My Short Commute

This morning I made the shortest commute to work in my entire life. Basically all I have to do to get from my apartment to my office is go down a flight of stairs.

Getting to that point, however, didn't happen as smoothly as I could have hoped. And I still don't have my furniture. The pod remains in Chantilly until next Monday. I felt frustrated when I learned that last Friday morning, especially since I've about reached my limit for living out of suitcases. Later in the afternoon I had one of those "duh" moments. There is a bed in the apartment and a chair. I spent the last few days in my old apartment with only a bed and the stuff that came with me in the car. The only difference here? Bigger apartment, and I can go to the lounge next door, if I want to watch TV.

So Friday evening I schlepped a few things from my room in the temporary guest house to my new apartment. Saturday I intentionally drove to a Bed Bath and Beyond and a Home Goods in an area I wasn't familiar with so I could learn more of my new city. I bought a bed in a bag and another set of linen for the "new" bed and some towels. That evening I schlepped a few more things. Sunday after the long day at Epiphany I went to the nearest Bed Bath and Beyond because I'd forgotten a mattress pad the day before. I schlepped the last of my things to the apartment.

I have now spent two nights in my apartment. Still living out of a suitcase. But it's my apartment and not a guest room.

Some of my friends have, or have had, similar living situations. All of them are priests. One was the rector of a small parish, and the rectory was not just attached to the church, it was literally the same building. One door of the dining room opened into a short hallway down to the sacristy. Another opened a stairway down to the undercroft. Others live in rectories that are mere steps from the churches. I often wondered how they managed to maintain his boundaries. I guess I'm about to find out.

Part of accomplishing that involves making sure I get off campus regularly. My friends will help with that; I have social engagements on my calendar with folks who are not related to the Seminary. And I've already mapped out places I want to visit during the weekends--at least one new place each month for a while. I'll go back to some places regularly--Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian, and Old Town. After some reflection I also decided to set up a different mailing address. When I was in college we had locked mail boxes. Granted both institutions were larger than the Seminary, but there's something about your mail sitting in an open box until you pick it up. So Saturday morning I also stopped the UPS Store and rented a box.

And part of it is managing relationships within the Seminary community. For that I have a professional network that consists of people I've worked with in a variety of capacities. These are the folks I can call up and get an outside perspective. They will listen and empathize, but they will also be truthful.

Onward.