Holy cow.... literally

I went to Texas.

My flight was super early Tuesday morning - I was up and out the door by 4:30AM. I made sure I had a great outfit on since I would be exploring and apartment hunting all day... I didn't take into consideration the fact that the built-in belt on my shirt would set off the metal detectors and force me to go through wanding/pat down. They also went through all my liquids with this weird wipe thing. Then once I THOUGHT I was done they wanded/patted me down again because they missed a step (or something). I don't know what step they missed... God.

So, because the security line (even without the extra pat downs) always gets me all rattled and all my crap out of order, I was trying to get everything back in its place before boarding the plane. Last call and I run on the plane and as soon as I sit down I get this weird feeling... check my bag and yep, left my wallet (license, credit cards, next boarding pass, etc) in the gate area. Need to stop the closing of the door and beg the flight attendant to PLEASE PLEASE go grab my wallet. This takes 20 minutes (I don't know why) and thank GOD they get it and return it to me. At this point in time it is..... 5:30 AM - a perfect morning.

I sleep on the first plane (read: eyes close, mouth open, most unattractive dozing-off situation ever), run to the second plane, and then enjoy my descent into Dallas. The airport is huge and I had to take a bus to the rental car area... on my trip there I saw a coyote. Seriously. Just sitting there, in the grass, minding it's business thinking "Yea, I'm a coyote, hanging out at the airport waiting to catch a flight... or a bird... or something". That's scary. He did look like Murphy though (RIP, Murphy). My dad was waiting for me at the rental car area (which is packed) and we get a regular car (with extra leg room) and exit the airport (which is huge, did I mention that?) and began the apartment search.

Saw a ton of apartments. I don't know how many of you had the chance to do intense apartment searching/viewing in a new area... but it is exhausting. I don't know how many we saw and at the end of the day nothing seemed "right". I mean, there were a few that would do-but none that spoke to me and said "Yes! I'm your new house!!".

All this driving we did... holy crapoly. I know highways in Chattanooga really aren't anything to write home about... but I have seen highways before. BUT - the ones in Dallas? Crap. They are like roller coasters. Stacked on top of each other and going every which way. Oh, and everything is a GD toll road. What's with that!? Once you get off the highways and back into the more suburban areas... there are cows! Everywhere! Longhorns!! HOLY COWS! I saw a few horses, but the cows were much more exciting to me. I love those big cows with the horns.

Wednesday was more apartment hunting... and... I found one! I can't tell if the agent was a total bro or that was just how he acted... regardless, I got a great feeling about the apartment! Although it is WAY smaller than what I'm in now... it's in a perfect location and he is giving me a storage space in the lease to put my dining table and other crap that doesn't fit! The complex seems to be a great young professional area, with pools, shopping, restaurants and bars all within a 2 block walking distance. Huge husband hunting potential. Also- 2 Super Targets in either direction, 10 minutes from work, and a Macy's!!! :) I'm really excited to move in and take visitors (hint)!

The next day I went to my new office. SO NICE! Just opened in November. Totally green building. Huge cafe, clinic on site, fitness center (TBD if I'll use it! LOL). Right next to one of the Super Targets and a TON of other restaurants and shopping. Everyone was so super friendly and I've got a great seat in a big cube by a window! One of the directors showed me around and took me to lunch - she was just fabulous and such a great time to chat with.

Friday I flew back to Chattanooga. Everything WAS going smoothly until I landed in Chattanooga. Missing phone. RIP Droid. I was so upset, I had K call and try to see if I left it at my gate. Nothing. Went to bed and slept until noon today (fabulous) until I remembered the DROID was still RIP. Tried to reactivate my Chocolate, didn't have a charger and had to buy a new one. Then I needed to report the Droid stolen in case someone activated it. Apparently if you get your missing phone on the list and the thief tries to activate it at a Verizon store they confiscate it on the spot and let you know. So that was 30 minutes in the store, 30 minutes on the phone, 30 minutes in Chattanooga shopping traffic... GOD. I definitely deserved the Panera I treated myself to.

Got back to the apartment and then I get a call from Chattanooga airport.. THEY HAVE MY DROID!! :) Rush to go get it and then BACK to the Verizon store... this was more of an hour in there because we had to get it off the stolen list, change passwords, deactivate the Chocolate and reactivate the Droid - oh, and of course there was the waiting. God. But they did let me return the $30 charger I bought to that was good.

Droid is charging now and is happy to be back home. I guess I'm happy to be back "home" too. But only for 2 weeks... I drive to Texas March 6th which will be here in no time!

I've got some visitors in Chattanooga tomorrow. My program director and another person in my program are here for Monday interviewing. My PD asked a program graduate "what are we going to do on Sunday" so now I'm participating. He is hoping to get some "southern culture exposure". I know I give Chattanooga a bad name... but it isn't like we use outhouses or anything, God. However - we have planned the most honky tonk day long adventure for the visiting yankees. More details to come...