the phone company, or inside, and my responsibility. When told about the gray box which must be opened with a screwdriver, I had horrible flashbacks of when Gary attempted suicide. He had opened the box on the old house and connected the house phone line with the no longer working line outside the house, effectively stopping my phone service. It took the police and the phone company repairman a while to figure the problem out - with me there. Yesterday, when I was reporting the current problem, I was tired and had low blood sugar and I just broke out crying. Had I had a neighbor I was close to, I could have reported the problem at a place more comforting than Target. So I am really looking forward to a neighbor.

I hope they like music! I've been playing my cello and the piano a lot.

Next post I'll tell about my research project for Cleveland State.

Daughter Dulcy has left for college, leaving me alone. I fear being left alone because I have to find my own amusements. When my children are around, I let them hijack my time. Alone, I must search for meaningful contact with others. I'm addicted to the newspaper: it appears on my doorstep. The computer is as easy as turning it on, and it connects me to all my nearest and dearest, and everybody and everything else. But it is too much for me. It is simply intimidating. And it is aggrevating in the number of ways it can get fouled up (although this new computer hasn't shown any sign of fouling up yet). Sitting at a desk and typing is not as satifying as talking; I really enjoy the telephone. No wonder I own pictures of me on the phone! But I really like to talk and walk and look at and touch people, and none of the above ways of communicationg with people allow for that kind of personal contact. Living with someone does. Working with people does. And going to school does.
This year I plan to find ways to get the personal contact I crave, by living with people, working with people, and going to school.
I start at Cleveland State in a couple of weeks.
I have a necklace of red wooden beads which is frequently mistaken for cranberries. The necklace is not an item of great value, but is beautiful and unique. I love the necklace. I hope to make my life like the cranberry necklace: beautiful and unique, not necessarily of great value, but well loved.