And so begins my last week here in Arizona. My last night of work is Tuesday night. I honestly can't believe that 13 weeks has gone by this fast. At times it felt like time was crawling by and that this week was never going to arrive. Now that it's here, I feel like it went too fast and that there are a lot of things that I didn't do. Although, a big part of not getting them done was simply a lack of someone to do them with. It's not that I didn't want to get out and explore, but it's hard when you're in a new city by yourself and don't know very many people. Dana, Brent, and my brother entertained me when they could, but they all have full-time jobs and there were a lot of times that our hours just didn't quite match up. I tried to make the best of my time though. I’m also trying to work on being more outgoing. I’d like to think that people are just as skeptical of me as I am of them. Once you’re out of the college scene, I feel like it’s really hard to get to know people outside of the work environment. And when you have a boyfriend, it seems somewhat inappropriate to be making new guy friends, you know? The problem is that I’ve always had more guy friends than girl friends, so therein lies the problem. To pass the time when the heat got a little too much to be outside, I started scrapbooking, despite feeling like I wasn't creative enough to make colorful collages out of random pictures and pieces of construction paper. But somehow I muddled through it, and even enjoyed myself...it kinda felt like art time in kindergarten, not to mention my pages look like someone in kindergarten put them together. I was going for that effect, really, I was. Then there were the dogs, who always keep me busy. They're always waking me up and wanting to go outside and making messes in the apartment...not potty messes...they'd leave their toys everywhere, chew up my underwear, hump each other, drool, fart, shed, snort, and do all those other wonderful things that dogs do. Despite all that, I can't imagine life without them. I think I would have gone insane and would have taken up talking to myself...oh wait, I already do that. Well, when there's a dog in the room it doesn't seem as weird, because I can just rationalize that I'm talking to them...they don't know what I'm talking about 90% of the time anyway.
So I'm leaving with mixed feelings. Phoenix itself isn't overly inviting, but it makes up for it by having a lot of things to do. In March I went to a few spring training games which was a lot of fun. Who can beat sitting outside in March in a tank top while watching a baseball game and eating a hot dog? And you get to sit so close to the action! You can hear them swear and everything. I never really knew how tall baseball players were either. They’re always so little on the TV that I assumed they were average-sized guys, but they’re actually quite large. And after growing up watching baseball in the Metrodome, I have a new appreciation for watching baseball outside, the way it’s supposed to enjoyed. There's a lot of hiking to be done with impressive views of the city and the fabulous houses in the foothills. I did a lot of hiking in the earlier months of the year, but in the summer months it's just too hot to do it…unless of course you get up at the buttcrack of dawn to beat the heat. There were days that I would get off work at 7am and the temperature would already be 98 degrees. 7am! I'm sure there's crazy people that hike in the dead of summer, but I wouldn't try it. The thing that I appreciate the most about the Arizona heat, is that it’s not a suffocating heat, as some might think. It feels more like a baking heat, if I can describe it like that. And no, not like a tanning bed. I don’t know…it’s like the heat penetrates your skin and warms you right to the core…it actually feels really good if you’re just sitting around doing nothing. Any sort of physical activity in that heat though, is death (at least for me…and the pugs). And don’t be swayed by those people that say, “it’s a dry heat.” A dry heat it may be, but 115 degrees is still 115 degrees. I don’t care who you are, that’s a bit too hot for the average person. But, when you put it into perspective for those of you from the more humid climates, 115 in Phoenix feels better than 95 degrees with 60% humidity. It’s a horse a-piece, really. As far as what the city has to offer, I would say that the bar and restaurant scene is one of the best I've ever experienced. There's so many different types that it's impossible to see them all or even pick a favorite...although I'm partial to Giligin's, a pirate themed bar that has little attractions every night of the week. My personal favorite night is Wednesday night when they have "Wheel of Fear Factor" hosted by a big Jewish guy and a Mexican midget. Basically the contestants play a mix of Wheel of Fortune and Fear factor...there's lots of obscene language, vomitting, and racial slurrs...none of which is to be taken seriously...it's a lot of fun. They do have a disclaimer at the beginning of the show though, giving those that are easily offended the opportunity to bow out before the profanity starts flying. They even offer to buy your drink! My brother and I were contestants pretty much every night that we went. I always wanted them to make me eat something gross, just to see if I could do it, but the hosts have different ideas for what the ladies have to do to get points. There’s a loophole in the game for the ladies…if they show their stuff, they win the game. I always refused to show when I played, which always drew ridicule from the audience. I was approached one night by a guy after the game that congratulated me on not pulling up my top for all to see, which I thought was nice. My most memorable night there had a topless woman jumping on a little trampoline. I don’t believe I need to tell you who won that round…and who went back to her seat with a grab bag full of candy and army figures. Then there's the Dos Gringos Trailer Park, which isn't a trailer park at all, but an open air bar serving Mexican food and good times. You can also bring your dog there until dark on most nights. Dana and I brought the pugs there one night and they were a huge hit. With her love of beer, Brie fit right in. Then there’s Mickey's hangover, which boasts big couches and chairs to lounge in while you drink and usually stays open until the wee hours of the morning...best of all, the kitchen stays open until closing time. I remember my first trip to Mickey’s the year before moving to Phoenix…it was like Scottsdale’s best kept secret. The atmosphere was chill, quiet, and lit by candles. You could actually have a conversation with someone without screaming or being spilled on by passersby. By the time I moved there, the word was out and the whole tone of the bar had changed. Now it’s full of loud, rowdy college kids and people old enough to know better than to act like loud, rowdy college kids. And they close with all the other bars now. Sad! Four Peaks is a local brewery that I believe is owned by some people from Minnesota judging by all the Vikings memorabilia in both of their locations. The beer is great (I'm a fan of the Kiltlifter) and the nachos are superb! Everything on the menu is pretty much a slam dunk. Seriously, if I could eat at only one restaurant for the rest of my life, it would be Four Peaks. You can also order jugs of beer to go...they're called Growlers...grrr! It’s amazing how quickly a group of three people can go through one of those things. You get it, and you’re like, “this is so much beer!” An hour later you’re scrounging around the fridge for random Bud Lights, which are a poor substitute, by the way. Mill Ave is fun...it's near the ASU campus in Tempe and is a string of bars and college shops that run for several blocks. Always a good time to be had for a shop-a-holic such as myself…there are all kinds of local boutiques and fun little random stores to browse. There are several restaurants to choose from, and a dynamite piano bar…one of the best I’ve been to thus far. In the late hours of the night and wee hours of the morning, there's an abundance of drunk college kids to point and laugh at...it also brings back fond (?) memories of when I was a too-drunken college kid trying to walk and puke at the same time...while still hoping that the young man I picked up at the bar was still interested. In all reality, I was just praying that I could make it home and eat some pizza.
Living experiences in the Phoenix metro really seem to vary based on where you live or where you go. Scottsdale was a little too uppercrust for me. I found that you need fake boobs, blonde hair, and a luxury car to even get a second look in that town, which is sad. Even the cashiers at the WalMart seemed stuck up. I remember looking at myself in the mirror at one point and thinking that my boobs were small. The last time my boobs were what I would describe as small was probably 1998. It’s weird how being around all that silicone, day in and day out, can affect a person’s perception of themselves. Greater Scottsdale is not to be confused with Old Scottsdale though. Old Scottsdale seems to be greater Scottsdale’s afterthought, filled with cute little shops, mostly low-key bars, and restaurants that have more on their mind than the latest foodie trends. You’ll also find a lack of chain restaurants and bars in Old Scottsdale. I never had the chance to live near Old Scottsdale, which I think I would have really enjoyed. Once I ditched Scottsdale and relocated to Tempe, I was so much happier! Tempe is very low key and it's more my style. I like it here. From my apartment, I can walk to the grocery store, Target, the post-office…and if I’m really ambitious, I can walk to Dana’s apartment, but I haven’t done that yet, and I probably won’t. That’s just a bit too much exercise for this girl. Maybe if I had a bike…oh wait, I do have a bike…that’s still sitting out on the balcony in the same place it’s been since I moved here. Whoops. Well…if you saw how the people drive down here, you’d be afraid to ride bike on the street too. Might as well not even wear a helmet. That’s my
excuse anyway.
excuse anyway.
Seeing as this was my first big move away from home, it was definitely difficult. I guess for me the biggest bummer about being down here is that I miss my family, especially my grandma. I miss my cute little house in Rochester, and I miss my giant friend network. I had something going on every night of the week when I was in Rochester. It's hard to meet people down here, and with being a transient, it seems that people are less likely to extend the extra welcome because they know that I'm going to be leaving anyway, at least that's how it seems. I guess I look at it the opposite way…every new person you meet has the potential to be a friend…if not a friend, then someone to casually keep in touch with from time to time. I’m of the feeling that there’s nothing wrong with having a few contacts in every place that you visit…makes it that much easier to get the “insider’s” view of the city, and then you know someone when you come back. But don't get me wrong, I've met some really awesome people down here. By far and away the best part about being down here is being close to Dana, and my brother Chris. Dana and I haven't lived in the same city since our undergraduate days in Winona, and I've missed her so much. In our time apart, we've both grown so much and have fine-tuned our personalities and interests. We realized that we’re actually quite different now, but when the two of us get together, it's just like old times, which is so comforting. I wish I could pack her up in a box and take her back to Minnesota with me! Maybe she'll decide to come back. Or, maybe I'll realize that I don't miss Minnesota as much as I thought and I’ll come back to Phoenix...who knows?? Life is an open book and I'm ready and willing to turn to the pages.
So yes, I honestly will miss Arizona...and I’m not closing the door…I might be back someday, much to Dana and Chris’s delight. I feel like moving down here was a big deal for me. It was my first time living more than an hour from home, and it was my first big risk since buying a house. I had to sell my house, because I knew the first time things got tough, I’d make a beeline for home rather than to just tough it out. I left my friends, I left my job…I basically left everything I’ve known and learned up until this point and just stuck myself out there. I feel like it's helped me to grow, and it's put a lot of things into perspective. I do have to add that I couldn’t have done it without the constant support, encouragement, and advice from my friend Jeff, who’s been living his own transient experience in the Peace Corps. His whole outlook was, “If you don’t like something, home is always going to be there; you can always go back. But you’ll never know if you don’t try.” Seriously, words to live by. I don't know how long I'll be living this transient lifestyle, but for now I'm enjoying it and I look forward to what lies ahead. Despite not having a place to call home or anything remotely permanent, I feel like I'm more adjusted now than I've ever been...weird, eh? I guess it’s true that you never know until you try…odds are, you might even surprise yourself.
