June Journaling 11-12

I found a list of daily prompts for journaling in June and thought I'd give it a shot.

11. Where were you a year ago?

A year ago I was packing up my room in McKinney to move here at the end of the month. I didn't realize that my now-housemate was totally serious with her offer, so it ended up being a bit of a whirlwind. I didn't know her wife as well and was a bit trepidation about how long it might last, but the move would put me 17 miles closer to work, and I would get my own bathroom for the first time in 4.5 years!

I'm still here in the new house, and life is still great.


12. Where were you five years ago?

Five years ago I had recently returned home from Korea, except that I didn't really have any home; and even if I had, it wouldn't have felt like home. I briefly stayed in someone's extra room, but there was dog shit and piss all over the place and dirty dishes perpetually with flies everywhere. I couldn't stand it, so I crashed at my datefriend's place more often than not. I had to pack up the remainder of my stuff from the old apartment that I'd left when I went to Korea, and I didn't have a place to move it. So I gave away most of the furniture, sold all my collections, and put the rest of my things into storage.

As evidenced by an old Facebook post, I'd not yet learned about body acceptance and inclusivity, but I happily put on 8 pounds that summer in the transition from barely eating more than eggs, cereal, and bread for the previous year and a half to reacquainting myself with ALL the joys of Southern food: barbecue, Tex-Mex, ice cream, and more. Despite the upheaval and uncertainty of housing and employment, it was a happy summer with many parties and reunions.