The Vineyard and Vermont: May 2009

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Back on 14th Street

One of the loneliest places to be is out of hearing range of something that has sound. It must be hell to be deaf.

I was sitting out on my front lawn tonight for the first time this season. It was 8:30 but still light enough to see. Looking through my cottage window, I saw the television playing but couldn't hear the sound. Immediately I was 15 and back in our front yard on 14th Street in Cottonwood. We had an old telephone pole lying on the ground near the street, and when you sat there, you could see the drive-in. Many, many nights I sat there and watched movies; watched the images flicker soundlessly on the screen. So many of my schoolmates were actually inside the drive-in, laughing, loving, hearing from the speaker in the car window. Back then, I didn't feel I had the power to change things in my life. Tonight, I stood up and walked inside leaving the lonely adirondack chair alone in the growing darkness. I walked inside, to the light and sound, as any normal person would do.

So THIS is a Beach Community...

I've been living on Martha's Vineyard for 7 1/2 months, and today is the first day that it actually feels like a beach community. There are tourists (some, but not lots), mopeds, power boats, sail boats, ice cream stores, and fudge. What a transformation. The weather is gorgeous for a change, and I spent several hours walking around Vineyard Haven photographing it. I sat out on the dock near the Black Dog, and a guy sailing past waved to me. Someone riding a bike past me on the way home said hello. These are unusual events! I suppose those who vacation on the Vineyard think everyone here is so friendly! I'm pretty sure, though, that both people who spoke to me were visitors. The black lab was doing his run back and forth on the beach in front of The Black Dog Tavern. He must be the most photographed dog in New England! You have to laugh at him, though, because he runs back and forth, then digs in the sand, then jumps in the water and starts digging there. Now that's a creature who's happy to be alive. :-)

My last day here will be 6/7...I leave on 6/8 unless I get a call for my next interview step with BNY Mellon. If that comes before 6/8, I'll leave then. My landlady is interested in buying some of the things I want to leave behind, so I think we'll be able to work something out.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

On the Train to Providence

Impy relaxing at Aunt Glady's.

It's been two weeks since my last blog entry. Ha! That sounds like the beginning of a confession...forgive me, Readers, for I have sinned, it's been 2 weeks since my last blog entry.

Lots going on. The most important things are related to my career. 1) I passed the CPLP exam - that stands for Certified Professional in Learning and Performance. Before I get my certification, I must write a "white paper," the topic of which is yet to be determined. I will get instructions in the next month regarding the requirements. A white paper poses and argues a solution to a particular problem. For instance, my white paper may be something like, "Getting Employees to Attend Training - If You Build it, They Will Come." That's a silly title, but you get the idea. Anyway, once I submit my white paper and it's accepted, I get my certification. 2) I've completed the first round of interviews at The Bank of New York Mellon for a position I really want: Senior Trainer. I interview with the next level of management tomorrow afternoon. The position is in New York, I would keep my seniority, benefits, and years towards retirement at BNYM (I've already been there 8 years). I have a reasonably good feeling about yesterday's interviews, so we'll see how tomorrow goes.

I'm headed back to the Vineyard today via train, bus, and ferry. As far as I know, I'll be there until the end of my time off (and the end of this blog) on June 8th. On that morning, I take the train back to NYC and move back into my apartment.

All is well. People I love are healthy. I've spent the past 8 months on vacation. I'm moving back to the city I love in less than 2 weeks. I have a reasonably good prospect for a job that I will enjoy and in which I'll excel. I'm sad, though. Perhaps it's anxiety about a new workplace. Perhaps I'm sorry to be getting back into a routine for work. Or perhaps happiness is something we seldom can grasp. It seems to slip through our fingers like sand or sunbeams.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Learning and Development

I'm studying for my certification exam in training and development. This material comes more easily to me than the project management did, but I still have no idea how I'll do in a week and a half.

It rained torrentially this morning but by noon things had dried up. The sun isn't showing its face yet, but tomorrow should be brighter.

I went for lunch at the bagel shop today. The old man and his son that I see walking around Vineyard Haven came in after me. Thankfully I had my study papers I was working on, because when the son was helping his dad sit down, it reminded me so much of Dad. I had a hard time keeping from bursting into tears. I could use a hug from him right now. Guess the emptiness never really goes away.