Ode to Jessie, Quintessential Male Stylist

This morning I decided that I couldn't procrastinate any longer. I need a haircut. It's been seven months, and my hair is TOO LONG. All the layers have grown out and any resemblance of the original masterpiece that it was is long gone.

The reason it's been so long since my last haircut is that my stylist left me. He broke up with me, in the worst way possible. He left the oh-so-cute, charming, not-trendy-even-though-it's-on-South-Congress salon that I first met him at. I remember our first meeting like it was yesterday. It was practically love at first sight. I was in a similar situation to the one I'm in today, in which I was very overdue for a haircut. My mane was a wreck because my last stylist had left me a while back, and his replacement had given me an unsatisfactory cut. I was terrified to try anyone else, so I didn't. For a long time. Several months later, I realized that even a bad haircut couldn't possibly look any worse than the grown out mess currently attached to my head. So in a fit of despair, I went on Yelp, chose a salon with high ratings, took a deep breath and called to schedule an appointment. Surprisingly, they had an opening that day, which was phenomenal because I had no time to back out in a last minute state of panic. That is how I met Jessie (yes, it's spelled with an 'i'). He was a "junior" stylist at the surprisingly laid back salon that happened to be in the middle of one of the "trendiest" boutique neighborhoods in town, and he happened to have an opening in his schedule on the busiest day of the week (Saturday). I told him how I wanted my hair to look, and shared with him how nervous I was to have someone cut my hair. He just smiled and said, "Let's go get you shampooed."

Famous last words, but I dutifully followed him to the sink, since I figured it was probably too late to run away now. But fate had dealt me a good hand that day, because Jessie was everything and more that I had hoped he'd be. He didn't make a ton of small talk (which I HATE), but the silence wasn't awkward. I was able to relax as he took his sweet time cutting and trimming and eyeing and cutting some more. And then he blew it dry and styled it. And it was amazing. For the first time in my life, I didn't have the urge to run back home and restyle it immediately. Of course, I had doubts that I'd be able to replicate it later on, but it turned out to be easy to style and kept on looking good, even months after. I couldn't believe my good fortune. And of course, when the time came, I went right back to Jessie for my next cut. He shyly told me that he'd raised his prices by $5, to which I replied that it was still a steal at the new price and not a problem at all. And it was a steal. The salon's prices were very reasonable, and much lower than the average compared to other salons in the area. Once again, Jessie cut my hair, taking at least an hour and half to meticulously perfect it. And again it was perfection.

And then he was gone. I can only assume that all my praise went to his head, and he decided to move on to somewhere that he could charge what his styling was actually worth. Fine. I can understand that, you've got to do what's best for you, Jessie. But to leave without any notice, without accurate contact information, without even so much as a "see ya later"? How could you? Do you know the kind of stress you've just brought down on me?? I've called and called your old salon, and the number you gave them for the salon that you left me for is not even a working number. They've told me the name of the salon, and I've called all the salons in town with similar names, but nobody's heard of you. I'm devastated. How do I go on?

And so I find myself in the same situation as last year, without a stylist and so terrified to try anyone else that I've just let my hair grow with wild abandon. But I can't manage it any longer, so I spent three hours today researching online and calling salons, looking for any male stylist with reasonable pricing and availability and in the next few days. Nothing. So I did something I swore I'd never do again. I made an appointment with a female hairstylist. And I'm terrified.

Before you judge me, hear me out. I have nothing against women. I am one. I think they're pretty great. But my past experiences have lead me to a truth that I know to be real. Men and women hairstylists are not created equal. I have formulated a theory as to why that is. I believe that when you walk into a salon, sit down in the styling chair and pour out your hopes and dreams to the stylist looking at you in the mirror, they respond in one of two ways, depending on their gender. The male stylist listens, nodding politely until you've finished describing the vision you have for your hair. He then asks questions as necessary for clarification, ponders thoughtfully for a moment, and proceeds to do his best to create the look you have asked him for. The female stylist has a similar approach, at first glance. She listens as well, asks questions, and then goes to work. The difference is that when you walk in the salon door and are escorted back to meet your female stylist, the moment she sees you, before you have even said a word, she has already begun to create her own vision for your hair. In her head, she's already thinking that gosh, that woman needs some face-framing layers and she's much too short to have hair that long and wouldn't her skin tone just GLOW with a few caramel highlights. She can't help it. She's a woman. That's what we do. So you sit down and describe what YOU want for your hair, and she listens, she really does, but in her head is that image that she's already created, and even though she hears you, she's already subconsciously decided in which direction your hair needs to go. And that's how you end up with a hairdo that isn't quite what you thought you wanted. 

Now, you're either nodding your head in agreement or foaming at the mouth in anger after reading the last paragraph. I know it's a polarizing thing to say, but I'm pretty confident that I'm right about this. And I'll admit that there might actually be some good hairstylists that are women out there. It's totally possible that there are exceptions to the rule. I just haven't met them yet. I can honestly say that I have never had a good haircut from a woman. I'm not joking and I'm not exaggerating. Since I was a teenager and started paying for my own haircuts, I have lived this truth. Heck, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a good haircut until I was in my twenties. For years, I went to the same stylist that my mom did. In hindsight, that probably should have been my first clue. Not that my mom's hair didn't look good; it did. But my mom's been getting her haircut the same way for as long as I can remember. I guess she finds something she likes and she sticks to it. Every time I got my haircut, I'd rush home and try to comb out all the crazy products and re-wet and blow my hair dry to see if I could make it look the way I'd wanted. And I never quite could. This went on for years. Then one day my sister got married. And this hairstylist of my mom's did her hair that day. She brought another stylist from her salon to help with the bridesmaids' hair, of which I was one. This stylist happened to be male. And when I told him how I wanted my hair to look, he did it. Just the way I wanted. Of course it was just an up do, and not an actual haircut, but it was a start.

When the time came, I booked my next haircut with him and I never looked back. He did very well by me, and I was much happier with my hair overall. Until I moved to another state. I still tried to get him to cut my hair, scheduling with him anytime I was in town to visit my family, but the visits just weren't frequent enough, and his schedule couldn't accommodate such short notice. And so the story continues...I had a list of haircuts, by women, that I didn't like. So once again I stopped cutting my hair. After several months with unruly hair and abundant split ends, I bit the bullet and walked in to a nationally recognized chain salon. And a stylist had an opening, so I sat down and let him chop away. And I ended up with a great haircut. Ecstatic, I tried to book him again a few months later, but nope, he'd already left and no, they didn't know where he'd gone, do you want to make an appointment with our (female) master stylist who happens to have an opening today? Sure, why not. And...bad haircut...and months without a haircut again. The cycle continued on and on, until I found Jessie. And now he's left me, too.

I have no idea what will happen on Wednesday. I'm mildly comforted by the thought that nothing could look worse than my hair already does. And by mildly comforted, I mean that I'm hyperventilating.

New City!!

It's been so long since I lived in/near a city, I'd forgotten how great it is. I've been going a little overboard since moving to Austin four days ago...

That's right, I live in Austin now. After six months of small Texas towns in the middle of nowhere, I'm THRILLED to be here! My Groupon account has been reactivated and is already my best friend again; I've already used two. I haven't eaten anything I've gotten at the (wonderful, organic, has EVERYTHING on my list) grocery store yet, because I've been too busy being excited every five minutes when I drive by a new restaurant (or dive, or food truck) I want to try; I've eaten out or ordered in for almost every meal. (Groupon has also come in handy for this.) I ordered pizza the other night, from a non-chain place, it was AMAZING. Everywhere on every menu in every eatery in town there are multiple vegetarian options, so I never have to eat cheese enchiladas three days in a row ever again. Next week I'm taking my boyfriend to a concert of an actual, nationally-known musician. And we don't have to drive 2+ hours to get there, it's more like less than 2 miles away. I've been researching yoga studios (yes, plural, so awesome) to find which one best mirrors my favorite yoga style, setting, etc. It's so great to have choices again, whether in food, exercise, or entertainment. Already loving this place!

Although I do love being in the city, Austin isn't just any city. More to come on why I wanted to move here over other choices, and why Austin is already my favorite city of all the ones I've visited so far. So glad I'm here to stay for a while.

What I Saw When I Wasn't Looking

I was trying to park my car at the eye doctor's office today, driving slowly through the parking lot so as not to run over all the old people. (I'm always the youngest patient at the eye doctor's office, by about 30 years.) I was lost in my own little world when I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. Literally, I stopped. Well, I had to, because what I was looking at was this elderly couple walking right in front of my moving car. So I stopped and let them pass, but after they had walked away, my foot stayed on the brake as I turned to follow them with my gaze. Something about them arrested my attention.

The man had large, dark glasses on, the kind that you get after they've dilated your eyes and you can't stand the sun. He was having obvious difficulty seeing. The woman was wearing normal corrective lenses, but she was having quite some difficulty walking, taking small, unsure steps to maintain her balance. She had her arm through his, and his other hand grasped hers as she leaned into him. In a similar manner he leaned into her as she guided him. They clung to each other for dear life as they painstakingly helped each other across the parking lot.

I couldn't tell you anything else about them, what they were wearing, the average age they appeared to be, the type of vehicle they got into. I didn't notice. In that moment, the only thing I saw were two people, close enough to be one, counting on each other for each step they took. Something about it was so poignant that it was overwhelming. In that one glimpse, I learned something about life, the beauty and sorrow it holds, about true love and compassion and companionship. And I sat there, not trying to understand why I was overwhelmed with emotion, but just thankful that I had been.

Unstuck in The World

"There was once a man who became unstuck in the world – he realized that he was not his car, he realized that he was not his job, he was not his phone, his desk or his shoes. Like a boat cut from its anchor, he’d begin to drift."

"There was once a man who became unstuck in the world – he took the wind for a map, he took the sky for a clock, and he set off with no destination. He was never lost."

"There once was a man who became unstuck in the world – instead of hooks or a net, he threw himself into the sea. He was never thirsty."

"There was once a man who became unstuck in the world – with a Polaroid camera he made pictures of all the people he met, and then he gave all the pictures away. He would never forget their faces."

"There was once a man who became unstuck in the world – and each person he met became a little less stuck themselves. He traveled only with himself and he was never alone."

"There was once a man who’d become unstuck in the world – and he traveled around like a leaf in the wind until he reached the place where he started out. His car, his job, his phone, his shoes – everything was right where he’d left it. Nothing had changed, and yet he felt excited to have arrived here – as if this were the place he’d been going all along."


-Castles in the Sky

New Year Res

Before I made any new resolutions, I thought it'd be a good idea to look back at last year's and see how I made out. Here's the one I posted last year...

"Stop wasting your time, your energy, your emotions, on people that don't deserve it or appreciate it. Instead of spreading yourself thin, focus more on culturing the relationships that bring you joy, and that you can add value to. Love yourself even more than you did last year. Believe in the best version of yourself. Listen more and talk less. Be the kind of person that you want others to see in you. And always, always see the good in everyone."

And as I read that, I remember how I felt at the beginning of last year, so full of hopes and expectations, so pleased at the previous year for all of its accomplishments. I felt so strong, so confident, and with that came excitement for the coming year, with all its new experiences and growth...I had no clue what was coming. To say this year had its share of challenges would be an understatement. Without tedious details, I feel like 2011 knocked the wind out of me. I spent most of the year just trying to breathe and do my best to look ahead for the "something better" I had to believe was coming. (It's why I didn't blog much this year...I didn't want to be living in my world, much less writing about it.)

So did I keep my resolutions? Let's see. I did a better job of figuring out which relationships I should be focusing on. I learned a little more about who I could count on, and who I couldn't, though I'm still working on that. And I did my best to see the good in everyone.

Where I may have failed is in the more personal side of that resolution. I lost a little faith in myself this year. I wasn't as strong as I wanted to be, wasn't as strong as I wanted everyone else to think I was. When the storms came, I didn't fall, but I wavered a little.

But with the realization that this new year will bring new challenges comes the reassurance that I have the power to decide how I react to them. With that in mind, here's the resolutions I wrote to myself for 2012...

"Believe in yourself. Keep dreaming. But don't just dream...grow your dreams. Count your blessings more frequently than your bills. Speak slowly and with purpose. Continue to be a better listener. Pause long enough to find beauty where it's unexpected. And most importantly, have a closer relationship with your heavenly Father."

Why I Want to Date John Mayer

Here I am, three o'clock in the morning, too much iced tea, now I can't sleep. What to do...watch YouTube videos of anything John Mayer related. Not really sure how that started, was just wandering around on YouTube when I remembered an episode of CMT Crossroads with John Mayer and Keith Urban that I wanted to relive. And it just snowballed from there...not the first time that's happened. He has a way of sort of sucking you into his energy somehow. You just want to see more...and more. To pass the time, here's some documented reasons why I'd like to date John Mayer.

Those roguish good looks. Can't deny it, everybody knows it, no one more than John himself, I'm sure. Can't put my finger on it exactly...is it the dark, wavy hair that always manages to look so touchable? The lazy, half-closed, bedroom eyes? The full lips that contort in so many ridiculous ways when he performs?

But maybe it's more than the looks. No, it definitely is. There's this charisma, this cockiness, that's magnetic and not the least bit hindered by his mischievous, somewhat boyish charm. Hard to describe. Some kind of egotistical, devil-may-care, I-haven't-quite-grown-up-yet attitude coupled with a quirky sense of humor that sometimes comes off as a little asinine, but secretly can be very attractive. After all, what girl doesn't want to be with a guy with such an ultra-personality, who knows who he is in each moment? But then there's that guarded side of his, when he says too little, gets standoffish, defensive, protective. I admired him for saying what he wanted, for speaking his mind, even when it didn't always portray him in the best light. I admired him even more when he stopped doing that, and instead left the mainstream and became quietly private about everything. It displayed this multi-faceted quality about him that's utterly fascinating. How much of this is just a series of perfectly calculated maneuvers on his part, I'll never know, but it's working for him.

Another thing about him that's fascinating? His mind. The guy is really, really intelligent...in a crazy, brilliant, nerdy, creative way. Just listening to him speak, his vocabulary, his unusual thought process, it's mesmerizing. I would sit perfectly still and listen to him talk for hours if I had the opportunity. In fact, I'd like to take a journey inside his head for a day, just to see what it's like inside that neurotic, type-A brain. That'd be one wild ride. Back in the day, I joined Twitter to follow John Mayer. He was the best of the best at one-liners and random bits of anything and everything. I'm still sad he's not doing it anymore.

But it's more than all this. Watching videos of some of his performances and remembering what it was like to be at one of his live concerts, I'm trying to put my finger on just what it is about John Mayer that's so unequivocally captivating. Is it the tilt of his head, his lips on the microphone when he sings? That deep, gravelly voice or the way his long, graceful fingers slide over the strings with a familiarity that'd make you swear his guitar was an extension of himself? But no, it's more than that, too. I was watching this video of a live performance of possibly my favorite JM song when it hit me. What he does, the art that he creates, is so beautiful. Watching him perform, you can see into his soul, his heart, feel his passion. He creates this energy, and you want to just reach out and touch it, wrap it around you until you're enveloped in it, anything to be a part of his light. That's it. You just want to be "where the light is."

When did eating healthy becoming an eating disorder?

I want to start off by saying from the bottom of my heart that I do not at any point in this rant mean to downplay the suffering of millions of people that have actual eating disorders, so please do not misunderstand me. However, I was shocked when I read this article on Yahoo! Health today.

The article was not entirely shocking, and probably partially true. I'm sure there are a lot of people that use food in a variety of unhealthy ways to try to assert some element of control over their lives. In fact, there are several categories of eating disorders that are already generally defined as such. I empathize with the people that are dealing with anything of that nature and, again, do not intend to minimize their suffering. However, I'm appalled and disappointed at the some of the definitions and explanations of what the article refers to as "orthorexia."

One of the things that upset me was this particular phrasing, "[Orthorexics] may start by eliminating processed foods, anything with artificial colorings or flavorings as well as foods that have come into contact with pesticides." Wait. What?? So now people that don't make a habit of eating at McDonald's twice a week, people that try to avoid chemical additives in food, and people that purchase organic fruits and vegetables are on their way to developing a full-fledged eating disorder?? But wait, it gets more absurd. According to the article, for people with orthorexia "the focus isn’t on losing weight. Instead, sufferers increasingly restrict their diets to foods they consider pure, natural and healthful." Stop. Really? Sufferers?? So now people that are conscious of eating food that is actually beneficial to their bodies are suffering? Wow.

This author needs a better grasp on what she is writing about before publishing her article. Pegging these behaviors as "unhealthy" is irresponsible at best. This is not to say that there aren't people that take the idea of healthy, natural eating too far. I'm not trying to say that this problem doesn't exist in a select few. My discord with the author is in the explanations she gives. Her descriptions are so vague that not only is there potential for misinterpretation of the material, it's inevitable. In a society where the majority of people do not even consider the things they eat and how it will affect them, positively or negatively, no one needs encouragement to further distance themselves from healthy eating or to shun the (growing) minority that actually are interested in it.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I am one of these "natural and healthful" eaters. And I absolutely do not consider myself to have an eating disorder. Without going into the (extensive) reasoning behind it and without passing judgement on anyone who chooses to eat differently than I do, I describe my behavior and habits as attempting to make choices in favor of natural, non-processed foods whenever possible and only slightly inconvenient. I am not a fanatic. I do not preach to the masses about my "food faith." When asked about my choices, I politely explain in as few words as possible. I am not trying to lose weight (and have actually gained weight since changing my eating habits, much to my delight). I am not trying to change my life with my eating habits. I do not eat things I don't like or that don't taste good to me, just because they're healthy. If we were to go out to eat at a restaurant, my plate would not look much different than yours.

And yet, I am still criticized and ostracized at times for the choices I've made. Good and well-meaning (but very uninformed and misguided) friends that don't understand my choices have tried to suggest that I must being doing this because I'm trying to "assert control," "lose weight" or "be different." This is not only far from the truth, but eternally frustrating and hurtful. Which is why the article I read today rubbed me the wrong way. It's just the wrong perspective all over again.

Maybe less really is more...

This is the new view I'm learning to embrace...that sometimes less can be more. For as long as I've known me, I've always been something of a pack rat. Not a hoarder, it's nowhere near that level, but I just...save...everything. I remember even as a kid, I would save candy, until I had bags of it. I don't do that anymore of course, but I do seem to collect, well, stuff. I have trouble throwing away things...clothes, mail, etc.

But when I started traveling for work, I had to leave a lot behind...only taking with me what I could fit in my truck. The first time I packed, I remember how miserable I was, trying to figure out what I would absolutely need, and what I could leave in storage. After the fifth contract (and fifth re-location), I've streamlined the process quite a bit. And in the process of streamlining the process, I've learned something. I don't really need all this stuff.

I realized that I've been living for nearly a year without all that stuff that I left behind in storage, and I haven't missed it or needed it. And if you can live without something for a year, do you really need it at all? Even the things that I take with me to each assignment, the things I thought I absolutely needed and couldn't leave behind, I've begun to consolidate. And I found that once I started to do this, I became more and more energized by the process. I went through clothes, shoes, boxes and boxes of stuff, making piles of all the things I've carted around with me for a year but haven't used. Sometimes it was easy, sometimes it wasn't. But I just kept telling myself that who really needs three white button-down shirts, or twelve pairs of workout shorts, or five pairs of strappy black summer heels. I had to admit, of all this stuff I had, I only really used a small percentage of it. And the mail, all the paperwork, every piece of paper that I thought might be of the most minute importance, I had filed away somewhere. But deep down I knew that I didn't really need the check stubs from three jobs and five years ago. The more I did this, the better I felt. Suddenly, I could breathe again.

That's not to say I don't like to shop for clothes and shoes, or that I don't still have a file of organized papers that I keep in a box. It just means I'm making smarter decisions about what I really need, and I'm replacing instead of adding. And not surprisingly, I'm finding that I get less overwhelmed in other areas of life as well. I guess when you clear out the clutter in one aspect of your life, it means you can handle more in other areas. Wait, this doesn't mean I'm growing up, does it?

New Years Resolution

A few days late, but I wasn't inspired to make one until today.

"Stop wasting your time, your energy, your emotions, on people that don't deserve it or appreciate it. Instead of spreading yourself thin, focus more on culturing the relationships that bring you joy, and that you can add value to. Love yourself even more than you did last year. Believe in the best version of yourself. Listen more and talk less. Be the kind of person that you want others to see in you. And always, always see the good in everyone."

A Skeptical Gator

For the record, I am a die hard Gator fan, but I am NOT jumping on the Will Muschamp bandwagon just yet, unlike most of the Gator Nation, it seems. I get that everyone is pumped up and excited, but let me just point out a few things here.

People should know that Jeremy Foley, Bernie Machen and even Will Muschamp are very good at saying EXACTLY what the Gator Nation wants to hear. First of all, Will Muschamp talks, sounds and acts JUST LIKE Ron Zook. Not to mention he's coming in during a situation JUST LIKE the one Ron Zook faced...having to follow a head coach who was loved by and did great things for the Gator Nation, yet has absolutely no head coaching experience to his name. I hate to sound stuck up, but Florida is too good of a school to have any business gambling on coaches that are completely untested on a head coaching level. Make no mistake, when Urban Meyer resigned, the UF head coaching job was the number one head coaching job IN THE COUNTRY! For Jeremy Foley to openly say that he didn't even contact any other candidates before offering the job to Muschamp is pretty arrogant. Seems like a knee-jerk, rebound reaction to me. When UF and Spurrier ended their relationship in 2002, Ron Zook was the rebound coach. And we all know about rebounds...they seem like a great decision at first, but over time we realize that their only purpose is to boost our egos a little, until we're ready to put ourselves out there again for the real thing.

I would also like to take this opportunity to point out that Will Muschamp is a HUGE Georgia fan! He grew up in Georgia and played college football for THE BULLDOGS! Everyone's playing up that he's a native of Gainesville, including Muschamp himself, but let's not forget that he and his family spent just as much time in Georgia rooting for the Bulldogs as they did in Florida rooting for the Gators. He's also best friends with FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher, and that's not an overzealous statement. They spent time together on the coaching staff at LSU and he and Jimbo even own a beach house together. I'm not saying that these affiliations disqualify him from the job as head coach of the Gators, or that they even mean anything...but they could. I think I'd rather have a coach whose blood pressure actually rises a little, who gets a little steamed up when facing the Bulldogs or the 'Noles. Wouldn't your rather have someone on our sideline who ISN'T empathetic towards two of the biggest rivals in Gator football history? I know I would.

Now I realize none of this means ANYTHING and that it's ALL speculation at this point. My understanding is that Muschamp comes with an exceptional resume, from time spent at LSU and Texas as well as (limited) experience at the professional level. (But so did Ron Zook. Just sayin'.) So I could be completely wrong, and I really, really hope I am. I don't pretend to know diddely squat about football and pro-style offenses and whether or not the SEC really is "the line of scrimmage league." But I don't think that disqualifies me from having an opinion as a layperson and a Gator fan. This is all just the rantings of a girl who grew up loving the Gators and everything they stand for, and watches with her heart in her throat every time they take the field. So excuse me if I haven't lifted my hands in a "Muschomp" just yet.

A Very Unordinary Miracle

I just got back from a spur-of-the-moment weekend vacation and have been trying to catch up on life, since it obviously did not stop to wait for me while I was gone. Which is why I have not written anything about the amazing thing that happened while I was on vacation until now. I just got back on Monday from a quick, three-day cruise to the Bahamas. I hadn't had a vacation in a while, and happened upon a very discounted price, so at the last minute I grabbed a couple friends and off we went. We had a wonderful time, reveling in the chance to sit back and enjoy some of the warm weather Florida has been missing, while enjoying the freedom of having every meal made for us, nearly every whim catered to. Which is exactly what we were doing on the last evening of our cruise...

We were sitting on the top open-air deck of the ship, next to the pool, playing a rousing game of dominoes and enjoying some beverages as we watched the Atlantic Ocean go by, when my friend spotted a small white object bouncing in between the whitecaps. At second glance, it almost looked like a tiny white flag. She immediately said, "That looks like a tiny little boat out there in the ocean!" Always the skeptic, I quickly dismissed that idea, sure that it was just some debris or a "lobster trap" or something...but she kept her eye on it, and as it slowly got closer to the ship, it did indeed look a little like a toy boat with a white sail. And as it got even closer, you could almost be certain that there was something on it that was moving. By this time, the object had attracted the attention of a few other passengers, one of whom informed a crew member. Before we knew it, the giant cruise ship was making a slow U-turn to investigate. As the object inched closer and closer, we discovered that it was indeed a boat, though not a toy one, but actually a raft with what appeared to be more than one person on it. Over the next several minutes, the most amazing thing happened. The cruise ship finally got close enough to discover six people on board a homeade raft. They were eventually rescued off of the raft by being hoisted with ropes up to the ship...and discovered to be six very dehydrated and weak individuals, five men and one woman, from Cuba that were attempting to sail to America. They had been at sea for 15 days, 8 of those days without food or water. We also learned that there had previously been seven people aboard the raft; one of them had died and been thrown overboard the day before. It was also said, though this is unverified, that they were no longer in the current that would have taken them to the coast of Florida, but were drifting and would most likely never have been found, had they not been spotted by people on board the cruise ship.

If you think that was an amazing coincidence, that the ship happened to be in the right place at the right time, it gets better. Early in the morning of that day, our cruise ship was scheduled to stop at a small private island for several hours before heading back to Florida. However, that stop was canceled at the last minute due to weather and choppy seas affecting the ability of the small tenders to safely dock on the island. Because of this, we started heading back to Florida earlier than anticipated. If we had docked on the Bahamian island as originally planned, we would most likely not have crossed paths with the raft at all, or if we had, it would have been dark and they would not have been seen.

All of this leads up to an amazing rescue that I personally believe was more than a mere coincidence. It was also thrilling to watch, and to hear the details from the crew later. It was a little sad too, knowing that these people were so desperate to leave whatever situation they were in that they risked their lives to try to make it to America...and yet, they didn't make it. As you may know, there's a law in Florida referred to as "wet feet, dry feet" that basically means that if these people had made it to dry land and had stood on American soil, they would have been able to stay in America. Because they were rescued at sea, they will now be taken back to Cuba instead. I'm sure it's better than dying at sea, but it's still a little disheartening. However, it was still an incredible thing to witness the rescue, and certainly surreal.

This story made local and national news, and I've posted a link to a video of the raft and passengers just prior to rescue that was shot by one of the cruise passengers. Being several stories up, I had not seen the rescue in such close detail until I saw this video; I was only able to get some blurry stills from my vantage point on the top deck of the ship. It definitely shows the joy on the faces of the passengers as we approached their vessel, dispelling the rumors that I had heard that they were reluctant to be rescued. One of the passengers was even blowing kisses toward the ship, while lying on his stomach, too weak to do anything but pick up his head.

http://www.wesh.com/video/26035168/detail.html

A Lion Called Christian

I'll keep this short, but I just had to share. I just stayed up way past my bedtime to watch the full, extended, true story of Christian the Lion. I laughed, I cried, sometimes both at the same time. What a beautiful story, much better than anything on TV these days and absolutely worth sacrificing bedtime for. Here's the YouTube link for Part 1 of the story, you can find all five parts under the same user/subscriber. Goodnight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cqouVL0AiQ

Why I hate and, once in a while, love my job.

Today something kind of awesome happened at work. I actually helped make a significant difference in my patient's quality of life. I have been working with this patient since I came to Jacksonville six weeks ago, and he was on therapy for at least a month prior to that. When I started working with him he was not able to get out of his bed and into his wheelchair without extensive help, due to physical disabilities and several other issues. Today I could tell him that he no longer needed physical therapy because he can now safely get in and out of bed and into his wheelchair with the use of a sliding board (a tool used in therapy, for patients who are not able to stand or or support their body weight on their legs). To some people, this may not seem like a big deal, because we take for granted that we are able to get out of bed on our own strength every day. For this man, this was a HUGE accomplishment. Imagine being a grown person, and yet having to rely on other people to physically lift you out of bed because you can't do it yourself. This man is now able to regain a little of his dignity because, after months of therapy, he is now able to get out of bed on his own, without physical help. When I told him he had officially graduated from therapy, he was a little quiet, didn't say much...but later, he came back with tears in his eyes and thanked me for pushing him so hard and making him "stick with it." He even said he was going to miss coming to therapy. This is so significant because he was a very difficult patient...when I started working with him, he had an irrational fear of falling, to the point that he was terrified to sit on the edge of the bed. There were many times were I was sure he hated me, because I really pushed him hard, never giving in to his fears, but making him face them every day, many times until he was close to tears. He has not completely conquered all his fears yet, but he is so much better, and he was able to get past them enough that he could learn how to transfer himself using the board. He told me that he never believed that he could do it until I believed in him, and that just made my day, my week, and probably my month.

You must be wondering why I hate my job, then. Here's why...this ALMOST NEVER HAPPENS! If I could treat patients like this every day, all day, I would LOVE my job. Wait, you say? I'm a physical therapist, this should be happening all the time, it's what I do for a living, right? This is exactly what I THOUGHT when I graduated, too. However, that is not the case, not even close. For every patient like this, I have ten patients that are the complete opposite. These are the patients that couldn't care less about therapy, that are completely content to remain at the level of care they are in and have no desire to get better. They complain all day, every day, find every excuse in the book to not do the things that I am trying to teach them to do. They don't want to put in an ounce of effort, and are only in therapy because that is the only way their insurance will allow them to remain in the nursing home without significant financial loss. (If the nursing home can show that a patient needs the skilled services of physical therapy, most insurances will pay for a patient to stay in the nursing home for a certain period of time, as opposed to the patient paying for it.) And since, of course the nursing home wants the money, I'm required to treat these patients whether or not they really need or want the therapy, and whether or not they can significantly benefit from it. So I basically have a lot of "filler" patients that are making the nursing home and rehab companies money, but that are entirely unmotivated, undeserving and unqualified for therapy. For every patient that thanks me, I have dozens more that glare at me, grumble constantly, and even several that flat out just curse at me. And since the rehab department is basically required to bring in a certain percentage of the income for the nursing home, if we don't have enough patients on our caseload to make the grade, we have to "find" more patients, which is usually done by "screening" the nursing home residents and finding the ones that have "declined," in order to bring the caseload up. It's such a joke, and it's hard to go to work every day when I rarely get the chance to actually put my skills to work and really make a difference in someone's life. Which is why I get so excited when I actually do...

"Proud, happy and thrilled!"

I am SO excited right now. Beyond excited. Thrilled. Ecstatic. Elated.

I just ran.

Yup. That's it. I ran. And I'm excited about it. Why? Because I am finally healthy enough to run again!!!! This feels so amazing!

It's the first time I've run in about five weeks...and I really sucked at it. But I don't care. I RAN!!! It feels so good to be able to run again, I just can't even explain how good it feels. Now I just have to get good at it again. Especially since I challenged my brothers to a 10K on Thanksgiving.

Also, I'm making some great new friends here in Jacksonville, and having a great time with my good friend Meredith, and there's even a small chance I may be able to stay here past Christmas...though this is still very up in the air right now and, like my very superstitious patient Mr. M would say, "You don't want to jinx it."

And...cupcakes for the first person who can tell me the movie that the quote in my blog title came from. This does not include my sister, who I have no doubt already knew the answer before I even posed this challenge. In fact, this is way too easy...anyone else who isn't already awesome enough to know every word of this movie by heart could just Google it. So the cupcakes are out. But let's see who gets the correct answer first. Go!

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....

Venice, FL

If you read my last post, I talked at the end about a potential work assignment that I was hoping to get. That assignment was located in Venice, FL...which is where I am right now!! I obviously got the assignment, and even though it was another short one (three weeks), it's in a place that I knew I'd at least not mind being...which is an understatement. I had no idea that I'd like Venice as much as I do! I'm staying on the beach, my job at Venice Regional Medical Center is less than a mile from where I'm staying, and I actually almost like it! I've never worked in acute care before, but it's a lot different than the other travel jobs I've had. I don't know if that's because it's acute care, or if it's because this is a small hospital (only four floors), or if it's because the people I work with/for are of higher character than some I've come across in the past. I'm not really sure, and I really don't care. I just know that I don't mind going to work right now, even though it's hard work. I just finished working seven days in a row, and I'm exhausted but not frustrated. Well, not about working that much anyway.

I'm supposed to be leaving a week from Saturday, and I knew up front that this was (yet another) short term assignment. (For the record, I have now been living out of a suitcase for 7 straight weeks.) When I accepted the assignment, the people I work for were very clear that they only needed me for three weeks, and my recruiter tried in vain to get them to extend it any longer than that. However, almost since I started, they have been dropping hints that they MIGHT need me longer. Maybe it's just wishful thinking on my part, but I'm really hoping I'm not wrong. It's why I agreed to work seven days in a row, in the hope that they might find me indispensable and decide to keep me around. I'm supposed to find out today...it figures that on my first day off I'd be sitting around just thinking about work. But I do like it here and I want to stay. I've been putting off doing much exploring, sticking mostly to my cute little condo on the beach, the beach itself, and Publix (even though it does close at 9PM). (The pictures you see are of the trail I walk to the beach and of the beach itself, the very one that I sit on almost every night after work.) I know there's A LOT to explore, and Sarasota is just up the road, with even way more stuff to do. But since I don't know if I'm staying, I'm trying not to like this place even more, in case I have to leave next week. If I do end up staying longer, I'm definitely going to fill up my days off with things to do. Or do nothing...either way, I'd love it.

The only thing I have planned besides work is going to dinner tonight...with my Camp Oasis co-counselor Stacey! She lives not too far from here, about 20 minutes I think, and I'm super excited to spend a little time with her for the first time since camp. She was such a sweet lady and I can't wait to find out what's been going on with her since camp, and share all my new experiences with her as well. It'll be fun (and relaxing) to spend time with her in a non-camp related way, without seven teenagers around. Not that I don't love all my campers, but it can be stressful at times. Anyway, we're going to dinner at Sharky's on the Pier, a famous Venice landmark, and definitely my kind of place. I know this because I've seen it during my beach runs, since the pier is less than an mile and a half from my little strip of beach. (By the way, barefoot beach running is HARD! My calves have never been this sore before.) Should be fun to get out for a little while, then it's back to work tomorrow. I'll let everyone know whether or not I'll be staying in Venice, just as soon as I know for sure. Another reason I want to stay here is because there are still very few jobs out there right now for traveling therapists, and I really don't want to be unemployed again. Here I go getting my hopes up again...

August and suitcases

I've felt a blog post coming on for awhile now, and just couldn't avoid it any longer. (Just realized it's been over a month since I wrote anything!) The last month has been absolutely insane, in good ways and other ways, but mostly great ways.

Started the month off with Camp Oasis, which pretty much rocks my life every year, and this year was no exception. Started off a little different, being in a new location this year, but we all quickly got into the swing of things and started rocking out almost immediately. Loved that I finally talked my friend Chase into coming back to camp after five years away! How in the world he stayed away that long, I'll never know, but it was great to have him there, especially when I unexpectedly needed some moral support and a hug one (or two) day(s). But mostly camp was amazing and wonderful and life-changing, as it always is...I'm still feeling that after-camp high that makes you feel like you can pretty much accomplish anything. On a side note, I had worn a temporary tattoo all throughout the week of camp (check out the picture) that symbolized the camp theme this year. Earlier this week, I looked down at my foot and realized that I had gotten a tan line from the tattoo, which for some reason made me super-excited...I couldn't stop smiling.

After camp, I headed back to Florida for a short weekend with my parents in Gainesville before driving to Orlando for my next work assignment. This was a short assignment, only one week long, but all that was available at the moment, so I took it. Spent the week at a hotel, met some great people on the job, which was such a relief because at my last assignment some of the people I worked for/with were just ridiculously awful. The week went by quickly, and I headed back to Gainesville for another weekend with my parents.

Left again the next week for a two-week assignment in the grand town of Perry, FL (population 6,669). I actually really enjoyed myself there, in spite of being in ANOTHER hotel, and living out of a suitcase for the what was now the fourth straight week. Met some more great people at work, the job was really laid back, and ate at a couple local restaurants that were really good and quite the experience. (This is one of my favorite things about traveling for work, finding awesome restaurants with great food.) First place was this down home BBQ restaurant called Goodman's. The picture of the cow tipping team sign was taken at this restaurant, pretty much sums up my entire Perry experience. In case you can't read the small print, it says, "Go for the rear when pushin' a steer, Wait 'til they're asleep & tip the beef." The other place I went was the place my co-workers took me out to lunch for my last day, a real dive of a seafood place called Roy Deal's. Great food, including some decent oysters. (I wasn't brave enough to try the swamp cabbage, which I found out was actually part of a palm tree.) The best part about this place was that at random intervals some lively music would start playing on the loudspeaker and this lady would come out with something she called a "pogo stick" but was actually some kind of instrument that looked like a cross between snare drums and bongos, but on a stick. (Tough to imagine, I know, so I've provided a picture.) She was actually really good at playing it and she'd dance around all the tables to wild applause, then go back to manning the cash register until the next interval. Good times...

I'm now back in Gainesville, on my fifth straight week of living out of my suitcase and waiting for my next assignment, which I can only hope is long enough that I have a chance to actually stay somewhere that's more like a home than a hotel, somewhere that I can settle in for a few months this time. There's a couple prospects out there that I'm trying to work on, it's getting really hard to be patient when it seems like the companies that I work with are trying to take advantage of me at every turn. I really just have such a difficult time dealing with people that don't give you the whole story, that beat around the bush, or paint a pretty picture where there isn't really one. I hate small talk, idle talk and I really despise when people try to blow sunshine up my you-know-what. Sooo...dealing with recruiters is pretty much my least favorite thing right now.

On the sunny side, I've had a lot of down time the past several days (being temporarily unemployed allows for that sort of luxury), which has given me time for things like running, reading, crocheting, a whole lot of (probably too much) thinking, and plenty of naps. The running thing has been mostly great, I'm trying to get in gear for an eventual half-marathon rerun next February, but mostly just running because it helps to relieve stress, clear my mind. It's such a no-frills sport, just put on some shoes, turn on the i-Pod and hit the road, I love that! The reading has been mostly The Chronicles of Narnia, which I'm thoroughly enjoying, having never read most of the stories when I was younger. The crocheting (yes, you read that right) is something I've always enjoyed, but rarely had time for in the past. I know it sounds old and grandma-ish but there's something very therapeutic about creating something beautiful with yarn, repetition and patience. The thinking has been mostly about my future in my career and whether or not I want to take a giant leap into something completely different and unknown by going back to school. If you're any good at reading between the lines, you probably already know that not only do I not find my job fulfilling or thrilling, I find it frustrating and maddening at times...and I definitely believe that life is way too short to spend so much of it doing something that doesn't make me blissfully satisfied to be doing it. I've known for a while now that I need to go back to school, but I'm not looking forward to it, having never enjoyed school much either. I need to take action, though, and the long talks with myself are definitely paying off. We'll see what happens in the next year or two...

In the meantime, I'm going to keep traveling for work, as long as there's jobs to be had. I'll keep everyone posted on my next location just as soon as I know where it will be. I'm trying not to get my hopes up about a potential assignment that I heard about, but it sounds nice, and like I told a friend this morning, hope is hard to kill. Fingers crossed!

Goodbye, Leesburg and Eustis...

It was a lovely Saturday, in fact it still is...I haven't done one single thing I didn't feel like doing, haven't expended much energy at all today. So much different then the past few Saturdays...Not that I mind being busy, having way too much to do or having way too much fun to be had, it's just nice to have an entire day with nothing to do but indulge yourself once in a while. Not that I could really afford an entire day like that, but I did it anyway. I really should have started packing, since I'm moving next week, but I have tomorrow for that. A friend once told me, "If you wait until the last minute, it only takes a minute." I try to live by that motto...but, as lovely as that motto is, and as much as I could expand on it, that's not what I wanted to write about tonight.

I've just been having these thoughts and feelings lately, actually over the last couple months, about just how great my life is...sometimes I feel overwhelmed with gratitude at where my life has taken me, and what I have to look forward to. Doesn't mean my life is perfect and wonderful and that I don't have obstacles...in fact, it's rather curious and odd that I should be thinking about how awesome everything is, considering I've been through quite a lot these last few months...But I'm learning to appreciate and see all the wonderful things about my life, and that has made all the difference. I have so much to look forward to that I can't help but celebrate.

The first thing I'm excited about is leaving Leesburg/Eustis, FL. Yes, the time has finally come, my job contract has ended and I can finally move on to a place where (hopefully) Publix does not close at 9PM. My last day of work will be this Thursday, and it can't come soon enough. I am not at all sentimental about leaving, there's not much here to leave behind. It's no secret that I did not enjoy much about this contract, especially the place I worked...the only things I'll miss are the friends I've made, but we'll keep in touch and they can always visit wherever I end up for my next contract...the location of which at this point is still unknown. Feels a little like deja vu, coming down to the wire like last time...although I'm taking the week after next off, so there's still some time. Which brings me to the next thing I am looking forward to...

I'm taking the next week off because I'm going to Camp Oasis!!! This is something I wait for all year, every year, I love going there, it's always so very much fun, refreshing and renewing and there's nowhere else I'd rather be every summer. I can't wait to see all my old friends, make new ones, get crazy, and live in the woods with a bunch of kids for a week with very little communication with the outside world (except for limited cell phone service). I seriously can hardly wait for July 31st!

I'm also just excited in general for what the next several months have in store...a new contract means a new locale, a new place to explore, new friends I have yet to meet, new challenges...I also can't wait for my cousin Megan's wedding in October, for several reasons...the first being that I'm just so happy for her, can't wait to see her walk down the aisle and marry the man she loves...I love happy endings. I also am just excited about going to Kansas for her wedding, since I've never been that far west before...and I'm excited about seeing my extended family again so soon, after just spending time with them last month at our family reunion! We have so much fun together! Then soon after that, there's the holidays to look forward to, hopefully a trip of some sort between now and then if I can squeeze it in...and then there's more new contracts and new locations, hopefully in other states besides Florida. It's just one good thing after another, falling right into my life and into my lap. I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

The countdown continues...

Just found out today that I'll be staying in Leesburg/ working in Eustis for an extra five weeks. Wasn't exactly what I had planned for the next month, but it was the best way to ensure that I got the time off that I need for Camp Oasis in August. But it's not all bad, things haven't been as rough here recently...

I've been having good times the past few weeks...My mom came to visit two weekends ago and we had plenty of fun exploring the quaint little town of Mt. Dora. It's this little hidden gem that is so cute, with all the little antique shops and cafes and old buildings. When I'm there, I feel like I'm on a movie set, it's just so different than all the surrounding areas. Here's a couple pictures that don't do it justice, but at least give you an idea of what it's like.

The first one is the entrance to one of the antique shops and the second is a telescopic view of a brick walkway with all the story windows of the different shops on either side of the walkway. It's a lovely place that's only about twenty minutes from where I'm staying...I'm sure I'll be visiting again before I leave this area. The one thing I still want to do in Mt. Dora is try out some of the restaurants. There's a couple right on the lake that look promising.

Last weekend my friend Meredith came to visit, and we hit up the city of Orlando for way too much shopping and some really bad food. We went to one of the outlet malls for some designer jeans, then headed to the Mall of Millenia for the remainder of the shopping extravaganza. Our original plan was to finish shopping in time to head to Mt. Dora for a nice dinner, but anyone that knows Meredith and I knows things NEVER go as planned. We ended up spending a lot more time shopping than we had originally planned (who would have thought that could happen) and found ourselves still in Orlando at 9pm, so we had to make do with what was in our immediate vicinity...which happened to be a terrible steak and seafood restaurant called McCormick and Schmick's, but probably should be called McCormick and Schmuck's. Poor service, and positively awful food...but we still had a good time, as only we can.

Anyway, the last few weeks have been pretty packed, and I'm having more fun than I thought I could here in Leesburg. I'm also exploring some local backwoods, riverside, and roadside eateries with my friend Dana from work, who's up for anything. We even went to this place called Sinbad's yesterday for dinner, they actually had old pieces of carpet on the table as coasters!

Also, the "blind mosquitoes" that I talked about in my last post had left...and now they're back again and worse than ever! How many "seasons" can these creatures have! I actually have to try to get in and out of the door as quickly as possible and not to open it very wide or very often, and even still, I get tons of these things in my apartment every day. That is one thing about living here that I will definitely not miss.

The next few weekends look to be just as busy as the last few...this weekend I'm heading back to Orlando to exchange some of the items I bought last week...and for some shenanigans with Dana as well. I'm also working six days this week, as well as the week after next, to make up for the time off I'm taking next weekend to go to my family reunion in Indiana! I'm so excited for it, can't wait to see all my family and especially my awesome cousins, can't wait to sleep in a tent for four days, stay up all night and sleep all day, and eat home cooked food on picnic tables for every meal. Pictures to come...