Been a little more than 2 weeks since I moved into Des Moines and I can very well say that I have settled into Des Moines. Settling in a new city is intricately related to the moving into a more permanent accommodation (leased property), knowing where the nearest WalMart store lies and also knowing where the nearest coffee and donut shop is. I have located this trinity in the Des Moines area and feel pretty proud of myself.
The leased property (for 6 months) is in downtown and though the balcony faces the opposite side of where 'real' downtown lies, the fact that it is on the 16th floor does give some solace to the soul atleast in the summer. WalMart is located around 5 miles from my residence, and even though I do not have a car at my disposal it is right on the bus route which offers me free rides due to my professional affiliations :) . The coffee shop is bang in front of my office building and boasts of an all veg menu (how uncanny is that) apart from the ambience which reminds me of roots, rock, reggae and a lot of hippieness. You can get a low down on the coffee shop here: http://www.ritualcafedsmiowa.com/index.html
Apart from that staying alone is a bit of a bummer if you ask me. Like I was discussing with a friend of mine who was held up without any decent company in Tokyo for 3 weeks - how on the very first day he was happy that he would be staying alone and accordingly stacked up his refrigerator with the local beer along with quite a supply of the local hard liquor only to realize a week later that when it comes to drinking its not only your capacity for alcohol but the company which matters. Actually even I had/am having a similar experience. It makes more sense to grab a pint at the nearest watering hole than stacking the rack at home. Considering all this, I guess my respect for 'Devdas' and all the other 'lonely' drunkards has shot sky high. Sorry to say I cant do it guys and been distraught has nothing to do with it. The same logic fits very well to smoking. I mean stand alone around that smoker's station makes no sense atleast to me. I would rather kill the urge than bore myself just cos I go to have that fag. So all and all this 'alone-living' thing is kinda 'a positive'.
With no one really to speak to once I get back from office, I am kind of depending on the phone and the social networking to help me do away with the 'aloneness'. Again not complaining. Guess what, I have ended up making a plan for each month (atleast for the next 3 months) to get out of Des Moines :). Sept it is Austin, Oct it will be San Diego and November it will be Atlanta.
Pretty swell yeah!!!
P.S: I wanted to title the post - Alone but Happy but then I am aware of what 'synthetic happiness' is all about :)
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