Fears and Triumphs in Uncertainty

I saw my first Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus). It was pretty stellar as they are huge, ground-dwelling cuckoos that are like the honey badger of the Southwest states: they just don't give a sh**. They eat everything! True omnivores. Scorpions, lizards, other birds and eggs, and even sometimes two roadrunners combine forces to overcome rattlesnakes for food. When explaining what the roadrunner looked like to Dan, who did not get the luxury of seeing it, I claimed he had the stance of a velociraptor and it seems they are as voracious as one too. Besides the plagues of grackles (yes, they are technically referred to as a plague) that squawk and squeal over my head on my walk to the bus after work, there have not been many cool nature sitings.

But in other aspects of living in Austin, apart from the obvious differences of lush western N.C., we have settled in pretty nicely here. This city is growing rapidly. Many people are moving out, but the numbers of newcomers has shot up over the past few years. There are job opportunities, green spaces and efforts of remaining local and sustainable, and lots of construction. There is a large construction project just on the other side of the fence of our apartment, which we've nicknamed the "Man-Girl Cave", that beeps and vrooms from 6-5 almost everyday.

Our new local crag on the Greenbelt. Cacti hover over the edge between anchors.

When we moved, I quickly noticed the different reactions on both sides. People we were leaving behind practically were saying, "Are you sure you want to go through with this? There are a lot of uncertain factors at stake." After arriving in Texas, new people we talked to simply stated, "That's bold, but heck you're young enough to do it." We didn't have any jobs lined up, didn't know anybody, didn't know where to look for good apartment communities. As much research as we did on Austin, it remained a shot in the dark to pick up and move most of our things to a brand new part of the country. As we reached Nashville Dan said, "This is the furthest west I have ever been in a car."

There were a lot of fears for each of us. And still are. We are settling but still forever trying to figure out if there is any kind of rhythm to living life. I am proud of us. We heeded the warnings of our family and friends, yet still made a decision we thought was best for us. Currently, with the pulses and waves that resonate through all of us, we are hitching a ride on one that will hopefully lead us to our dreams/future careers. 

There is no certainty, at least not complete certainty. That is what I have learned so far. And that life is a little more exciting and open to you when you embrace the uncertainties. Getting married, planting a new tree in your backyard, applying to graduate schools, moving across the country. These all have unknown factors that cannot be predicted. But with the right attitude, immeasurable good can come from all of them. A lifelong bestfriend, shade/fruit/more biodiversity, a masters degree, or an exponential learning curve of a new area, people, cultures, etc.

My Qualifications as a Child Caretaker

To whom it may concern,

I am writing to you with full confidence in the position to watch over your child(ren). I believe that I exceed the necessary qualifications. Allow me to list a few of the relevant tasks that I am skilled in:

*I am very good at counting things up to 10-15 (stairs, blocks, freckles, you name it!)
*I am bilingual in the basic colors
*My passion for Disney movies and children's shows extends as far back to my birth (as long as it's not the Wiggles, Sliggles, Doodly Bop-de-bops, or any of those shows where adult men dress up in creepy androgenous costumes and try to dance/rap)
*I can explain the fundamental differences between a rock and a tree
*Some have claimed my impressions of animals are just as good as being at the zoo
*Repetition is my favorite activity
*Anything can be turned into a song (diaper changing, putting pj's on, attacking tickle monsters, you get the idea)
*The child spots the forbidden candy haphazardly left out on the counter? Oh! Did you see Elmo just came to life and jumped out of his basket (cue crazy and exaggerated arm waves/facial expressions).
*Dancing? Not a problem.

These are just a few of many talents that I have discovered. I doubt you will find someone who is as enabled as myself when it comes to children.

Yours truly,
Courtney

P.S. I have gone so far in life.