Life Surprises and Old Friends.

     I'm still kicking here in Oregon! My parents arrived late Tuesday night, after missing their flight. When they saw where I was currently living they were definitely no wanting me to stay here. Which I'm cool with since I find it a little scary myself. It's cute, and could be fun for an experience, but not great. I'm headed to start my new job next week, and hopefully find a temporary gym and a small routine should happen. I'll move out in a month, and the new place has a W/D, and is very close to many things for walking, which is exactly what I didn't want to leave here. Yes, it costs more, and yes it's no where near my job, and I'm worried about not finding employment there, but it's a year, and I can make it a year.
     Since Monday, I'm up in weight and I don't feel so awesome. That vacation fat whale effect. I'm very ready to open my kitchen, set up my bed, and have stuff out and in sight and useable. There is a grocery store at the end of my road that is absolutely epic. It's got heaps of options, like a whole foods but cheaper. The bulk section is like heaven.
     A day after I moved in, Chris Davey got in. We all know I'm an internet fein, and I meet people from everywhere. Also known that I love AU, and that I go to good lengths to see and meet people. Never in my life have I had someone do the same just to meet me. I've known Chris over a year now, and we met just how me and Travis did, Myfitnesspal. We're both foodies, and we both lift, and we both are just happy people. You never know how a person is going to be different between the internet and in person, and rarely do I get nervous when I'm about to do such a thing. (I wasn't here). There's so much to be learned about and from people from other cultures! I was greeted by a stylish man with very bright blue eyes, and a slight accent. Not much taller than I, a quiet talker, with a radiant smile and a soft soul. Most of the population talks the same, and their heart can't be told through their voice, but Chris' tone and volume feel like a tiny window into his true intentions. Unusual, no?
     Chris, my parents, and I, ventured into the city to check out the food truck lot, which I loved so much in December. It was just as impressive to them as it had been to me. I went with a Yellow curry, after introducing him to Ethiopian Injera, and he got an Argentinian Empanada and then went back for a full Ethiopian experience. The rents also endeavored into Ethiopian - something everyone should taste! We then went to "Made in Oregon" to get his Oregon shot glass to add to the states collection he's acquired, then hit the bus to a gym in Milwaukee. We lifted, rode back into Portland, and headed to Voodoo Donuts! 2 hours later, we were at Market of Choice, back in Corvallis to get more Arctic Zero - only after we taste tested the frozen yogurt next door without buying any. Market of Choice was a beauty we discovered the day before. Comparable to a Whole Foods, except cheaper. It's within walking distance to my current apartment, but there's not going to be one in Salem unfortunately. We both bought loads of stuff the day prior, but just went back for Arctic Zero round two.
     Today we're disk golfing, buying him luggage for all the food he's acquired, turning in my lease termination papers, buying more groceries, making waffle ...or pancakes... and unpacking some kitchen!

  

How Is The Move Going?

Well. It’s done. I now have an address in Corvallis Oregon. Thursday, June 21, 2012, my boyfriend Travis and I started a long and exhausting journey across the country. I’d been to KY, but never Idaho, Utah, Nebraska, Missouri, or Illinois. We had fun taking pictures in random places, in different states, we only had a time-wasting endeavor once, and I made it 250 miles consecutively before having to hand over the wheel. As the days went on, the less I wanted to do at once, I became more and more tired, while he wanted to do a tank at a time (~4.5 hours) to speed things up. We only sat down to eat once, and we filled up approximately 7 times the entire trip. We found pumps that had limits of $90, $100, $110, $99, everything you can think of. We stayed in okay hotels and old timey decorated yet spectacular. We ....he mostly.... went through an entire ‘family size’ bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. We had to drive on the other side of the interstate due to road work 3 times in 2 days, and we hit rush hour once, in MO. We made it until the last day without biting each other’s head off, and I had my first or first 3 carbonated beverages in 30 months.
It all started with my first set of movers who A) were sweet as could be, B) took an hour extra because they talked so much, and C) were the stereotype of Tn. I have yet to open boxes and asses damage to my belongings, but they were moderately gentle with it all. Wednesday night was a mini Mexican get together for dinner, and Thursday morning was an entire other issue. My car bumper was hitting on the dolly, thus requiring modifications to make it sit higher. 2 hours later leaving than expected, and a nervous wreck, we made it to Mo that night. Due to zero water intake, we both landed in dehydrationville by the end. I cried twice during the drive, once after I left Travis at his car, and a ton at the hotel my first night here.
Monday, I was supposed to meet the management group at 9:30 and get my keys, then the movers at 11. I couldn’t take the car off the dolly alone, and couldn’t back up. Which I ended up in a mini pickle. Luckily, the plan was for Travis to drive down and help me take it off the dolly, so when he got there, we decided to go get the keys first, after I had tried to call the people for an hour. We get there, and they’re not open. they were supposed to open an hour earlier, and there was now a line outside. A dear friend was working from the islands to get things right, and Travis and I watched the door to see when someone arrived. Eventually someone did, I got my keys, we went back, walked it, and well.... it’s cute, but not what I’m used to. I went to my new job to check it out, and found I’ll probably need a second. I then thought, why not go ahead and move closer to school, where I can afford a nicer apartment, and job search there? So while I’m not making any decision now, I’m also unpacking the least amount possible until I can check out options there.
One thing though, is my location couldn’t be better. I can walk EVERYWHERE. Restaurants, grocery stores, gas stations, bus stops, barbers, clothing stores, craft stores, starbucks, you name it, I can walk there. Location being prime is something I’ve always wanted, therefore, I’m waiting for my parents to arrive to make the stronger judgments as to what the best next move is. For now, I’m on a mattress on the floor, and surrounded by boxes. It’s not my normal, and I’m not as comfortable as I could be, but I’m happy in this moment. A lot of prayer has gone into everything I’ve done to get where I am, and a lot of doors have opened, which leaves me with no doubts that what needs to happen will happen.
I prayed last night in my extreme exhaustion and loneliness, that I would quickly be reminded why I loved it here to begin with. The scenery and the friendliness. Today, it was beautiful and I saw sun and sprinkles. I also encountered many people who were smiling and greeted me, and were just loving in the way they spoke and their tone. Heck, the movers today drove my Budget truck to the place and didn’t charge me for the extra 30 minutes I had them. TN is known for it’s hospitality, yet the man handing out veggie burgers at Trader Joe’s thought I was homeless when I said home is where the heart is right now, and was going to offer me his couch. You haven’t seen hospitality and kindness in Tn.
I’ll have hard days, and I’ll have happy days, and I’ll be faced with new experiences and big decisions, but I won’t look back and wish I had stayed. This is where I want to be, and I’m so glad I did what I did. Some days I won’t be so glad, and I’ll feel so alone, but the people that make the effort in those moments, help me enough to remember this is what makes me happy. Being here, with the man that makes me happy, and a new world waiting for me.

What's the Plan? Let's Go.

     As I was driving home from work last night, something occurred that made me think to myself "When someone chooses to exit your life, they don't understand the impact it has on you." Then I quickly also realized, I wonder if I'm doing that to anyone in this process. My word choice there is crucial. Chooses to Exit. We're not talking about keeping in touch, we're talking about making a conscious decision to not be part of someone's life. While I'm not deliberately choosing to unfriend anyone, I very well know from my last long distance move, that this will be inevitable and it's ok. I'm not good at keeping in touch with people that don't make an effort to keep in touch as well, and I don't care to chase people to hear how they're doing when they have no desire to share it with me. I lurk, facebook stalk people to keep up with their lives, but there isn't always something to be said. ..I'm just rambling.
     Today is my last down day before the partying starts, thank God. Yesterday was great; I hit the gym with a friend, packed a ton with my mom, the whole ...eating lunch on the floor because everywhere is covered with crap awesomeness, worked and enjoyed it. Tomorrow, I work twice and I lift, Sunday I work and my parents are coming over to pack all my electronics, and it's my last day here. Monday, I pick up the moving truck, wash towels and bedding, pack anything left, dance, lift, fix my car insurance, Tuesday the movers come to move everything into my truck, I lift, I dance, I tan. Wednesday, I lift, I get to clean the whole apartment and do a walk through to make sure it's clean, and I pick up Travis who is driving with me, then a farewell dinner with the most special people to me. Thursday morning, I lift and leave. It'll take 4 days to drive, we'll stop in Kansas City, Missouri, Sidney NE, and Twin Falls Idaho. None of which I've ever been to. I'll end in Portland, Or, spending the night with my brother, then heading down Monday morning to get my keys and move in! My parents and friend from AU come in Tuesday, so the only thing I will get unpacked most likely, is my bed and my kitchen. My parents are rushing off to WA while I hang with my friend, then they come back to hang things and set up my TV, etc. As soon as they leave, I start work at my new job, so who knows when unpacking will occur. Not sure when internet will happen or anything like that. But groceries will quickly be bought, and a shower curtain! Protein bars and powerade zero have been bought, casein has been weighed, trying to be good.
     To my excitement, work, the grocery store, the bus stop, home depot, and starbucks are all within walking distance. Also, there are 3 vegetarian restaurants within 2 miles. Epicness. As far as my cut, it's of course still on, un sure how I'll do through the 2 weeks of madness, but last time I was in OR, I lost 2lb, so who knows! That was including a voodoo donuts trip ;) My excitement is strong. Just anticipation shadowing me!

11 Days From a New Life.

     My emotions at this moment, are fine; I feel normal. When I debated moving before, then decided not to, I thought it'd be hard for me, that I'd be very sad, scared, something, yet.... I'm just like always right now. I've seen through some of my actions and words that I'm stressed, I don't feel stressed, but I'll randomly go off on someone etc, and I don't know why. In 10 days, this will all change, I'll be confronted with the faces of those that have meant so much to me for years. Some for 19 years, some for 3 years, and all the same, I'll have to say bye to a safe and comfortable place in my life.
     There are things about here I won't miss, like the daily reminder of how many people are dying on the roads, my manager, and people slowing down when it rains. There's so much more that I will miss though. The amazing weather, the massive men at the gym that wait for me to finish my DL so they can give me a hug, the lake right outside my house, the warm sound of the interstate that puts me to sleep, seeing someone at the gas station I know, dancing, knowing the lay out of my grocery stores, cheap gas, pumping my own gas, family... I don't know what to look forward to there quite yet, except the friendliness of the people, and the ability to walk where I want to go, but I know that everything has fallen into place for this move to happen, which means there's something good waiting for me on the other side.
     I once worried about lack of income, loneliness, being forgotten, and just being ignorant, having to relearn how to get places, what things were, all the stuff that you learn after being somewhere. However now, I'm at peace that income will be there, friends will be found, those that need to will remember me, and I'll quickly become accustomed to where I am, and where I'm going. I think of this year as an adventure, an experiment, and a toe dipped in the water of independence. A fair portion of my life I've felt as though I skipped and missed out on my chance to be a teenager, yet I don't like to be thought of as one, and I choose to make my decision as though I'm not one. This is exactly where I am now; I'm almost 19, I'm not out of school, yet I'm leaving school, family, comfortability, and safety to go be my own person.
     Sure, I'm my own person now, I pay for my training, my gyms, my extra food, my hair cuts, but nothing large. I often think to myself, if I were given the chance to succeed, I would. Because I want to. This comes to mind in my work. When I get cut at work after an hour, I wasn't ever given the chance to make money, please customers, and enjoy the company of strangers. However when I am given the opportunity to work, people get the chance to enjoy conversation that doesn't remind them they've had a bad day, I'm given the chance to succeed, and I do.
     This next week, while the first half looks excruciatingly boring to me, it won't go slowly, and before I blink, I'll be across the country, with a new job, no parents around, going through the same learning experience I did at 17, on a larger scale. I have back up if I fail financially, I have friends 1.5 hours away that love me, and I have the ability to talk to those at home. Gotta love technology! This coming week, I'll spend some time with my mom, doing what she likes to do; going to the salon. I'll have a friend from BB.com come to meet me from Atlanta, I'll pack electronics, I'll pack my beloved kitchen, I'll pick up a moving truck, say bye to my washer and dryer, train my heart out, dance till I die, watch my life go into a moving truck, and clean more than I ever want to.

Farewell Dear Sanity.

     

     Well, after getting next week's work schedule with 12 hours, I snapped. I was in the car with my mom, and told her that I was very tempted to make my move still, even after going back and forth and having decided to stay. I started making calls, getting excited, and to my surprise, all the doors were still open for me to be able to go (thanks God). I honestly don't know how I got the date decided, but I chose to drive out June 21. June 19, 2007, I moved here and almost exactly 5 years later I'll be heading out. The reason a commercial moving company was going to be used last time, was the inability of my parents to drive a truck across the country. In an effort to save thousands (~3k) I decided to fly someone from OR to drive over with me. Between now and the 18th I have to pack and cancel all services I use (like Comecast), and close out my life in TN. The 17th is my last day at work, the 18th I pick up my truck and pack my kitchen, the 19th, the movers come to load my truck, the 20th driver 2 arrives, and the 21st we head out for what we think will be a three day drive.
     Between Thursday and Friday, I rented the truck, cancelled my lease on my current apartment, got an apartment in Corvallis, OR, scheduled movers in Tn, gave my 2 week notice, bought the other driver's plane ticket, talked to Comcast, scheduled my groupon (so I didn't lose it), locked my keys in my car- losing $75, and lost my plane tickets I had scheduled- losing $575. Now.... I sort through my stuff, use all the food I can, pack, and try to stay calm about the amount of money flying out of my bank account. That's probably what scares me the most, as I'll have to support myself when I get there.
     On the training front, cut is going along still. I've been at 120 for over two weeks now, and thus a macro drop was in order. I'm surprised majorly at the progress I've made already, and I'm even more excited to get the scale moving again and see what else I posses! When I move, I don't know how training will go, if I'll get to stick with 3dmj at first, or what, but I'll of course be training diligently.
     I have to say, people Im sure are thinking about my going back and forth and such, but there are several people who are very supportive. One, my friend Eric, backed me, and made sure I knew it was a healthy decision. Two, my dad, who was frustrated about the changing of my mind last minute, but felt completely that this was what I was supposed to do. Three, my best bud Debbie, who already is planning to spend Thanksgiving with me. Who has friends like me? Few.