And at Last, I've Seen the Light

And it's like the fog has lifted.

My new job is doing front desk at an optometrist's office.  I love it.  I didn't realize how much I missed it.  I tell people that's where I'm working, and everyone's got a story.  It really helps me connect with people, and my coworkers are great.  There's not as much life-or-death stuff to remember, although it is work that's important to people and their every day life.  Also, I'm getting full time hours and benefits working 4.5 days a week.  I get every Thursday off, and will have to work 1-3 Saturdays a month once I'm fully trained.  I'm already good enough for them to feel comfortable leaving me to fly solo for 5-10 minutes at a time.

I'm really glad that my dad has moved out to this neck of the woods.  His outlook on life is much better than it used to be, and I'm positive that it's because he feels it's (a little bit) easier to live the gospel here than back home.  He's going to the temple more, and that explains why he doesn't get as upset about setbacks as he used to. 

This really hit me on Thursday.  Someone pulled out of a driveway on Wednesday without double checking and side swiped my dad in his Jeep.  He bought it brand new off the lot not two years ago, and it only had 17k miles on it.  But, because the radiator dropped and the airbags went off (knocking out the passenger window and cracking the windshield he just paid to replace because of a semi rock chip), it's pretty much totaled.  He's okay, but his car is not. 

So I took my day off and drove him to clear out his car, grab a couple of things from the drug store (for his airbag burn), and then pick up a rental car.  Thankfully, it was the other driver's fault and insurance is going to reimburse him, so there's not much to worry about there.  And thankfully he's retired so he has time to deal with the insurance adjusters and all that jazz.  Because it's practically a full time job coordinating all that racket.  Right now, I'm waiting for a reasonable hour to call him and let him know I'm on my way so I can go with him car shopping.  He's driving, but this way he has a second driver if he finds something on the spot.  Otherwise, he can call a friend from church or wait until Thursday to pick up whatever he finds so he can return the rental.

I haven't been as tangibly productive as I perhaps would like to be by the middle of May, but I have been reading a little bit more.  The parking situation and traffic are congested, a situation I was aware of before my first day, so I've developed the habit of showing up early and then sitting in my car.  I should either take a book with me or start reading one of the two I have in there instead of staring at my phone.  I also attended the Aksarben Curling Club League meeting this past Monday, and it stirred in me that taste for revival to be involved.  In fact, I'm off to pay my tithing and then sign up for summer league.  (I was going to reverse that because my pay stubs are downstairs, but I have to poop, and will go downstairs for that, anyway.)