Ok folks, Margaret or Blount?

So. I mentioned earlier in this blog the possibility of going by Margaret again in California. It has come to my attention, that some people feel that this decision isn't the best idea. So, I'll put it up to you.

So, Margaret Montgomery or Blount Montgomery?

I see the benefits of both, so I would appreciate feedback.

One Week Away

So it's one week away from the epic plane flight/move to California. I've almost got everything in order for the flight. My things have been dispersed for the most part between Goodwill, friends and strangers who bought my stuff from craigslist. It's kind of amazing, this whole process of narrowing down my things to what's important to me. I highly suggest it to anyone who wants to spend some time hunkering (is that a word?) down and making some tough decisions. Books. That's been the hardest one. I've avoided going through them again. I'm going to mail three boxes out before me to CA, but in all likelihood have about five boxes of books that haven't been finalized as "dad's crawlspace" or "my books in CA." It's tough.

Also, I'm about to head out on an epic road trip. Nashville. Sewanee. Back to Oxford. Then maybe Jackson?... All in the span of a weekend. I just figure I need to get the driving bug out of my system. Granted, it's not in my car, it's in my sister's (thanks, Jane-Claire), but still, once I arrive in CA, I will not have a car. Mine's been sold and I don't plan on buying one until I have a job that I can afford to have one/live in a place where it makes sense to have one.

I think I've just gotten to the point where I'm ready to be settling in somewhere. Having my things occupy space in the living room of my Dad's place is kind of unsettling. I want those things to have homes. I guess I won't have to wait long. In the meantime, I'm going to try and visit with as many friends as possible before I leave (and also work in some Dad time too, provided he's not exposing me to fox news). I know I'll miss home. I'll miss the South. I'll miss family and friends, but in all honesty, this is going to be one hell of an adventure for me. Challenging, yes. But an adventure nonetheless.

Here's to adventure!

Step One... Be a Gypsy

So, in order to go out West, and also in order to save for the trip out West... I will be a gypsy for the next month. Step one was to move in with Dad. Done. I just have to figure out where I'm putting all this stuff.

I've been asked a lot about how I feel about moving away from the South. I've lived in the South all my life (with the exception of six weeks in Boston with Episcopal nuns), and now I'm getting more and more conscious of "Southern" things that I do... like say "darlin" and "ma'am" and "sir"... even a few "I'll be damned"... It's interesting because I want to say I'm going to retain that way of life, but there's something necessary with me moving to step back and say, "is that really me?" Or maybe more importantly...

"Is that how I want to be?"

As far as the nervous thing goes, yes, I'm nervous about living farrrrrr below the poverty line and adjusting to that budget. Yes, I'm nervous about living with two other people I've only exchanged e-mails with. Yes, I'm nervous about what exactly my day to day will be like...

Nervous is one thing.

I'm horrified at thinking about the reality that not only will I be able to have an outside perspective of the South, but an outside perspective of myself. A huge part of these past two years back in Mississippi has been getting adjusted and used to how I operate. Grad school has taught me a lot. Living in the same town as my Dad has taught me a lot. Being single for two years has also taught me a lot. Getting back into diocesan youth work has been invaluable. In college I thought I had burned out when it came to youth ministry. These past two years have shown me otherwise.

But all of that realization and getting used to Blount Montgomery as Blount Montgomery could come crashing down. And that terrifies me.

I guess the change of perspective will start with the fact that I'll be returning to Margaret Montgomery instead of Blount Montgomery. Simple enough, right? Just a name. Went by Margaret and Margaret only (with the exceptions of a few nicknames) for about 15/16 years... but have been growing more and more into going by Blount in the past 10 years.

And don't worry... I won't insist on people who know me as Blount call me Margaret. I guess I just figure that...

A. easier to introduce myself without including "it's a family name" and "no, my parents weren't/aren't hippies"
B. more professional?? is that really a concern that I have. I must be getting old.
C.... yeah, can't think of a C...