Life is what happens when you're trying to plan it.

I don't even know where to begin. As I'm writing this, I'm also thinking about the millions of things I should be doing instead. True to form, my life has not slowed down at all since arriving in Jacksonville. Sure, I finally found a place to live, settled into my job, and worked on getting healthy again...but that's just the beginning...

The first great thing that's happened to me so far is that I'm starting to feel better again! I'm always amazed at how much of a difference this makes in every aspect of my life, as silly as that sounds. Sometimes I just get used to feeling less than 100% and I forget what's it like to not always worry about my health and whether or not it's going to affect my job, my social life, my sleep, my weight, my appearance, my future...As a rule, I try not to let my health affect any decisions I make, but all the same, it doesn't stop me from worrying and thinking about it ALL THE TIME. I truly don't remember how incredible it is to feel healthy until I AM healthy and all that worry is gone...it's an amazing feeling! I feel like I can conquer the world! Which is apparently what I'm trying to do, or at least it feels that way...

I've been so busy the last couple weeks that I haven't even finished unpacking yet. I got most of the important stuff done, but there's still a few boxes to take care of...one of the things I should be doing right now. I'd like to have it all done tonight so that tomorrow when my friend Meredith comes over the place will look nice. I've been seeing a lot of Meredith lately, it's been great to spend time with her, I haven't seen this much of her since we went to college together several years ago. We're having fun making dinner for each other, going out for dinner...and brunch, we also went to a movie...and she helped me unpack my truck when I moved in! I've also met some new friends in Jacksonville, including a girl I work with named Jessica, who went to the Jaguars game with me...Ugh, what an awful game that was...but we had tons of fun anyway, and I hope this isn't the last Jaguars game I get to attend this season...

Since I'm also getting involved with the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation here in Jacksonville, there's a good chance this will not be the last I see of the Jaguars. Many of you know that I'm a huge Jags fan, and also a David Garrard fan, and he, as well as the Jaguars organization, is involved with CCFA too. Maybe I'll even get to meet him again! We'll see...but in any case I have several things going on with CCFA right now, just trying to lend a hand wherever I can by helping to raise awareness as well as fundraising in the Jacksonville area, and that involves a lot of time, which of course is always in short supply. I'm happy to do it though, because CCFA has done so much for me. I met with Katie from CCFA yesterday after work, we had a lovely time at a fabulous place called Bistro Aix, just a few blocks from where I live...we talked up a storm, she has so many great ideas, and I can't wait to get started on them! I have a couple meetings to add to my already busy schedule, and Thursday I'm going to see a familiar face from camp at one of these meetings, can't wait!

Also excited for Florida/Georgia football weekend, coming up in a few days, not sure how I'm going to be celebrating yet, but you can be certain that I will not let it pass by unnoticed...

In between all that, I'll be working on settling into my new home and job, at least for now, can't believe that I might have to start all over again in a new town in 9 weeks...I'd like to stay here a little while longer, if possible. The job isn't bad, really, I don't actually have a lot to do, and I spend a lot of time doing nothing and taking little catnaps at my desk...but that could all change...I found out yesterday that my boss is leaving, this is his final week...Haven't met the new boss yet, so I don't know how much my job is going to change after this week. I'm just going to enjoy this week of freedom, in case it's my last. I'm also enjoying my new temporary home. I'm really glad I waited until I found something just right, even though it was stressful staying in hotel after hotel, and looking at place after place. By not settling, I got this great little townhouse right on the river, with a gorgeous balcony view, as you can see...and it's a two bedroom, so everyone can come visit! I love guests, and I promise to fit you into my schedule somewhere...

Oh yeah, now that I'm feeling better, it's high time I start training for my next half marathon! Ever since the first one, I knew it wouldn't be my last, that was such an awesome feeling...My plan is to do the same one in Gainesville, as long as I'm still in Florida in February. Now I just have to find a safe place to run here in Jacksonville...and a gym...and time...

Life is a runaway train...

This is the song that keeps running through my head, courtesy of Sugarland..."Life is a runaway train you can't wait to jump on." I feel like my life has been exactly like a runaway train these last few weeks! Let's see, three weeks ago I was in Venice, on the beach, wondering how much longer I'd be staying...

Well, I didn't end up staying in Venice after all...I tried like crazy to get the rehab director at VRMC to keep me around longer, but in the end they really needed a PT, no way around it. I was sad to leave, I really liked Venice and mostly just really almost enjoyed my job there, which is something I haven't really experienced before while working in physical therapy (sadly). So...while still in Venice I landed another assignment, this one in Jacksonville, FL. Not my ideal location, but there are FAR worse places to be, as I've experienced firsthand. I had over a week's notice this time, which meant I had extra time to prepare for the move, find housing, get settled, etc. Riiiiight...

Housing...ugh. I spent so very many hours looking for housing...searching, searching, searching. Affordable corporate housing is not easy to find in Jacksonville. (I'm also greedy, and didn't want to use all of my generous housing stipend, because of course that's less money in my pocket.) I finished my assignment in Venice on the 24th of September and headed to Gainesville the following day for another weekend with my parents...after a mini-reunion in Tampa with a lovely lady from camp. I still had not found housing yet, after several false alarms, so my plan was to just stay in Gainesville for the weekend, then head to Jacksonville Sunday evening and stay in a hotel for a day or two until I found something more permanent. Riiiiight...

Sunday came around, and knocked me on my knees. I got really sick, had the worst flare of my ulcerative colitis that I can ever remember having, didn't even know how I was going to drive to Jacksonville, much less start my job on Monday. I stayed in Gainesville Sunday night, with plans to hopefully feel better in the morning and drive to Jacksonville very early. The morning came around and I didn't feel any better, but had no choice but to get going anyway. And get going I did...right up to the point where I got a $400 speeding ticket halfway to Jax...and I wasn't even speeding! Well, technically I was...I was going the speed limit, but apparently missed the reality that I was in an active school zone, which meant I was going 20 miles over the speed limit. (More on the legitimacy of that claim later.) So this was officially one of the worst Mondays I've had in a while. I finally make it to work, only 15 minutes late, even after all that, and it didn't matter anyway. I was the first one there, apparently my recruiter didn't get the memo or forgot to tell me that nobody would be there until 8:30...so I was actually still 15 minutes early. Anyway, I eventually met the rehab team, which was basically only two people, both of whom are very nice. I made it through my first day of work, but barely, still feeling very ill. I checked into my hotel and went straight to sleep...

Tuesday I was still as sick as I'd been, and I finally had to tell my boss that on my second day of work I needed time off to go to the doctor. He was VERY understanding and supportive, thank goodness. Since I had to make an appointment with a brand new doctor on such short notice, I didn't exactly get to pick which doctor I'd like to see, I just had to take whomever was available. I ended up with a doctor that prefers his patients to be seen, not heard. I'm so over doctors that are not open to discussion, other opinions, etc. It's like they're offended if you actually want to make a decision on your own; they'd rather "lead the blind." He did eventually give me some medicine that I could actually agree to take, and I started feeling a teeny bit better within a couple days.

I still hadn't found housing at this point, and after looking at countless places, I was even more discouraged. I felt like I'd be staying in a hotel forever. I must have looked at four or five places last week, including one that was outrageously priced and didn't even have a kitchen! Obviously not something I could do without...For every place I went to see, I'd called at least three or four possible options without success, and eventually just resigned myself to the fact that securing housing just wasn't going to happen this week. Riiiiight....

On Friday, I was supposed to leave for Kansas for my cousin's wedding, but Thursday had made a last ditch effort to contact one last person about their apartment for rent. She had agreed to let me see the place on Friday morning, so I rushed there before leaving for the airport, saw the place and it seemed to be what I was looking for, but the owner had some stipulations that I just couldn't agree to. So with a sigh, I raced to the airport and made it to the gate just as my plane was boarding, already dreading returning on Sunday only to stay in yet another hotel. I decided to put aside all the anxiety about finding a place to live and just enjoy the weekend in Kansas...which I did. The wedding was lovely, and it was just so great to see my cousins and extended family that we stayed up late every night, I barely slept all weekend. (On a side note, while in Kansas my mom tells me that she got a $400 ticket while on her way to the airport in Jacksonville...in the exact same place that I got mine last week, and for the exact same thing! I was completely resigned to paying the ticket, and shaming myself for speeding in a school zone...until I heard this! The fact that the tickets were in Waldo, which is a known speed trap town, according to Triple A, and that we both got one in the same place tells me there may just be something fishy about all this. I mean, how could we both have missed a flashing yellow school zone warning light? I fully intend to look into this further as soon as I have a moment to breathe.) When I got back to Jacksonville, I had a message on my voicemail from the apartment owner that I had met Friday morning...she decided to rent the apartment to me at the price I wanted, and without all the stipulations...I was jubilant!! I checked into a hotel Sunday night for the last time, and Monday moved into my new home!

It's a cute little townhouse on the river in downtown Jax, and less than two miles from my job. Did I mention that I'm going to be in Jacksonville until Christmas?! That's right, almost three months in one place, I'm so glad I can finally unpack my suitcase and actually live like a normal person again! Riiiight....

I still have to go back to Gainesville to get all my clothes and other random things that have been in storage since I left Eustis at the end of July. So technically I'll still be living out of a suitcase until Sunday when I get back from Gainesville, but after 70 straight days of living out of a suitcase, what's a couple more, right?

So now you see why I feel like the last few weeks have been quite a ride...on a runaway train! I almost feel bored after the excitement and craziness of it all...almost. I'm starting to wonder what it will be like having an entire weekend to myself with nothing planned...but of course that won't happen until the weekend after this one, since I have to go to Gainesville this weekend. By then, I'll probably have something else going on anyway. But that's just my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Riiiight....