The Nine Month Change

Every nine months or so I get an overwhelming urge to do something new- a thirst for change. I've always chalked this up to the combination of being a woman- maybe we just can't hold things in for more than nine months at a time- and living within the 9 month school calendar for so long. Whatever the case, last night I was laying in bed thinking the same old thoughts of "I'm trapped! What am I doing?! I haven't done anything new lately! Ah!" It was panic setting in, and then the realization that next week will be exactly 9 months from when I moved to Germany.

I've been going through this panic/ restless cycle since the age of 15, the year I got my first job, traveled out of the country for the first time, and got my driver's permit. Since then, I've moved 9 times, changed jobs 17 times, owned 8 vehicles, and gone to some form of school for 5 very different careers (none of which I'm currently doing).

I can recount my life for the last 9 years in 9 month stints with a few exceptions: I stayed in my Eastside Evansville apartment for a whole year. I worked for Dr Brown almost 2 years (and would've stayed longer had I not moved to another continent). And I plan on staying here in Germany well past 9 months! Thankfully, relationships are exempt from my this restlessness. I don't ditch them like used cars. Actually, several of my best friends I met in that same year. I guess 15 was a big one for me.

So, now I need to figure out what big change to make so I don't keep laying awake at night feeling like my skin is crawling from being in one place for so long. If you have ever taken a glucose tolerance test, that is what my nine month panic feels like. For those of you who are fortunate enough to not have been asked to take this devil test, let me explain.
1. Fast for 8-12 hours.
2. Go to hospital.
3. Nurse draws blood.
4. Drink a nasty sugar drink and then sit in a hospital room for about 45 minutes trying not to think about all that sweetness pouring through your foodless system.
5. Draw blood again.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 as many times as the doctor sees fit or until patient passes out.

Side note, the nurse did offer me a golf magazine in an attempt to captivate my attention for the hours that it felt like ants were crawling under my skin. And surprise, surprise, I passed out before I'd been stuck enough to have conclusive results.

THIS, is what my restlessness feels like... ants crawling under my skin, and as hard as I try to think about something else, it just doesn't happen... and then I pass out. Haha.

Ok, back to figuring out what change I'll make within the next week. Although changes in my living space, job, and car could be coming soon, I need something to tide over the thirst until then. Maybe hobbies.
------------------------------------------------------

I wrote that post yesterday morning. Since then I've been trying out the hobby thing, and it's actually working. I don't feel the ants crawling as much! I've gone for 2 runs, a good walk, and done lots of pushups and situps. I've read 2 books, cooked, cleaned, practiced drawing, done hours of grad school research, listened to some GSC sermons, and talked with the family. Mainly it's been the reading and grad school research that has kept me occupado. I feel like this is what people who drink lots of caffeine feel like.
------------------------------------------------------

If I were in the States right now, I would buy a motorcycle (preferably a Vegas Low because it's like sexy bike except my size) and ride to my least favorite state (Louisiana, with Mississippi at a close second) to get some gumbo. I'm really craving wind and gumbo right now :) I'm sure that buying a new toy would satiate the thirst for a while.

But since I am here without driving privileges or good spicy food, I suppose I'll dig into my new New Testament Survey book.