Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Checking In...

Greetings and Happy Wednesday, everyone.  I made it to Charlotte in one piece.  As expected, the goodbyes were really tough and I spent much of Sunday in tears...  But I am here and trying to embrace the April quote from my Erin Condren planner:


However - I am giving myself this week off from 'bloom where you are planted' because I think it's kind of impossible to be happy/optimistic in the midst of unpacking.

There have been some positive things since I arrived.  First off, the weather is beautiful!  The sun is shining and the temperatures are in the 70-80 degree range.  Meanwhile, there is a snow storm that is hitting Minneapolis and may drop 8+" of snow.  So I would definitely rather have this weather.  Secondly, a co-worker took me Target on Monday so I could buy some things that I couldn't pack in my suitcase, like a pillow.  Oh and by the way, I think it is awesome that Target sells wine.  Yes, this is making my list of positives.  Target is not allowed to sell alcohol in the states of Minnesota and North Dakota (and in other areas of the country I believe). Now I am not a big drinker at all, but I do enjoy the occasional glass of wine, so a box of wine may have made it in my cart.  Yes, I realize drinking boxed wine is super classy, but it's practical for a person like me that tends to just want one small glass.

There have been some not so positive things since I arrived, mostly related to moving in.  It went smoothly and the moving company was great to work with (side note:  I have never been called ma'am so many times in my life).  BUT - I totally underestimated how much I needed to downsize for this move.  I really thought I had gotten rid of enough stuff as I took several loads to goodwill and a car full of things to my parents.  Ha.  I did not even come close to downsizing enough.  I am bursting at the seams.  The lack of closet space is my biggest challenge as I only have one small closet in my bedroom that barely fits the clothes I own.  So yah.  Round 2 of downsizing will be happening. 

So that's where I am at right now.  I don't know that I have ever been so busy or overwhelmed.  Moving in the midst of CFA season is HORRID.  I'm so stressed from that as the review process is not going very well this year and I am not happy with how I am doing on my practice assessments.  And I'm stressed from the disaster that is my apartment.  I am hoping the moving company can return this weekend to pick up the boxes because that will really help reduce the look of clutter that makes me tweak out. 

I have a fairly quiet weekend ahead of me, so I am hoping to get lots of CFA studying done and some purging done.  And I am crossing my fingers that my car arrives soon so I can do another goodwill drop.

I hope you all have a great rest of the week.  Besides a guest post on Friday, I will probably be quiet around these parts for the next week or so as I try to get settled in.  When my place no longer looks like a total and complete disaster, I will share pictures. 

24 comments:

  1. I love that you bought a box of wine! We sell alcohol n gas stations here, so it's pretty normal to pick up wine at a Target for me.
    I hope things settle soon and you feel better about the CFA! Thinking of you! *hugs*

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  2. Go easy on yourself, Lisa. As nice as it would be to be completely moved in this week, don't force it if it's just too overwhelming. Seriously. Big organization could actually wait until June, if need be ... especially if that means you'll be less stressed about reviewing for the CFA.

    Also, boxed wine is totally hip. Don't underestimate it. Even NPR says so: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=3921497. =)

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  3. I went through a boxed wine phase for a while when I first moved to Chicago and lived alone. It's so convenient and lasts much longer! Anyway, good luck moving in and be gentle with yourself. xoxo

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  4. I agree with "missris" on being gentle on yourself! Don't worry about getting your apartment perfect at this point but as soon as it is livable, put the rest aside and key in on the CFA studying! You will feel much better about it then! I know there are things you still need to do, like buying groceries and the essentials, but if you have to leave stuff in boxes, like books, just do so! They will wait for you! I envy your weather! We are supposed to get another snow storm tomorrow - just plain ridi
    culous!

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  5. I hope the beautiful Charlotte spring is ideal for studying outside at a coffee shop! XO

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  6. So glad you get to have warmer weather vs. the snow storm! Welcome to your new home. I know you will make it work. Hugs!

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  7. Glad you made it! Two positives--wine at Target--awesome!! And the weather here does suck, Lisa--8 to 10 inches of snow by tomorrow at this time. You have a REAL spring so that is a huge blessing.

    xoxo

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  8. I'm going to echo some of the other commenters here and say don't be so hard on yourself and that the weather in Charlotte does indeed sound perfect for some outdoor CFA studying at a coffee shop. I hope you're car arrives soon and you start to feel more settled. I'm glad you've already found some positives, though!

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  9. I guess your study breaks will be spent going through your clothes and deciding what to take to good will!

    Good luck. Hope you sleep well in your new place.

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  10. Glad to hear everything went relatively smoothy with the move and that you are settling in :)

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  11. Everything will be ok - remember to breath and take a walk in the nice weather! You will get all moved in and settled but it doesn't have to be this week.

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  12. You will be fine. Keep saying, "I will be fine. This will be fine. It really looks and feels like spring rather than just having it be a date on the calendar. It is not snowing. It will be fine." Then repeat. Gentle, my friend. You need to be able to find your bed and enough clothes to wear for a week and enough dishes and glasses that you can eat. And drink. The rest can wait. Study hard, live gentle. You WILL be fine.

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  13. That is the PERFECT quote for April! But I fully agree with the decision to not focus on it for right now. Just focus on unpacking and figuring out Charlotte.

    I'm sorry you are so stressed. A cross-country move in the midst of studying for the CFA is NOT ideal! It's too bad your move couldn't wait until after the test. That would make more sense! =/

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  14. So glad that you are there and safe and doing well all things considered! I have been thinking of you so much and of course fail at texting you as it's 10pm when I get to my phone.

    If it makes you feel better we STILL have boxes that we haven't unpacked and it's been almost a year for us. We aren't sure where/what to do with some of the things we do have so in boxes they stay.

    And I'm a fan of the boxed wine, too. It does the trick =)

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  15. Moving is always so so overwhelming. Coupled with your studying and starting at a new office I can only imagine what a stressful week it's been! Ditto to the others who have told you to be kind to yourself this week!

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  16. What a very fitting quote in your Erin Condren planer for your moving week... as if they knew! ;)

    I am glad you're there and already have your stuff (even though it's a nightmare to unpack alone) and I am glad the weather is making up a bit for the stress.

    Take it easy and be kind to yourself, Lisa.

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  17. Glad to hear you made it and are starting to settle! Hopefully you manage to find a place for it all, or at least find places to make it all work.

    They definitely sell wine at Target in both California and Louisiana. Although I know from college not in Maryland. Actually in Maryland the only places you can buy alcoholic beverage is at liquor stores

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  18. They make some pretty good boxed wines now - I love that I can keep it on the counter and it lasts so long. It's great for using in recipes too :-) Our grocery stores don't sell alcohol :-(

    Glad to hear that the move itself went well. I'm looking forward to seeing the pictures!

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  19. Hell yes wine from Target! Hope the unpacking and downsizing goes well and that you can get back into your routine of studying soon!

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  20. (((()))) My target has had wine for awhile and when we finally got fresh food last October they upgraded to beer as well. ;) Yummmmmm. Jealous of your weather, not of the unpacking!

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  21. Glad to hear you made it though---was thinking of you earlier today and wondering how it was going! I personally think if you're purging your closet that you should "happen" to mail some of those cast offs this way :) Haha. That box of wine might come in handy, along with a good book, once you're settled and comfy. Good luck studying and getting settled this weekend!

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  22. OMG if Target in NY/NJ could sell wine I would literally live there. I mean in the store. I'd hide in the bathroom at night and just sleep in the store.

    Sending love!

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  23. So nice to hear from you. I would be so annoyed without a desk too. One thing if it was on backordered, another if they forgot.

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  24. Boxed wine!? It has gotten better over the past decade or so. The only choice used to be Franzia which I was not a fan of. Now there are actual choices, which is nice! I always get confused when I go back East because they DON'T have booze in the grocery stores / Target / etc. Target has some great deals on wine too! Welcome to the world of TRUE one stop shopping!

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