Travel, travel, travel

My last day at my job was August 4th, five months ago!  I can't believe that I actually followed through leaving a government job, traveling, and enjoying the hell out of myself during this hiatus.  I have been to Seattle, Oregon, San Francisco, Abilene and Austin Texas, Boston, Maine, New Hampshire, Florida, Montreal, Vegas x 2, and the Grand Canyon.  I loved the east and west coasts, that is the ocean I aspire to stare at and find my peace.  I was able to see friends, family, and meet new people.  I wouldn't say I have the travel bug, but I was proud of myself for staying in hostels, walking in new cities alone, seeing amazing art, sharing my pictures, and learning more about this great nation.  Although my BFF lives in Florida, it has been confirmed that it's much too hot there.  I loved Boston, but the cost of living is crazy, and those winters..... I loved Oregon, but where I would want to live is outside the city, slim pickings on jobs. I went mushroom picking, visited Crater Lake (despite a white out, the drive there and back was gorgeous), hiked along beaches, and saw life everywhere I turned from sea lions within reach to organisms in cracks within the beach along the ocean.  Seattle was a blast, I met a guy with a plane, and we went to an island with his dog and a friend to stay at his cabin.  I was in a canoe for the first time, rode in a small plane for the first time, and saw luminescence in the ocean for the first time (it's beautiful). I gambled one time in Vegas, and confirmed that I'm not a gambler, but I am a bit of a dare devil (confirmed by jumping off the Stratosphere). I was able to meet my favorite cousin and his fiancé in Austin and confirm how much I love that city. I can verify that Abilene isn't a place for single people, but the families that live there love it.  

I've been to a few concerts, met some local comedians and expanded my night outs to include comedy shows in craft stores. I have reflected on why I left the City, why I chose to jump into life with both feet, and a basic outline of a plan.  I have been able to get back involved in rescue, and have helped save the lives of quite a few puppies, dogs, cats, and kittens.  I have discovered that I'm not a good home body; I prefer to be out, meeting new people, learning about new experiences, discovering the city I've lived in for 17 years.  Columbus has grown exponentially since I moved here, the beer and food scenes are on point, the comedy scene is amazing, and there is always something to do.  It's been nice to travel knowing I have a home to return to, I don't think I could be a vagabond. I hate to admit it, but my traveling lifestyle will soon be behind me.  I have one more trip to Florida planned next week, otherwise I'm on the job boards, updating my resume, trying to find a position that would value me as much as I'd like to value the job and organization.  I don't know if I'll go back to government, or even stay in the same industry. I'd love to find a new challenge, something that uses my knowledge and experiences for the greater good. I'll settle for a position if I have to, money doesn't grow on trees after all, but I'm hoping to hold out as long as I can for the right position.  I'm extremely grateful for the past few months, traveling has been more fun than I imagined.