The End.

I know, I know, I haven't written in eons. Truth be told, I thought about starting a new Baltimore blog with at least one update a week about my food escapades, but couldn't think of any fun names and I got busy/distracted/lazy. If you can think of a fun blog name (that isn't anything like "Bubba Banks in Baltimore" or "Charming Kitchen" which I sadly realistically considered), perhaps I'll take up a food blog with the rest of those foodies.

Oh this kitchen. It's amazing. I've made so much middle eastern food. I've made a plethora of soups. I've rekindled my love for kale thanks to the man at the farmer's market downtown who sells you 1lb for a DOLLAR. So I've eaten a lot of baked kale chips, kale in soups, and tonight, sauteed kale with garlic roasted garbanzo beans. Last night was roasted curried eggplant with tomatoes and jalapenos. I've kept my menu pretty varied and Bubba is learning to eat fun new things (spring onions, jalapenos, celery, kale). I don't think I've repeated a single recipe in the month I've been here. Honestly, Baltimore's disappointed me with it's food offerings and I find that I like what I make more than what I've found in it's eating establishments. As dorky as it sounds, when you start eating well, that's what you begin to crave. I won't go so far as to say I've gone gluten-free or vegetarian (because Lord knows I love me my bacon), but there's much LESS gluten and meat in my diet. I've had the same loaf of bread in my fridge for the past month. ...I should probably throw that out.

I'm beginning to get the hang of the job and the city. The friend issue is still not fantastic, but that's what I get for continuously moving around. I've struck up conversations with regulars on my bus route and gone to lunch with coworkers. Meeting people sucks. I can only drop so many hints on coworkers. "Yep. Don't have any plans all week. Because I just moved here. And I don't know many people. Making friends is so hard. Just heading home to the dog. To watch tv and cook. By myself. Alone."

In due time. I'll meet people in due time.

I thought I'd say a proper goodbye. This is it for Snooty on a Stipend. I am no longer on a stipend (this fact only verified by my legitimate benefits plan). I will, however, continue to be snooty, as evidenced by my sentence about liking my food more than the food I eat when I go out.

AmeriCorps, and my consequential year in Roanoke, was an amazing experience for me. I met such great people, got to live in a beautiful city, and was able to get started on what I hope will be a long and wonderful career. I am so thankful for everything I learned and everyone I met. You taught me so much and I'll never forget any of it, or any of you. Thank you. Thank you so much.

And with that,
the end.

One Month and Counting.

One month and going strong...
So I've been in Roanoke for about a month now. I've learned a few back roads, I can hear the twang developing in my voice (I'm not proud of this), and I am getting a better feel for the people and the culture of the valley. Sprawling metropolis that Roanoke may be, it still very much has the small town feel. People I vaguely recall meeting once not only remember my name, but somehow seem to know every single personal fact about me, including things that I may not yet know.

"MV, do you remember meeting Mr. X?"
"Of course!" I lie.Mr. X will then proceed to tell me not only how we first met (thanks for the refresher) but also what he has learned about me from our mutual connection since we last saw one another. Now, everyone here only has to remember meeting me. My handicap is having to remember every single one of them. It's a challenge, and I am slacking something fierce. My biggest fear is them learning I don't remember meeting them, but for now I just smile and go with it. Nodding enthusiastically and occasionally going in for a hug helps too - yes, I am promoting the hugging of people who are potential strangers.

Roanoke = ParisMy supervisor loves to compare Roanoke to Paris. Obvious comparisons aside, such as it being a massive city and cultural center of the world, there is some validity to this comparison.
Zip codes are done in snail pattern, much like Paris. So, in that light, I'm just living in the Paris of Virginia. Instead of a big fancy tower, we have a massive lit-up star. And instead of the Seine, we have the Roanoke River. Other than the language, you'd never be able to tell the difference.

The Morbidity of Nonprofits
You'd think that nonprofits would be all about forward-thinking methods and general optimism. And, well, it's not that they're not - it's more that there's a dark side to them as well.

My first week at work, I found myself researching various funeral homes and crematoriums. And pet cemeteries... and so forth. This was when I was initially just trying to figure out who was generous in their donations in the area.

Now, about a month in, I've begun doing intense research in regards to planned giving - or who includes us in their will, estate plans, etc. While calling the necessary contacts, I began to realize that the nonprofit world has its ugly, morbid side. Somehow, this has become my niche for the past two weeks or so. While it sounds awful, it is a very real and necessary part of fundraising. Many nonprofits, especially in the educational realm such as universities, rely heavily on planned giving for a substantial percentage of their income. It is just incredibly essential to have a sense of humor about the whole thing, or you'll become such a Negative Nancy cynic that no one will see the point in giving to you.

The Stipend
You're probably all like, "Alright MV, that's great that you're fundraising and dealing with death and all, but how's your pretension working out for you on your limited budget?"
Let me tell you, friends, amigos, countrymen.
There's been some wine withdrawal, I'm not going to lie. I may have moved with two cases of wine (no, parents, I haven't finished them), but finding people who are like "Hey, let's get together to chill over a glass of wine!" has been rough. I went to the friendly neighborhood Kroger after work yesterday with Supervisor for a free wine tasting, and felt almost like I was at the wine tasting at Whole Foods. The sommelier had brought a zinfandel from home that he let us try - it was fantastic and honestly, I was a little bummed that it wasn't available for sale. Supervisor enjoys wine, though, which is an incredibly exciting find. There is apparently a wine festival up at the lake next weekend, but our sommelier said it was good if you're into an abundance and large variety of mediocre wine.

Going out. I don't do it, really, at all, because it costs money. (and because I'm still learning how to make friends) Or, you offer to DD. Then it's free/cheap. I eat a lot of pb&j at work. Or pb&honey. I also eat a substantial amount of pizza because you can buy a pizza here for $6. Who knew that in a one week I could go from never having had Little Caesars to having it twice?

Also, enjoy a handful of the few photos I've been able to upload! Woo.

Coming soon to the blog: my first real college football experience (and having no idea what to bring to a tailgate), being useless at work because I know no one, and my ongoing adventure to de-ghettofy Mr. Merlot.