So I’m gone for a week, and once again WordPress changes their design which means I have to dabble and learn what changes were made. I already couldn’t find my 20+ drafts, but I know they weren’t deleted (they better not be!). Since Saturday I have been dealing with what I believe to be a stomach bug. Monday and Tuesday I felt a bit weak, with my back feeling it most on Monday. I’ll spare the rest of the details, but it hasn’t been pleasant to say the least. All the while I had to prepare for an interview I had Wednesday. It was out of town, and I drove in heavy rain but fortunately it lightened up when I arrived. It went well, but I often have that feeling whether I get the job or not. They said if I was selected then I would move to the next round and talk to the director. Well, I thought they would reach me perhaps a week later, nope. . . it was a few hours later. I made it to the second round! Thing was: it would be a phone interview with the director. The next day.
What was moments of joy, turned into dread. I kept thinking “Oh no! I literally have less than 24 hours to prepare!!”. And you all know how my last phone interview went, so I was feeling stressed along with the persistent stomach ailment. It has been quite the week. But along with the worry, came the chance at redemption and to exorcise those demons. And I did. It was only with the director, and it went smooth. So now we wait for their results, which honestly I don’t know how long that will take. Again, hope is kindle and we shall see. It’s fiesta week here, and I get to work while all my friends and family are off. I wouldn’t mind it if I was able to partake in the parade again, but I don’t though it should be a quiet day. In those down times, as I said once in a blue moon I’ll check on old friends, and it reminded me of a post I recently did. The one where we see people from the past, and how much they changed. How they are in that “stage of life” that is so common at certain ages. In this case, seeing one friend from university announcing she’s pregnant, another getting engaged, some traveling and some considering graduate school or career change.
In that same post, I mentioned how even though I don’t feel major changes happening in my life I know something’s happening. Yet it’s certain stages like those (I’m referring to adventures and relationships) that are more concrete in that I know those are slow moving, while others (like jobs) are perhaps moving quicker. Here’s a funny story for y’all: So yesterday my mother told me that my sister was upset. I asked why, and she said because my two year old nephew has a girlfriend at daycare! Apparently they are always together, and she keeps hugging him which my sister hates cause he never gives her hugs. Of course I was laughing and smiling at it all, but if there was a perfect GIF for this moment it would be one where the person is happy then quickly turns either serious or sad. My two year-old nephew gets his first girlfriend, and here I am at 27 still trying to find mine -insert laughing tears emoji face-. In all seriousness though, it’s a cute story and I can’t imagine what my sister will be like when both her boys grow up. However, the other topic of adventures is what intrigues me. In particular, if I get this job.
If I get it, I’m assuming I’ll start in 2-3 weeks upon notification. So my thinking is that I would take a week off to vacation. What I’ll do is the question, but for some reason I was thinking of taking a train ride across the country. It’s cheap, provides me a place to sleep and food while I go through different states and cities. Plus I can only do so much in a week, and flying would slice a day off going to and back. And I wouldn’t mind pretending to be on the Hogwarts Express or the Orient Express. If I did get the job, taking trips won’t happen until maybe winter season when I put in at least 6+ months at the new company. I’m jumping the gun on it all, but it just made me think of the possibilities and how close I am to finally doing it. To finally not worry about how I can afford to travel, to find a place to sleep, and most importantly what to eat! If only society encouraged global exploration and learning, instead of max output in our jobs. It’s those who step away from complacency that get dreams accomplished.
Writing that actually made me think of another thing I saw while catching up on old friends. It was actually one of my best friends saying how he felt these past 4 years might’ve been wasted on his degree. I completely understand his frustration, but to be honest (and I’m sure I’ll tell him later) it’s really his fault. He majored in biology with the goal of becoming a doctor. Problem was that ever since he graduated, he has not studied at all for the MCAT to try and get into medical school. It was for a variety of reasons, but mainly that drive went away and he hasn’t done much. Now he talks about going into nursing school, which is okay but I would hate for him to look back and wonder what if he had taken that chance earlier. He once told me he would do nursing and then see how that goes; if it’s good then he’ll try for doctors. I’m here thinking why do that when you can just try for doctors now, and see if you even get in in the first place? And y’all know I’m not perfect either when it comes to dedication to a passion, not many people are but I constantly try and remind myself not to fall into this couch-potato mindset. That’s why adventures are so hard for me. Not just cause of finance, but social support. None of my family want me to go on my own out of fear, none of my friends here can either because of money or (more common) simply don’t have to desire to, and the friends that would love an adventure. . . are worlds apart from here. The irony.
And yes I have talked about this before, too, on another post about finding your family. Those group of people you truly connect with. All my posts are linked together in some way; even the poems. While I await for this decision about the job, and the possible positive changes that can come from it, I sit here thinking of others I know going through other changes I hope to have soon and others who are stuck like me; if not worse than me. Health-wise, I am feeling a little better and I’ll rest some more this fiesta weekend. Better things are on the horizon, but we can only reach it if we step outside our comfy home because it’s not going to come to us like some think it will. “80% of life is showing up”, and after that we just simply hope for the best. . .
Novatourist 