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Sunday, June 9, 1996
Today was our wedding anniversary. We celebrated in a low-key way, with a buffet lunch at [name deleted]. It was okay; not much variety, but it tasted good. It was probably loaded with MSG, though, cause I've been peeing ever since. Rick spotted a roach crawling on the back of my seat—an awkward moment—but he seems interested in going back anyway. His hunger for General Tso's chicken may overcome his disgust over the bug.
We moved the last of my stuff home today. Pat was there, and we talked for a while before we left. Each phase of the closing has been strange. The last official day. The last day in court. The last day of my stuff being moved. Just now, I made the last call to my voicemail. I'll even miss my phone number. 465-4665. Great number. My service gets disconnected tomorrow. The end of an era.
Now, I have to get the new ball rolling. Writing and job hunting. Two old and familiar activities.
Monday, June 11, 1996
I'm supposed to be writing every day, but it's become harder to think of topics now that I'm at home. The one (one of the few) benefit of private practice.
We planted marigolds and a daylily today. I began Chapter 4 and will probably finish it tomorrow. I did three letters to DOJ regarding jobs. I need to make copies of writing samples.
I'm up to page 102 of [title deleted]. My opinion hasn't changed. Some of the passages in this book are so corny, they made me laugh out loud.
If this is what retirement is like, I don't thinkI'm going to mind. Every time I feel myself getting anxious, I tell myself torelax. I don't think I've ever felt so focused while unemployed. I've learnedhow to employ myself—how to engage in activity without relying on someoneelse's game plan. To have confidence in my abilities. I think quitting EPA andhaving my own office may have been a necessary first step toward reallypursuing a writing career. Interesting.
