Long Awaited Entry

Greetings. Well, this has probably been the longest amount of time between the last few entries, especially from April 1 to April 10. I hope to not have that lapse in time happen again, then again, going into this month, I had no idea that I'd only have done 3 entries by this point.

Anyway, a lot has happened in the last two weeks, which I'll attempt to summarize here.

First, a personal notable thing, I did my own taxes! Last year, I had a friend help me file, but this year, that wasn't an option since I'm in a new city and don't know that many people, or not well enough to ask for tax filing help. So, I went down to the H&R Block office near my complex and filed my taxes on my own. I'm not real tax or financially for that matter, oriented. So I was quite happy to just answer questions while the tax person filed them for me. And, as it happened, I walked away with a bigger refund this time around than I got last year, keeping in mind that last year I was still working part time. I'm guessing that the big refunds might disappear when tax time comes around again next year. Then again, you never know I suppose. Anyway, I had a great sense of satisfaction and pride when I left H&R, and the tax professional said to me, "Have a great year. See you next year."

Next, though many people might find this hard to believe, especially considering my lifestyle up until now, I've started exercising with a coworker of mine, where we get on his eliptical trainer on what we hope is a daily basis. We're still working some of the kinks out in this program. However, I am exercising more often than not during a week's time, and I can already tell a bit of a difference, in that my legs and feet don't hurt as quickly when I walk on some of my longer trips. Keeping in mind that since I haven't typically walked long distances; what's long to me might not be long to you. I don't have all of the "exercise" lifestyle figured out yet, but I'm working on it. I'm of the belief that when you start to exercise, you don't just change all of your habbits (including eating) over night and shed the pounds immediately. These things take time, and I'm not just talking about the exercise. So there's something that I never thought I'd write about, :)

After the exercise, we have typically sat around and talked for an hour or more. That has been neat as well, to get to know and exchange ideas and thoughts with a colleague and frowing friend.

I have another "cool feeling" report to offer. I went to downtown Austin today to the NFB chapter meeting. Afterward, I went to lunch with a group of people. After lunch, a student from the training center and I were walking to a nearby bus stop to catch the bus for the ride home. The cool feeling happened while we were walking to the stop. I must say here that I haven't been the best thus far at getting out and exploring Austin. What I know comes largely from where I was sent to and places I walked through while in blindfold training when I started. One of those areas happened to be the area I walked through with the student today. Anyway, she was asking me where we were going, exploring her surroundings with her cane, and telling me that she didn't know a lot about Austin and wasn't as experienced as I was in getting around. I grinned when she said this, since, well, read my last statement. Anyway, that was cool to be showing her the way to go to get back to the bus stop. I also took the opportunity to tell her interesting tidbits, such as the movie theater we passed by on our way down the block. On a previous trip down there, I had passed by that theater. I knew what it was since when I walked, or attempted to walk by, the theater, I found a long line of people waiting to get in, and several people told me what it was. I tried to ask them what they were waiting to see, but they didn't understand, or they were too worried about where I was going, which happens with sighted people, :)

I've been spending the past few hours looking at the various reward levels for my new bank credit card and calculating what I need to do in order to get a certain reward. That has been tedious, but fun, since until now, I haven't had a large enough income to qualify for many of these types of rewards. And, before anyone asks, I'm not going to overspend and get myself in trouble; I'm not that kind of person. Anyway, this is one more thing on the list of benefits of full time work: you can build up and obtain credit card rewards.

Looking ahead slightly, I have another round of Center, or perhaps its organizational, training coming up next week. I'm looking forward to that, since I'm mainly curious what its about. Also since I will be getting a whole volume, or two, of Braille materials. That will be neat, to actually get workshop materials in a medium I can read, instead of adding to my stack of hardly-read print stuff. Looking further ahead, it also looks like, from all indications, I'll be going to the NFB national convention this summer in Dallas. I'm looking forward to that as well, mainly since I didn't think I'd be able to go with my new job. However, since my employer has basically told us, "If you want to go, you can," I've answered with an enthusiastic, "Yes!" Kind of ironic that after several years, the NFB convention finally makes it back to Dallas, but I'm not living there anymore, grin.

Well, that's about all for now. I'll write again when I think of it or when I can, whatever comes first. Until then, ...