The Tapestry of my New World

​Every single person I’ve met here is, not gonna lie, genuinely amazing. Sure, there have been spats and hurdles, and some of them may not like each other (which is precisely none of my business!), but every single one of them is important to me.

​Each person has helped me in profound ways, sometimes without even knowing it. They all possess their own unique, brilliant specialties. I know I’ll be finding more threads to add to this ever-growing, beautiful tapestry for a long time to come.

​There's the gentleman whose passion for his garden is utterly infectious (and whose crop could rival any professional!), and the one who is the absolute king of "professorism"—the embodiment of the School of Life.

​I have my rock, the one who is always there when I don't know who else to turn to (including that one time he bailed me out of a sticky situation... lords almighty!).

​Then there's the masterful "Outsider" thinkers. One I know believes should have a medical card for how far out-of-the-box he is, while another's line, "It can all be done," opens your eyes to what’s truly possible. When others say, "No, you can't move a gas line," he just asks, "Why can't you?"

​The lady with the incredible vinyl collection has a heart even bigger than her catalog (though her pups and grandbabies are the real way to it). Another amazing woman is the ultimate master of tools and mechanics, popping out of the woodwork to say, "Hey, I have an engraver... let's make bottle openers!" She’s a fantastic gardener and cleaner, too—that level of expertise in a woman is seriously impressive.

​I appreciate the friend who not only tolerates my techno music but introduced me to Shaboozy, and who can get into extremely detailed and practical explanations of the why and how of everything.

​The person who gives me constant positive goodbyes, even when you can tell they're not feeling so great, shows true character. And the entrepreneur who seems to be running 800 businesses at once—his drive is inspiring.

​Honestly, the most impressive person I've met is the older gentleman who used to come into my last job for his specific chocolate order. I recently ran into him, and he remembered the exact project I had been working on and asked about it. (Most of the time, I feel like people don't "hear" me... so yes, he is the most impressive by far.)

​There’s the friend who loves Japanese culture but can clean up a yard better than anyone I know. And the one I’ve only met a few times who has the biggest smile and is, I gather, the very best extreme couponer known to humanity. Don't forget the local author whose way with words could floor the best of us.

​Then there are two truly special women who need their own post. They’ve never judged, are always willing to help, and are sensitive creatures. One is open-minded and well-rounded with beautiful stories, and the other has quite the musical history.

​And finally, the one who thinks she’s alone, but is just like the rest of us—overly hard on herself after feeling shunned. She is super sweet and drastically underestimates herself, but is one of the most amazing people here. She literally tracked me down to give me insulation, and our relationship blossomed from there. She has a huge heart, wears it on her sleeve, and would do just about anything for anyone.

​I could keep going for days, but I need to get back to my water line project I’ve started for the umpteenth time. I just walked home from a friend's place, where she hosted an early Thanksgiving, and thought about all these amazing people. My journey of discovering who I am has only happened because of them.

​I am happy I have them. Even though I push them away, I keep to myself, and sometimes I say things differently than most... they all would still open the door, answer the phone, or fill a bucket of water for me.

​And that is why they have become part of my family