Two Weeks Later...

Hi All,

Thanks for the positive response to my last long email. I know we complain about all the junk email we receive and the time it takes to sort through it all, but email truly is a wonderful thing. It is amazing that I can feel so connected to my friends scattered about the world – New York, San Francisco, Connecticut, Seattle, Portland, Mullum NSW, Chattanooga, etc. This, combined with the meeting new people in Asheville (and some old friends nearby too) I haven’t felt even a millisecond of loneliness.

I appreciate all the good support for the “time card” issue. It straightened itself quickly. I think my expression must have said more than my words could have. On Monday, I was told I would be on a salary plus a commission. I’m already having fun figuring up my sales numbers. My boss (Mike) explained something that he had told me before but I had forgotten. Allegra does not do its own payroll. They use an accounting company in Charlotte that handles it along with our benefits, so that’s why they “standardized” everything. But it’s all straightened out now and I continue to report to work.

I am still enjoying the work. It is a little tough to get use to being “on” all day long, especially since there is no place to escape for a few minutes. However, we are scheduled to move into the new building on Jan 28 and I will have my own office and some privacy. I’m looking forward to that.

Life is going well socially. I put an ad on the Craig’s List Charlotte (no Asheville list yet) before I left Manhattan looking for a furnished apartment. I got a call from Mindy – a woman who moved here about 3 months ago. She bought a 3-bedroom house the first day she was here yet she doesn’t have a job. She came from San Francisco and fell in love with Asheville too. She especially loved the price of real estate, but when she began job hunting, the salaries here shocked her. I don’t think she did as much research as I. So now, she is looking for a roommate to help her pay her mortgage. We met and became friends immediately. We have much in common – politics, spirituality, etc. I didn’t move in, but we did dinner last Thursday and attended the Buddhist Center afterwards. She’s very sweet and feels like an old friend already.

I also went to a women’s networking group last Friday night. It’s more of a social group for women who live outside the city (in some cases – way outside!) They call the meeting a “Coffee Clutch.” I realize now that’s its named so because some of them must drive their tractors in from the mountains. They meet at a local coffee shop every couple of weeks. It was truly an interesting mix. There was a woman with more body tattoos than advertising on a NASCAR racer and another who looked like a human pincushion with all her body piercings. The “look” was pulled together with a clean pair of overalls and some bright red strings of hair left over from the closely shaved Mohawk. Now, I’ve been to the Village many a-time, so this is not necessarily new to me. But this woman had to be in her 60’s! Most of these women knew each other and a few were a little loud boisterous. They were all very friendly to the newcomers. I did gravitate to the more “mainstream” women there. It turns out two women I talked with were both there for the first time also. One is an artist who is opening a new gallery in Asheville and the other is a professional intuitive. The artist and I are getting together next week for lunch. When I packed to come down here, as you may know, I only brought what I could get into my car. I had to be very selective – mostly clothes, shoes, a few books, and paper work for upcoming taxes. The one “luxury” I brought was my pencils, sketchpads, and paintbrushes last used about 30 years ago. Since this area attracts so many artists, I thought I might become inspired again (actually, I’ve never not been inspired – just focused elsewhere). She knows some good art instructors in the area she is willing to tell me about so I’m looking forward to getting to know her.

I have discovered that this is a small town. I remember that when I lived in Chattanooga, I rarely left the house unless I was appropriately dressed and in makeup. After living in New York I realized that I couldn’t spend all that time every time I needed to go to the corner bodega (aka my pantry) or to the cleaners. Neither did my neighbors. So, those of us self-employed people tended to only bathe and dress when meeting clients or going out socially. I’m learning here, I must be dressed and well behaved at all time! I ran into one of my upstanding business customers during the Coffee Clutch. I bet she was really impressed with my new social group!

Then on Sunday morning, I ran into the real estate woman I had met back in November at the Bean Street Café. She introduced me to her partner and a client she they were having coffee with. They invited me to join them and I thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. The client is an eco builder – buying houses, then renovating and refitting them to make them “green.” Then, again, last Thursday, I ran into the above-mentioned artist at Greenlife – a fresh market and health food store near work. I best mind my manners here in Asheville (except when I drive – I still have my NYC tags so no one should be expecting me to be courteous).

Everyone here is so friendly and easy to be with. Just this morning, as I sit again at the Bean Street Café, I’ve had conversations in a couple of people at nearby tables. One guy asked my opinion whether his wife looked like the woman in one of the paintings. The conversation went from that to how they had moved here from Vermont a while back and love it. They bought the painting, by the way. A gentleman at a table with two couples stood up and offered to bring coffee to everyone, me included. He wouldn’t allow me to refuse. As I was leaving my apartment one morning last week, my neighbor, who is renovating his new house next door, introduced himself to me. He’s lived here a few years after moving from NYC, and then Sedona. He buys property, repairs them and makes his living that way. He calls Asheville the new Sedona. I admit there is a fever here and it’s highly contagious.

I am off now today to attempt to find a furnished apartment starting February 8 when this one-month is up. There are three advertised in today paper and only one that doesn’t say it will not accept pets. I may have to find a small unfurnished and start buying furniture soon. Oddly, I’m not nervous at all. Everything has been going so well that I just feel confident all will unfold as it should.

Lastly, I’ve been compiling a list of things that I love about Asheville and things that I’m not too crazy about. Here’s what I have so far:

I love –

Meeting people like Don, a Buddhist good ole boy truck driver. He had some beautiful wisdom to share last Thursday night. I guess driving a truck gives him a lot of time to think about the important things in life.

My next-door neighbor offering to let me use the terrace on the house he is renovating. He isn’t living there yet. Doesn’t he know that if I trip and fall I could sue him for every penny he has?

Walking at night in my neighborhood. It’s so calm and peaceful. I enjoy seeing the cats sitting on the porches, guarding their master’s homes, or perhaps looking for a midnight rendezvous with the neighbor’s cat.

The clear night skies, fresh air and that my eyeballs can stretch their sight for miles into the distant mountains.

Interesting comparison:

New Yorkers are crazy drivers and, for the most part, conformist parkers (and who wouldn’t be when it can cost as much at $365 for tickets and towing?) Ashevillians are extremely courteous drivers and crazy parkers. There is a lot of on the street parking in and around the city neighborhoods. The just pull over wherever they want to without regard to which side of the street they should or should not be parking on. There are several one-way streets and it’s terribly confusing to me. However, it hasn’t take me long to join them.

The only thing I can possibly come up with that I didn’t like at first is starting my car every time I need to go somewhere. But I’m becoming more accustomed to that.

I know that my life will eventually become routine but for now, every day brings something interesting. I do love new places and challenges. Except of course, in the grocery stores. They are hugely overwhelming with choices and space. But, I will surely adapt to that soon enough.

Look forward to you all visiting soon (individually, not all at once, please).

All my love,
gwen