Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Look Who Showed Up Today

Well this is awkward. I've been away for so long that I don't know whether to open this with "I'm Sorry" or "You're Welcome". Let's try to string things together from where we left off over a month ago

You'll be relieved to know that WiFi is back in my world. No more strange invitations from Starbucks employees on their breaks. No more sifting through old DVD's in the value bin at the neighborhood Wal-Mart. Still playing board games, making up our own card games and succumbing to the necessary rounds of power-hour that make us, well, us. 

We aren't going to bed as early anymore, but that's mainly because work-life has taken a shift toward work. We get home later and we have a pool and a yard to look after. A pool that's had some chemical-related casualties and seen some heroic net-grabbing rescues. We've saved two frogs from the skimmers - it may have been the same frog twice - and a bullfrog the size of your head that was swimming gracefully up and back. I say 'we' saved them but that's not the truth. I'm always the one jumping around and shrieking about how 'yuck' it is that there's things other than us in the pool. I haven't been in it yet, why are amphibians taking a dip before me?!

We've also taken to our shows, finishing the Walking Dead, House of Cards Season 4 and soon completing Making a Murderer (no spoilers, please!). After that we have grand plans of geeking out over Breaking Bad again, a show that's so binge-worthy that I fear I'll fall behind on my Southern Spring base-tan. We were champions of Lent, even though what we gave up shifted around a few times. We landed on a full 40+ days of no Mexican food and then celebrated with an Easter Sunday of 100% Mexican food. Taco Bell at 1am wasn't the way it was supposed to go down, but it happened. You'd do it, too. 

What about the new things in my world? 

I've been running. I'm not logging the miles like I used to, but I'm making a point of hitting the pavement for some me-time at least once a week. Some thinking, some considering. Some processing. Being directionally challenged has its downside, but with a wrong turn last week I transformed a 3.5 route into a Tuesday 5-miler. A distance I haven't ran in over two years that I completed with a smile on my face.

I've been planning. It's getting closer to one year in Tennessee and I'm still finding my way. I'm still driving around with Oregon plates on my 2015 Prius and I still fumble around when I fill up the tank. It's a place I firmly planted my roots, but seeking more ways each day to find Portland again. In nature, in culture, in cuisine, in libations, in music. 

I've been preparing. I'm about to take the next step in my career and it's going to be the challenge I've been hungry for. The work excites me and the opportunity was made for me. In fact, a few opportunities were made for me and this is the path I chose without hesitation. 

What about you, what's new in your world?