I’ve been holding this in for a long time because I have this weird superstition that if I talk about things, they don’t work out. And that goes for writing about them too, apparently. The more I blab about how excited I am, the more likely that things will crash and burn. And the more disappointed I am. So mum’s the word, as the cliche-masters say.

But now that things are officially official, I can tell it to the world: I HAVE A JOB!!

See, I’m an AmeriCorps*VISTA, which means I’m basically a full-time volunteer. Have been for two years, serving at a community college as a Service Learning Program Coordinator. My second year is due to end in mid-July, and I was toiling over what to do next.

Brad and I were ready to bail on Jackson and do something different, maybe even move out of state. But then a little bird told me (oh god, another cliche) that they’d like to create a full-time position for someone to do exactly what I was doing as a VISTA. And? They wanted me to do it.

Well things got in the way. Budget, boards of directors, unions, political mumbo jumbo. There were a million reasons that this shouldn’t work out, number one being that there just isn’t enough money for a full-time position. I was made to rest on pins and needles (ugh, another one) for the last three and a half months, never really knowing what was going on.

Finally in early June they posted the position and I applied. Legally they have to open it up to the world, so I was potentially competing with a zillion other people for a job I knew like the back of my hand (which I don’t know at all, so what a dumb cliche that is). Last week I interviewed for the job, which was very awkward since I’m friends with those asking the questions. But it went well, and I believe I passed with flying colors (please make it stop).

I waited the whole weekend in anticipation, and on Tuesday I got the magic call. They officially offered me the job and I officially accepted. So I’ll be staying in Jackson for awhile, which is really weird to me. I came here two years ago thinking I’d just get through it for a year while I did my AmeriCorps service, and then I was out. Now I have a life here. In Jackson. How the hell did that happen?

Also, I have more news. I know, it just keeps getting better right? You’ve all followed me along on the apartment search, which was little more than a giant headache, and finally I’m happy to report: WE HAVE AN APARTMENT!!

Remember the one we really liked and almost put nonrefundable money down for? Well we still really liked it, so we called on a whim to see if it was maybe still available. Can ya guess what we were told?

Yep you’re right. Somebody had signed a lease, but lost his job before he moved in, so it was open! How’d you know? We went there the same day, looked at it again, and wrote a check to hold the place. We have to sign the lease by July 7, but we don’t have to move in or start paying until later in July when I start the job for real.

Tell me, oh wise renters of the world, is it silly to sign a lease before I start the job? What if my luck turns and they pull the money and throw me out on the streets? I feel like sometimes things just happen this way…you sign the lease before you get your first paycheck…but maybe I’m just being naive. Advice?