Month One Done!

Well, it's been 4 weeks. What a ride so far. I'm still loving it here. So so much.

The weather: it's started to get chilly...50s most of the time. This past week has been rainy and overcast. Not beautiful but then again, it's not 90 and humid, either. Yay! LOL.

I moved to Jamaica Plain this week. I like it so far. I'm in another Bayshore type area (this one is around a big pond, though). I'm sharing a 4 bedroom/1 bath with a girl named Melissa. It's a great place. The basement apartment is rented by the landlord's dad so he's up on Sundays to do laundry. Melissa and I are getting settled in. I'm really close to the bus. I'm trying to figure all of that out. I need to get the schedule so I can see timing to get to the station for the train.

Last Sunday night I went to the Opening Gala for The Boston Urban Ballet. Natalie VanLandingham (Bedell) is the director there. It was a great time with food, drinks, ballet, art and various musicians. I was reminded of growing up with so much music in my life. There was a bluegrass duo there and I thought about Bill Larkin playing when I was younger.

 

I continue to love my job. I am having so much fun at ARC/EM. Last week we were out of the office every single day. This really helps keep things interesting...outreach! Balcony view from ARC. When the weather is nice, it's great to go outside and sit. This is the view looking into Downtown Boston (we're in Cambridge).

Speaking of which... Tuesday was ARC's Women Who Care Leadership Breakfast. We honored Ethel and Rory Kennedy. It was a great event and makes me really want to see "Ethel," Rory's documentary about her mother. Say what you will politically but that family is choc full o' interesting. Here's me all professional...and able to fit my suit jacket (buttons done and all! LOL).

 We also went to visit the Food Pantry on Wednesday. They were short staffed so we jumped in to help. That was fun and rewarding. Here is our team with the manager of the Food Pantry...

Yesterday we had the Youth Advisory Board Car Wash down in Quincy. It was a horribly chilly and rainy day but they still made about $150 for our program. They are a great group of kids.

 Daniel had a delivery in Chelsea Friday night so I got to have dinner with him there (Margaritas is a great little mexican restaurant). It's nice to get to see him more.

Anyway, that's what's been going on this past week. This coming week should be relatively calm. It'll just be a couple of projects at work...and decorating for Halloween...and getting ready for the Haunted House...and learning the bus schedule to the station so I can get to Cambridge from here. I need internet at home so I'll be looking at that.

Oh yeah, Tyler and Rachael's baby is scheduled for arrival on Wednesday so I'll sorta be a grandma (but SO not really!). Stay tuned for that announcement. (I'm GiGi, I guess).

October will be super busy with Youth Events and training for me every weekend. Thankfully, I get flex time at work.

Everyone have a great week...and please someone share with Momma Lee.

Love you all!
Jini

Life Is What Happens When You're Making Plans

As you may or may not know, I've picked up and moved to MA. I had been planning to move to Boston after Tyler's HS Graduation June 2013 or so. Life decided to laugh at me and throw me a nice little curve ball. 

My friend, Shawna had moved up here last year with the AmeriCorps Vista Program to work with The American Red Cross of Eastern Mass (ARC/EM). At the end of her year-long contract, ARC/EM offered her a permanent position (her boss', actually). She texted me about the available AmeriCorps position, I applied, interviewed twice and got it. 10 days later...here I am...happy as a clam in Boston:

 

I love it here so far. I'm temporarily renting a room out in Lynn...about 1.5 hours commute by 1 bus, 3 trains to Cambridge (ARC/EM offices). It's far! Easier than driving and paying for parking, though. It's near a Bayshore type area called Lynn Shore Drive:

Shawna and I at Harpoon Brewery. They have $5 tours then you get to sample (4oz at a time) the beers they have on tap:

Work is great. I love my job as Youth Outreach Coordinator. I get to go to schools (elementary and high school and university) to teach disaster preparedness. I also get to mentor the kids when they start ARC clubs in their schools. This means I'm not sitting at a desk every day all day. LOVE it. Shawna is awesome to work with and I love our team. Bob is her boss and Kelley is Bob's assistant. ARC is a great atmosphere. I love the culture of it all. Our CEO is Jarrett Barrios. Google him. I'd spend my entire blog gushing over how cool he is if I had to explain. 

Moi at Fenway above. Yes, I got to spend my 09/11 working a booth at Fenway for ARC's Blood Drive. It did not suck. I also got to meet the CEO of National ARC and shake her hand. Our picture is in the lobby of ARC/EM. 

Friday nights are pretty much spent having beers at Cambridge Brewing Company. Stephen Bedell is manager there. It's a great little place to hang out. There is a courtyard that's dog friendly. I got to bring Prince when Daniel was here last weekend. LOVE!

Anyway, It's all busy busy up here. I'm moving to a 4/1 apartment in Jamaica Plain this week. Natalie found it for me. It's temporary but it gets me closer to work and in a cool as hell neighborhood. 

Tonight I'm going to the Opening Gala for the Boston Urban Ballet (Natalie is the director) and Tuesday I'm going to a Leadership Breakfast hosted by The Kennedy Women. Yeah. See? Love it up here.

I'll post more later in the week. Much love!  - Jini