So what have I learned? Why am I asking myself that? I've had this idea that I've discovered something about moving and starting again somewhere, but it's a laughable realization, and the truth is, I've known it all along, but just let myself ignore/forget it, so it seems as if it's this big discovery... You see, when you start over somewhere (and haven't I done that before?!), you create a whole nother life for yourself. It's a process somewhat like cell division, except, in this case, I'm still in the stage of binary fission, where I have subdivided and each part is still developing within the same cell. My DNA (so to speak) has split - part of it still thrives in Mexico, requiring constant upkeep and awareness. Meanwhile, I'm in the other part of the cell, which is developing at an alarming rate. When I moved to Mexico all those years ago, I willingly let the cell divide, but this time, I'm resisting it, preferring to stay split inside the same cell. Unfortunately, I didn't stop to consider the possibility that the 6-month (mis)(ad)venture might become all-absorbing. Just yesterday, I almost let the deadline go by for some payments I have to make in Mexico, and there are other things coming up soon that I'll have to give attention to, and yet what's going on here is much more immediate and anchoring.
The lease itself is binding, as you know, and the job, though finite, is a clutch of sorts nevertheless. Then there are the countless things that we must acquire in the process of living day-to-day. Take the case of the hair dryer for example.
We don't use those hairblowers for our hair, yet today, I may be going out to buy one. Why? Well it turns out our apt. has what may be bedbugs... we have finally (after many bites on both our bodies) actually found two bugs, which, when squashed revealed a good storage of blood. We've investigated and found that heat does kill these bugs - for example, you can steam-heat them to death, but we can't find a way to rig up a steam-blower. A vaporizer with a hose is what we need for that... meanwhile, you can take a hairblower, put it at the hottest speed and aim it at your bed and if there are any of those creatures, they'll come out to where you can kill them. Supposedly, it kills their eggs too... but of course, you need to keep up regularly on thorough vacuuming for that...
As to the vacuuming aspect, here we lucked out. Our good friend lent us an ancient Hoover. She says it actually might be worth something as an antique, but if you saw it, you would think it's junk. Sam got it working however, and it still has suction and does a nice a job, after all its years of dormancy.
Oh, and the apt. administrators put us on the list for pest extermination, but that doesn't really lift our hopes. Pest control around here is about roaches, not about bedbugs or other bloodsuckers, which require different recourses. I didn't say anything to Veronica, the girl who takes the orders, because I know she'd fob me off with something optimistic, and anyway, we have those little roaches too...
So another thing I've learned is that apt. living is not the luxurious thing it looks like from the pictures. This is actually the first time I've ever lived in one; the last time I lived here, I lived in different houses, but no apartments. Still, I should have known about the potential dangers of living in large complexes with close contact to others. The carpeting may be brand new, but it can still host little creatures that were in the cracks between the baseboards before it was set down. The kitchen may be sparkling white, the appliances gleaming and perfect, but back in the cupboards, those little roaches are having a merry time of it... and you can even be sitting at your table, typing away at your computer, when you are suprised by a valiant critter who thought he would try to dart across your table while you weren't looking. Tough luck for him! I did look and he's a goner... and I've always been someone who didn't like to kill anything... with the exception of flies and mosquitos... okay we'll just have to add roaches, bedbugs, fleas, and whatever other bothersome intruders are lurking around to that list.
To sum up, I'm metamorphizing as the days go by. I try to make the metamorphosis something positive, but there are things that give me pause and make me wonder what the next step should be. If I buy a hairblower, will it do the trick? Will I also need to invest in a vaporizer? Maybe I should go to the doctor. That's another consideration, as my bites seem to be infected. I'm taking an antibiotic, and have used it topically too, but if that doesn't work...
Sam was feeling more positive this morning, and that's good. So far, he's been the one needing the pep talks, as he feels the situation is way out of control. But this morning we both woke up with no new bites, so he thinks maybe we will be able to get rid of the critters after all...
What will happen to me in the long run, I wonder... will the cell finally divide, with me becoming one with the life here, will I go back and be a completely different person, will I go somewhere else and start the process again?? Those are some of the options.
I'm outta here now... on my way to wash possibly contaminated blankets at the hottest temp possible, dry them in a dryer at the hottest temp possible, then store them in the van, which is hopefully still bug-free. If possible I will bring back a hairblower. Then I'll use it around the apt., vacuum once again, and throw out the vacuum bag. If the antibiotic doesn't show me better results after today, I'll go to a doctor, no matter what that ends up costing... meanwhile, I'll investigate to find out what my options are on that before I leave for work. It's nice that I have a job that doesn't start till 4 pm, right?
Okay! Now doesn't that sound positively doable? Wish me luck!
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