The Quest to be a "Real Person"

I've been in Dallas two days and I'm already having trouble with this new life.

Today has been the most productive day of my life in probably MONTHS. Made coffee....read the morning paper....hit up the Farmer's Market with Nouns, Shoulders and GP....bought a new suit for work tomorrow...went to the grocery store, etc. etc. etc.

Good things, yes. And, when you aren't drunk productive things don't take nearly as much time either.

So here I am....alone in my apartment....wondering what to do next.

In my day and a half of pseudo solitude I've realized something: I'm not very good at being alone. When we all lived back in Austin there was ALWAYS someone doing something. I was rarely in my house, likely out with friends, and more often than not consuming an alcoholic beverage or.....12.

So, I need to find something to occupy my time. Not just now.....all the time. Somehow, I don't think five day weekends of binge drinking and a real corporate job mix. Just a hunch. Thus, I need a hobby.

I hate scrapbooking (despite the fact that I am actually really good at it). I don't want to collect ANYTHING (Well, actually I'd collect designer handbags but obviously that's a habit my entry-level position can't afford....and somehow I don't think that's a hobby). And I'm so sick of everyone talking about how they are going to run a marathon, so I'm definitely NOT making that my hobby.

(Sidebar to all of you hopeful marathon "runners" out there....I don't believe most of you. And if you are serious? Get ready for a COMMITMENT. I ran cross country in high school and we ran every morning at 7am, including throughout the Texas summers, just to run a 2 mile race. Mull that over and multiply it by 13. Also, walking the majority of the race is not "running" a marathon...it's "walking" a marathon.)

Phew, I'm done with my rant....back to the point.

This all leads me to choosing a potential hobby. And, I've picked......Tennis. I love being outdoors and I'm fairly athletic (although my hand-eye coordination is lacking) so it seems to be a good idea. Tennis doesn't take too many people, too much equipment and you can still play when you are old (Unlike my first love, soccer, which at the ripe old age of 21 I am already too old and fat to play anymore). PLUS, tennis outfits are ridiculously cute.

So, my next course of action is to research (cheap) tennis lessons and attempt to recruit one of my other Dallas counterparts to join with me (Nouns?? GP?? Shoulders??). I'll keep everyone posted on the status of this little "mission."

In the meantime, I'm having a glass of wine.

Old habits die hard.