It’s ok to take a different route. Doing what makes you happy, maybe it isn’t what you are ‘suppose to be doing,’ according to everyone else. It’s our lives. We don’t have to be heading the same way everyone else is, in fact, maybe we are on the highway they are trying to find. Let them follow you.
You are cold? Move.
Still cold? Move more.
It will warm up your heart, toes, fingers and soul.
My twenty-something self is balancing the fear and aggravation of judgment from any and everybody about living at home and working in my hometown with my happiness right exactly where I am. Here is a shot of ‘the resort.’ It’s ok to be where you are, there is no where else you are suppose to be. To embrace everything you have while moving forward with future plans, goals and growth is difficult, but possible.
There is no place like home for the holidays… unless you are packing in a car full of 8 people road tripping 20+ hours to the sun and the sand. Being a midwest girl, I was very hesitant with the idea of leaving the snow covered roads, ice rink, homemade goods, close friends, and cozy comfort of home. Alabama? Beaches? Palm trees? Don’t get me wrong, I’m a child of the sunshine and a lover of the warm sea breezes, but for Christmas? Eh. Not too thrilled.
So in we crammed into our loyal ole suburban. My parents, my grandfather, and the four kids. We happened to be pulling out of our drive way at the perfect time. The temperature was high, snow was melting, thick fog hovering over the ground. We drove about 12 hours our first day, stopping only for gas. Hit some traffic in Cincinnati, reference the picture. I drove for a nice 2 hours in the dark, fogged up mirrors and heavy traffic through the hills of Kentucky (and pulling a trailer). I feel like I’m finally becoming the man for my dad to rely on in my military brothers’ absence. We stopped in Dalton, Georgia for the night.
We woke up early and I was SURPRISED with the timeliness of the runts! Take off time was set for 8:00 am and the crew was assembled at the continental breakfast bar at 7:30 am. I love that. We arrived at Fort Moody AFB this afternoon where my brother is stationed, just in time for lunch. However, we noticed both tires on the trailer were about ready to bust. So after a tire ordeal and a tour of the base, we finally got our ‘lunch’ around 5 PM. Smok’n Pig’s BBQ. Fast forward a few hours and we are lightening our Jameson load while we gather on the hotel furniture and laughed at all that funny shit there is to laugh about.
This office view is something I gained after sacrificing a downtown, bustling, walkable job. It’s hard to appreciate one without knowing the other. We think we know what we won’t like without even trying it. TRY IT. If you don’t change, sacrifice, risk, you will never value what you have, where you are and what the world has to offer you.
Killarney, Ireland is a place to go. It is the start of the Ring of Kerry and hosts the Killarney National Park. If you like hiking and enjoy natural beauty, you will love Killarney.
My friend Bridget and I ended up in Killarney after Cork. Cork was a fun city, and we just so happened to be in Cork during the Jazz Festival…purrrrrfect timing. We had a blast bar hopping and catching live music, but did not such much else.
We stayed in Killarney for two days, two nights. I could’ve stayed there a week I think. No vehicle so we walked EVERYWHERE. It was doable, but you have to be into that scene. We did not get a chance to do the Ring of Kerry but we did hike a lot of the National Park and saw Ross Castle, Muckross House and Abbey and Torc waterfall.
I love waterfalls. At this point in the day we had already hiked about 10 miles and still had to turn around and go back, so we didn’t explore the waterfall area with much vigor and enthusiasm as my heart felt. The picture does not do justice.
We stayed in a hostel, Neptune’s. It was a great travelers environment. We met a lot of people. One night we went to the Killarney Grand pub, which was exactly what we were in store for. Great live music, lots of people and plenty of beer.
It was absolutely beautiful and I would recommend Killarney to anyone. It did us well!
I live at home. I graduated college early, got a job away from home and worked. About two years later, driven by lack of job satisfaction, I found a new job in my small home town and moved home with my parents, two young brothers and two young cousins. (Luckily there was still a room left for me). I can not simply tell people “I moved home” without defending my decision and situation. I talk about how much I enjoy what I am doing for my job, I explain why it is good for me right now, how it will not be too long term and how happy I am.
Why the hell do I care what everyone else thinks? Yet here I am explaining it to you.
It is quite a change from where I was living and working before coming back. I was in a big city, living downtown, walking to work, plenty of happy hours and restaurant sampling, social clubs, friends, people. It was fun. I was not content enough however, very antsy. A lot of possible reasons for that, but coming back home has lifted a weight off my heart and filled fresh oxygen into my stale lungs. No traffic, my new friends are my preteen roommates, barely any personal time to myself and lots of heavy talks with the parents about all topics regarding family matters. It is making me better, being home. You have to believe that no matter where you are. I am spending time with my parents, brothers and cousins that I may never have the chance to do again. My time is theirs. No children, boyfriends, husbands, cats, ect. I get to come home to a house full of kids that look up to me and parents that love and appreciate my presence amongst all the madness. I’m lucky I have the opportunity and I am proud of myself for taking advantage of it right now. Nothing is forever and I am in control of my destiny. Instead of loading my mind with “what I should be doing” or comparing my career status anyone else, I’m truly enjoying it. (Except the dogs. We currently have four. I wish I hated it less.)
So I will be writing about my adventures. One common interest everyone has in this house that I VALUE is music. I find myself in my beloved “teacher” role and engage these four kids in music. Tonight a couple of them brought their guitars in and we were dinking around a little too late (8 pm is bed time around here) and we got in trouble. I’m in love.
Simply Stated. 