Thursday - Day 4

So, here I am in Harrisburg.  The trip to get here is done.  Now it's time to get on with it.

Today is Thursday.  It's hard to believe a week ago I was just starting out on my drive to get here.  If you gauge the passing of time buy the number of things that happen during any particular timeframe no wonder it seems like so long ago.  Between getting here, getting somewhat settled, and starting my new job here at the Center things have been crazy.  But - they've been crazy good.

It still feels odd to see my name and the title "Executive Director" underneath it.  I've never been much for titles and I find way too many people who seem to feel that titles inherently provide some level of respect or power rather than having earned those things through actions to get there in the first place.  Be that as it may, it is truly wonderful to finally feel as though things are aligned in my world - that the work I come to work to do every day is work that I feel passionate about.  It's like a whole new world but more importantly it's a world where I feel very comfortable.

I'm a creative person.  This opportunity provides outlet for creativity.  I'm a passionate person.  This position provides opportunities to express and direct those passions.  I'm a strong person.  This role provides opportunity to share that strength.  I'm a social person.  This position requires a significant degree of interaction.  I'm a focused, driven person and I feel a very strong personal investment which is something I haven't had in a "job" in a long time.  In short, I realize that I'm less than a week into it but it all feels very comfortable and natural.

The people here have been great.  Our Board chair has been wonderful and the full-time director of our Youth Services programming has been great.  He provides some much needed background on things for me but is also helping me to learn my way around and know what's what in the area.  Both have been incredibly helpful and important to me and have helped to make this transition much more comfortable than it otherwise could have been.

The weather has been great, too, but as with most things the honeymoon eventually ends.  I'm staying in a hotel at the moment until I can make some arrangements on more permanent housing and when I've walked out to my car these last few mornings there has been frost on my windows but they chill burns away to crisp, cool, sunny days.  Today we've got gray, rainy, chilly weather that is more in line with what I remember about fall.  Someone said "flurries" on the weather last night and I realize it's only a matter of time.  I'll try not to complain about it too much because it just comes with the territory.

Days have been long, which is fine.  We're working all day at the center and then the last couple of nights have included meetings after work, which typically involve food and drink.  We did a "Meet and Greet" with the Allies group at the local community college and that was great - wonderful kids who were engaged and energetic and excited (E cubed).  I'm really going to look forward to working with them to move our youth stuff forward.  I'll be attending a Women's Chorus Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, and I've got more people to meet next week.  All in all - as I say, busy days.

The election was a slap in the head and I really don't have much to say about it right now.  There will be all kinds of analysis about what happened, why, and what it means.  One friend sent me a link to an article in the NY Times that I agree with (see it here).  I'll have more to say once things calm down in other areas of my life, but it is what it is.  The window of opportunity for many of the things we've been promised has closed and at some point people need to measure how much good intentions are worth compared with failed opportunities or unrecognized potential.  Sigh.

Two more  things to share briefly.

One is a link to a blog entry by a mom whose young son wanted to dress as a girl for Halloween and the reactions she experienced (read it here).

The other is a movie that's out that I'm hoping to do a preview for here at the center.  The title is Two Spirits that's well worth checking out (see details here).

I'll end this for now.  In closing, I just want to say that I'm liking Pink's new song. For some reason, the fact that she rhymes "chancy" with "dancy" tickles me. Anyway, here's the video:

P!nk - New Music - More Music Videos