Looking Up, By Matt Brisby: Arrival: The Trials and Tribulations of Overwhelming Responsibility for the Perpetually Immature

So, it's been four days since we arrived in Halifax/Dartmouth, I have moved into my grown up person apartment, and my parents have left. It was a hard goodbye, harder than perhaps similar ones are. When someone moves out of their parents house for real, not for school or what have you, normally it's to somewhere at least relatively close, but not this time. I'm 21 years old and I just moved halfway across the country, and to be honest it scares me a little. There's so many unknowns, money, work, friends, hangouts, bat-fleck, so many things yet to be fully defined, and for a mental planner such as myself it's a little daunting.

On Wednesday we found my living quarters at around 3:30 and moved in my things, met my landlord and read a very nice note from Brad, which seems to have been dashed off very quickly but with full intent, as his hasty illustrations would seem to suggest. Then my parents found their motel and I met my other roommate, Jamie, who turns out, is a pretty nice guy. I also spent my first ever night in my new house, surrounded by boxes and empty walls, excited and also terrified.

Thursday was spent with my parents, again, as they bought me an awesome desk and chair as a delayed graduation present. It took a long time but it turned out well. We then grabbed a slice of pizza and headed back to my place where, the financial reality of what I have decided to undertake fully hit me, and my parents for the first time, a panic that did not wear off until well after they had left for the night, as I feverishly applied for any and all work I could find to support myself in the event of Video Production not being able to fully support me (a likely scenario). It was a hard night for me, surrounded by a still partially put together room and too many unanswered questions streaming through my head at a pace that was impossible to keep up with. But, one question in particular I kept coming back too again and again.

Is this what everyone feels like?

I guess it must be.

Fortunately, and by the grace of God, my many feverish, stuttering prayers for employment seemed to have an immediate pay off when Friday morning dawned with a phone call, and a Job interview. Sure, it was McDonald's, not the most glamourous of jobs, but it would pay the bills while Brad and I try to get this dream off the ground. Dreams ain't free kids. And it also eased many of my financial worries.

Don't get me wrong, this has still been a stressful move, for both me and my parents, but that was one thing I didn't have to worry about... as much...

Over the rest of friday and today, I finally got my room sorted out, and decorated, to a small degree, and spent a lot of time with my parents. Something I ordinarily don't look forward too, but when goodbyes came today. I find it's something I'm going to miss very very much. Sure, my family comprises six emotionally awkward and slightly neurotic individuals who have a hard time communicating, but deep down we all love each other very much and are always there for each other. I'm very sad I'll be so separated from that I'm going to miss them very much. I'd be lying if I said that when I said goodbye today I was not emotional.

I think anyone who moves this far away from their family must feel that way. Even some who live closer.

It's a whole new world for me. Something I've said a lot, yet something that has only just now sunk in. New people. New Places. New Prices. New Job. Nothing familiar. This is my life now. I'm Terrified. I'm Excited. I'm Ready. But also Not.

In the words of John Mayer:

"Don't know how else to say it. I don't want to see my parents go."

"Stop this train, I want to get off and go home again. I can't take the speed it's killing me, I know I can't but can't someone stop this train."

I'm gonna miss you guys. Stay healthy, stay happy.

Matt

P.S. Below are some pictures of my new abode, well just my own bedroom. I'm sure at some point I'll put up some pictures from around the rest of the house.

The Door, Lanterns and all.