The first two weeks

well…Seattle is gone, or more accurately, I am gone from Seattle.  However, from my stand point, it feels Seattle is gone.  I will obviously always miss it, but have fully accepted and embraced my new life here in Raleigh now.  The past two weeks here have been quite busy.  Obviously filled with many hours spending time with my boys…eating out, walking/running around in a mall, playing with legos, playing board games, watching silly kids movies/shows, going to basketball games, bowling, being silly myself and making them laugh uncontrollably (there may not be a better sound in the entire world than my boys laughing like this).  It is just beginning.

For my social life, I have dived right into the area.  I joined the incredibly large Triangle Patriots Fans meetup group with well over 300 members…last night we had more than 200 show up to the bar for the NE-Denver game…it was crazy!  Today, in a couple of hours in fact, I start playing kickball with WAKA once again…the NC Freeze winter league…I can’t wait to do this!  Although it pales in comparison, I have re-discovered my coffee shop here in Raleigh, The Morning Times.  It is no Victrola, but I will become a regular here especially with my certification exam coming up.  I have yet to truly discover the local music scene here, but I did attend one concert at The Pour House in Raleigh…great venue and I look forward to more concerts there and in the area.

I had some further adventures this week.  My brand new Macbook Air, along with the rest of the contents of my messenger bag (and the bag itself) was stolen from the place I am staying.  Thursday night was quite the scary evening as I had an external hard drive in there with lots of personal information, along with 300+ GB of music and plenty of pictures of my boys from over the years.  Thankfully, it was returned later that evening unscathed except for my account being deleted and a new one created by the person hoping to assume ownership.  I am so thankful the person did the right thing and I lost nothing…things could have gone much differently.

I have started looking for places to live with my boys (not as a result of the situation above, just because I need a place for me and my boys).  Lots of great places here in Raleigh, particularly once in the historic Oakwood neighborhood…a great 1930′s bungalow which has been renovated quite nicely…and it has a great backyard!  I hope to be finding something soon…and then begins the fun time of finding furniture!

Despite the above mentioned minor setback, I am settling in here quite nicely and am looking forward to creating new experiences and establishing new relationships and community.  It is exciting and I am so very happy with my life and the way things are unfolding.

Look later this evening for a post having to do with stolen laptops, stressful situations and remaining calm within, backing up hard drives and learning lessons…