Notes on my new town part 2
The food here has more variety. And all the restaurants are pretty good, as far as I can tell. Asian. Mexican. Whatever you want. There is even an Indian restaurant down the road. And, if you want to go further, there are shops! Grocery stores that stock Asian, Indian, and Mexican food. I used to go to Lincoln when I was in high school, and I always perused the Asian stores on O Street. I love those places, though I'm less adventurous now. One time I bought some shrimp thinking I would cook them, but then the shopkeepers asked where I was going fishing with the shrimp. So, I guess most bought shrimp as bait. So I went fishing. It was terrible bait. Should have eaten it. Or maybe the fish knew something I didn't.
I don't know why, but people here like to honk. Like, hey, we are all driving as safely as we can. Chill the heck out. You live in Kearney, Nebraska, not New York. Trust me, you have nowhere to go. The old lady you're honking at is now flustered and will probably have to go home and make herself some tea and talk to her neighbor for an hour to calm down. Driving isn't the same for everyone. We're all doing the best we can. A teacher I had (Mr. Hookie) said something similar many years ago, and I took it to heart.
All about sports here. I mean, people are pretty obsessed. There are ballfields everywhere. They're even trying to build a new sports complex, which is pretty cool, but don't y'all have enough? I guess they need more sports. (Truthfully, I voted yes on the new facility. It looks cool.) My son said everyone in his class agrees Husker football stinks, though. Hey, there is always volleyball. He doesn't seem interested in sports, though I think if he ever got bitten by that bug, he would do well. I didn't letter in anything but track. I went out for some sports even though I didn't enjoy them, but just to stay in shape. If I were to advise him, I would say just go out for what you enjoy. That's a good feeling you can take with you when you leave high school.
Migratory birds are pretty cool. I'm looking forward to all that madness. Years ago, when I drove through, I saw some cranes in a field. (Like, huh, cranes.) I don't recall seeing them when I lived here. But, now I can go watch them at the river. And not just cranes. A ton of birds and other wildlife call Nebraska home or use it as a migratory route. It's a fairly rich environment. Aquatic lifeforms abound, as well. Did you know Nebraska has eels? And trout? And now me. I may be the rarest specimen of all.
Trains! Supposedly, there are 80 trains a day that go through this town, many at night. I sometimes hear them, sometimes don't. When I first moved to Nebraska in 1987, I recall sitting in class and thinking, "Does anyone else hear that?" No one looked bewildered when the trains went through like I did. Eventually, I got used to them.
The facilities here are pretty good. My son had his Christmas concert at a pretty cool music hall/theater. It's nice to have things like that. Fancy is good. I'm used to fancy. I grew up around money. My family was upper-middle class. I was used to dressing up to go to church, banquets, conferences, funerals, and other events. Somewhere along the line, I got out of the habit. It feels good to dress up. It feels good to look good. I'm getting off track, though. But I kinda miss stuff like that. I don't even have a suit that fits right now. If anyone knows where I can get a proper suit, let me know. I'm sure I'll need one again.
My son went to the Big Apple Fun Center. He played laser tag and ate cake and celebrated a classmate's birthday. That's pretty awesome. We didn't have stuff like that so close when I lived in South Dakota. Well, we had cake. It's good they have cake here, too. I wouldn't want to live in a place that didn't have cake. They should put that in the tourism brochures ... "Welcome to Kearney. We have cranes! And cake!" I can see the looks on folks’ faces now. "Hot dog, Martha, we're going to Kearney. They have cake."
I don't recall exactly what winters were like in Nebraska, but they weren't this nice, for sure. This year is probably an anomaly, but it's nice to look at the weather where I came from and see a foot of snow and 4 degrees and realize I don't have to live like that anymore. It finally snowed yesterday, but today it is clear and the sun is shining. (And the snowplows were out while it was snowing, instead of 24-48 hours later.) I feel cozy inside, but I have to shovel the walks. Shucks.
The Bricks. I like the downtown area. The bricks are annoying, though. I know, it gives the downtown a happy, small-town feel. It is pretty cool. I like downtowns if they are healthy. This one looks pretty happy. And bumpy.
Gas is cheaper here. It's significant, though I don't drive much. Other things like taxes are higher. Food is cheaper. I'll have to get a park pass so I can enjoy the parks and rec. We'll see if I pick up a hobby like fishing or if I remain lazy. Lazy is okay. I've done a lot.
Lots of good parks here. I'm kind of a nature boy (but also a homebody, which is a strange mix), so I like to get out. And then go home. Haha. Did you know the name of the town was misspelled? It was supposed to be the same as the fort the town is named after, Fort Kearny. The original post office misspelled the name and it stuck. It's been that way ever since.
People here for the most part want to talk longer than I'm used to. I feel strange about it. Eventually, I'll get into the groove. I'm not a particularly open person. That is changing. I'm experiencing a change in my heart. I'm more generous. Loving. Open. Gracious. Kind. God is working.
I was talking with the lady who cut my hair. Her kids went to the same school as my son now. She even mentioned the same teachers and principal. She shared that her son was a lot like mine. He was dealt with in much the same way as my son, so he's in capable hands. Of course, her youngest is in high school now, so she probably has a rosier view looking back than me in the middle of it. In time, I will look back, too, and thank God He took care of everything. I didn't have to worry. I like the personal stories. It helps. My child is not the only wild one who needs love and correction (the same thing).
I want to find a particular art teacher and thank him for giving me a safe space when I was growing up. It's been on my heart for a long time. I don't know what else to do with desires like this but give them to God and hope He blesses them. Just as with all other desires I can't do anything about, it's best I give them to God. Selah.
The bike trails are awesome. I traced several of them around my area many miles. I like the fact that I can get on a trail and get some exercise. Go for a walk. Get out. Enjoy your day!
Cool museums here. One south of here is huge! You have to spend all day. I'll take my son someday. Right now, he's obsessed with watches. (Who even has watches anymore? He does. He has all of them.) He has one on one hand and one on the other. One lights up and one has a calculator. When he gets bored with those, we can check out Pioneer Village.
So many neighborhoods! I like the big, old houses in the central and southern parts of town (I'm not as familiar with other neighborhoods). Some of them are really taken care of. I wouldn't want a big, old house because I don't want to fix things forever, but, hey, go right ahead. They sure look nice. Much of the town is just endless suburbia. It's a nice feeling that everyone is just living their lives here. That's all I want to do. Just live my life and do what God puts in front of me. I used to wonder, as I walked the streets of McCook, what my life was going to look like someday. Walking to class and looking at the homes along the way, I thought maybe I'd own a home someday. I had no idea my life would turn out like it did. Maybe I'll get some land and a Champion Home. There. All set. Just need a dog and a cat (ehh) and some stuff to go on the walls. One can always hope. I blessed those around me. Maybe God will bless me too.
I want to see the changing of the seasons here. I'm excited about that. I haven't really experienced winter much (which is okay), but it should be pretty short. I want to see the trees turn green in spring and feel the oppressive heat of summer (check back with me then). And then segue into fall, my favorite season. The wind can be pretty strong, but I've never lived anywhere where it wasn't windy.
Lots of choices for grocery stores, many with good prices and a ton of variety. I had a hankering for one of those Hickory Farms boxes but decided to just get some summer sausage, cheese, crackers, and sweet and spicy mustard instead. Whaalaa. Probably less than half the price but twice the stuff. Anyway, my old town had one grocery store (the other burned down a few years ago), and the prices were astronomical. So, this is nice.
Services. I have to figure out dental, vision, etc. I'm starting from scratch and don't know anything. So I just pray and hope I pick right. The same goes for plumbers and everything else. Yay, being an adult is fun. The mall here is pretty sad. The one in Rapid City is healthier. But, it isn't sitting right next to a Walmart. Still, I like Dollar Tree, even though it's pretty ghetto. Cheap is cheap. Saving money is good. I like those chocolate-covered cherries. Now I'm salivating.
Recycling! I haven't experienced that since I lived in Ohio. Maybe it's worthwhile or maybe it's not, but I like it. I probably mentioned a lot of these things before, but that's because my memory is poor. Or I really like it. Some places have mandatory recycling, which I don't like. This is not one of them. Nobody is going to pick through your garbage here and fine you if you don't recycle your cereal boxes.
Kearney Diaper Supply. Not a real thing, but the sign looks like it says that. (My son even asked why it said that.) I drive past this place almost every day and every time I think it says diaper supply. This reveals the importance of choosing the right typeface. It actually says Kearney Vapor Supply. But if you're vaping, you probably already know that. The rest of us think you're going in there to get diapers. Weirdos.
Said it before. Will say it again. I enjoy the fact that the girl I wrote about in so many of these pages is only across town. It's extremely comforting to know she's not far away. I know it may just be a fantasy, but should she ever need anything — literally anything — I'm just a phone call away. A helping hand. A listening ear. To be held. (I'd love to be the guy who shovels her driveway, cleans her gutters, or just listens when she cries.) I just want to be a blessing. No strings attached. No expectations. Obviously, I'd be up for doing something fun, too. Perhaps I'm full of wishful thinking.
***
I don't know how long I'll live here. I'll enjoy it, make money, try to put down roots, follow God, and everything else. If God tells me to go again, I'll go. I won't hesitate like before. He knows what is best. It looks like He's using these moves to bring things to my attention about the past. That's good and necessary. But I'm tired. Tired of being unsettled. Tired of not knowing anything. Tired of being the new guy. Always having to figure everything out myself. I know God said He would bless this. I trust Him. I prayed about it a ridiculous amount. He knows what is best. I've seen tremendous healing and embraced my new reality, even though it wasn't exactly what I desired. God has a plan. I'm on board with whatever it is. I feel God said he would establish me here. I'm tired of not knowing anything, but maybe that's how God wants me to be: dependent on Him.
Thank you for reading. And God bless.
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