This is HUGE.

I've been in Nashville for 2 years. And if you've read my last few posts, I haven't had the best of luck. I was in Virginia for a week and now have my dream job and an amazing apartment lined up. I can't even get over this. I told you I have better luck in Virginia.
I drove home last Wednesday, stayed with Mom, and we had a fantastic day together Thursday shopping, watching Criminal Minds, and laughing a lot. I left for Roanoke Friday and never stopped moving. We moved Erica into her new amazing apartment at the Cotton Mill Lofts in downtown Roanoke. It's walking distance to all the downtown area and simply an amazing living area. We had a great birthday party for her Saturday night and spent Sunday with family (I'm basically adopted into hers). Tuesday, a photographer I had recently been in contact with called me because I let him know I would be in town, and asked if I could stop by the studio. I did, and ended up there for about 6 hours. He offered me the job as his photography assistant, which means I'll be shooting with him, as well as learning software programs (Photoshop, Quark, Photoreflect, etc.). He also wants me to market hardcore for him, which certainly isn't a problem for me because I'm a champ. He wants to bring in a new, young, edgy feel to his photos and he feels I can also bring that to him. Basically, he wants a Girl Friday, and I told him I was it. Wednesday I even went into work--for about 10 hours, we trained over programs and he saw what skills I had in Photoshop (turns out I'm not a total loss) and got an idea of where we want to go with marketing. It's...this job...I can't even describe it. He's one of the better known photographers in the area and he plans on paying me well. He warned me that I'll probably be working closer to 50 hours a week. I don't mind; I barely notice the time when I'm in that gorgeous studio and I can't wait to get started for real. I'm so excited to work, and to be doing something I love, that I'll move a bed in the studio if I have to. I haven't felt this confident since I was at college; I suddenly feel exactly as I did then, and it feels like the old me is ready to be back in the spotlight.
The studio is 4 blocks from Erica's apartment, and I knew I wanted to live there. I can walk to work in 10 minutes, and it's 2 blocks from Erica's work. So yesterday morning, I met with the staff, looked at apartments, and J and I decided on an amazing loft apartment. It's 1 bed, 1 bath, with an enormous kitchen (complete with brand new stainless steel appliances and washer/dryer) and living room, and a staircase leading up to a simple but spacious loft. It's smaller than what we're used to, but we only really use that second room for storage, and we've got plenty of storage space in the new digs. This place is gorgeous, on the first floor by the lobby doors, and pet-friendly for Fisher. There's a full gym downstairs and the staff are some of the nicest people I've ever met. I can't say enough good things about this place. I drove back to Nashville afterwards and I can still barely believe it. It won't be real to me until I start packing up everything. I have to go back in 2 weeks to sign the lease and get our keys, but I'll stay upstairs with Erica (she's 2 floors above me!) for the few days until Jason shows up with the furniture, and work as many hours as I can to get started. My mom is so excited that I'll only be an hour and a half from her, that she can come up Saturday morning and spend the day with me and go home later that afternoon, like she used to when I was at school. That we can be together and not miss each other desperately, or only see each other 3 or 4 times a year. I'm three hours from my brother and nephews. I worried that Jason was only acting excited to placate me, but he assures me that it's real--it's a fresh start for him and he's even thinking about culinary school. He's ready for a change and I guess neither of us realized how burnt out we were being here until now.
So now I have to get everything organized. I need to clean and pack, figure out what I can do without for a couple of weeks, get boxes and bubble wrap, toss what I can live without. It's all happening so fast that my head is spinning, but I haven't been this high on life since before I moved to Nashville. I feel like karma has given me an unbelievable opportunity: an incredible job along with this beautiful apartment in the same building as my best friend? This makes all the difficult times worth it. I'm dreading saying goodbye to my friends here. I've already gotten two very annoyed phone calls, telling me that despite my good fortune, they wish I weren't leaving. I simply wouldn't have made it the last 2 years here without them, any of them. I hope they know that and I still plan on seeing them in October for a wedding, and whenever they want to come visit me, there's a loft open for them.
My luck is changing. It HAS changed. My brain is buzzing with everything I need to do, but I'm excited. I'm not at all scared and I'm ready to be thrown back into the crazy busy life. I'm moving in 2 weeks and I couldn't be happier. Life is never perfect but suddenly it sure feels like it could be close.
LC.