Rise & Shine

This morning was just one of those mornings. You know, the kind of morning where you wake up in a surprisingly good mood? Without that angry urge to throw your alarm clock out the window? Yup, it was one of THOSE mornings. If I were in a Disney movie, tiny little birds would have flown in through the window and gently pulled back my covers, singing a sweet little tune. I don't know if it was the fact that I went to bed at 10PM, or if maybe, just the fact that it was Thursday brightened my mood. I'm willing to bet, however, that this morning was a direct result of the fact that, finally, I'm realizing my life is starting to come together. Moving to a new city, starting a new job, being away from my family -- it's stressful! But after almost three months on the dot, things are starting to feel real. I am no longer the "new girl" at work. My life has become routine (in a good way). I'm having the time of my life getting to know the city of Washington, DC. I love that even after 3 months of exploring and adventures, I know there is still SO much more out there to do & see. And that is so exciting to me.

On top of it all, I was thrilled when I opened the door this morning and stepped out into slightly cooler, less humid morning air. It was the type of morning that resembled a fall morning in Florida. It was crisp, refreshing and sunny - without a cloud in the sky. That alone will make any bad morning the BEST morning.

As I walked to my car, a slight breeze rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees. I heard the gentle sound of wind chimes off in the distance. Sunlight was streaming through the giant Virginia maples. There was an unmistakable quiet calm all around. I wished so badly I didn't have to go to work, and that instead, I could just sit out on my front porch reading my book with a hot cup of coffee.

But alas, that was not possible today, on this beautiful Thursday. I, instead, spent the day inside staring at a computer, daydreaming of Saturday and the freedom that comes with it.

Soundtrack to my morning:

Hittin' the Road, Jack - Day 1

It's official. I am a Northern VA/DC resident. I moved to the area 2 weeks ago yesterday -- and couldn't be happier -- but sheesh, was it a feat getting up here. Well, let me rephrase that...GETTING READY to get up here was quite the feat. Once the house had been packed & cleaned, and I had said those hard goodbyes, the journey was actually really fun, and an adventure I'd been dying to have again. 

After a lot of thought and financial calculation, it was decided that a roadtrip to DC made the most sense. Planes = How the heck do we move my stuff. Trains = Too expensive. Boats = I wish! My dad graciously offered to be my passenger/navigator/body guard for the drive, which was such a blessing because I'm pretty sure I would not have had as much fun or been able to stay awake. We decided that we wanted to take our time, enjoy the scenery, and take in the sights. It was a tough decision, but we decided that our route would be the following: 

Naples>>Ocala/Gainesville>>Savannah>>Beaufort>>Charleston>>Cherokee, NC>>Blue Ridge Parkway>>Blacksburg>>Roanoke>>DC! 

(The coast AND the mountains. We really weren't in a rush, were we.)

We left early on a Monday morning. After a quick stop in Tampa to see Sister Sarah, we were off to Ocala to have lunch with two of my favorite folks - Matt & Kristin! We had lunch at a lovely little Ocala diner, got the grand tour of their new but totally old and awesome house, then we were on our way! Unfortunately, our next stop was not my favorite. Gainesville. Don't get me wrong, I love and adore Gainesville, but this Gainesville pitstop was the "squish everything you own into a tiny car" pitstop. After about an hour and a half of puzzle-piecing our way through packing the car and leaving, ya know, a perfectly fine TV, some bedding, a fan, a mirror, and some odds & ends on the curb, we were on our way to Savannah. (Can you tell I'm bitter?!)

The drive from Gainesville to Savannah was...how do I put this gently...HORRIBLE. We drove through a hurricane. Not literally, but it sure seemed like it. 

Thank goodness my Dad was driving. I just closed my eyes and held on tight! The worst part was that it lasted forever. Like two hours of pure, unadulterated raining-cats-and-dogs downpours. Thankfully, after that nonsense, we had smooth sailing and a beautiful sunset for the remainder of our drive. 

 

Days 2, 3, & 4 coming soon! 

She's BACK!

It painfully dawned on me today - It has been one whole year since I graduated from the University of Floirida (and about a year and a half since I've blogged!). At first thought, it seems unbelievable - unreal, even. How has time managed to go by so incredibly fast? Thinking back on the past year, it makes sense when you actually break down - the places I've been, the things I've accomplished, the new experiences I've had - it really HAS been a year! 


In honor of my one-year anniversary of my college graduation (and in the hopes of making me realize that maybe this so-called "Real World" isn't as bad as it's made out to be), here are my favorite things, moments and adventures about my first post-college year:


LIVING IN BOSTON: Quite possibly one of the most exciting times in my life. As the Communications Intern at John Snow, Inc., a global health-consulting firm, I had the world at my fingertips - the exciting city life, the somewhat flexible and laid-back internship, and time to spend with my family and long lost friends - all in the most beautiful of New England seasons - Autumn!

BECOMING A SWIM TEACHER: After years of begging from my sister, fellow lifeguards, and supervisors, I FINALLY gave in to becoming a real-life swim teacher. And boy, am I glad that I did. Now that I have a full-time job, I'm actually disappointed that I won't be able to continue my lessons this summer. Spending all those hot summer mornings in the pool teaching kids how to blow bubbles, and float on their backs, was frustrating, rewarding, and hilarious at times. Anyone need lessons?

SOMEHOW (by the grace of God) BECOMING GM OF A SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA: The past six months have most definitely, without a doubt, been the hardest months of my life - yet, the most rewarding. If there is any job that will prepare me for what's next, it's this one. After only six months of this position, I now feel like I'm ready to tackle any job or task that comes my way.

MY 1ST NEW ENGLAND FALL: Probably my favorite experience of the past year. I took FULL advantage. My three months were spent galavanting off to various locations to witness the beauty of a New England autumn: apple-picking in Western Massachusetts, gardening in Aunt Carrie's community garden (complete with sunflowers, pumpkins, and squash), halloween in Burlington, Vermont, family weekend at Brown University in Providence, a daytrip to the coast of Rhode Island to gawk at the crazy-huge mansions of old, and a roadtrip through the quiet, calm, and cold Green Mountains.

DANNY CURTIS: boyfriend, zombie-killing extraordinaire, civil engineering pro, dirtbike fanatic, dish-washing hater. A whole year with this kid - lucky me!

THE SYMPHONY BALL: One of the perks of the job. I got my hair did, bought an elegant gown, and wined and dined with Ocala's finest (while raising 90K for the Ocala Symphony Orchestra!) One of the highlights of my job as GM.

MY 1st "FRIEND" WEDDING: A friend of mine getting married? Two years ago I would have thought this was madness! But, nowadays, my friends are tying the knot left and right. Not only is it a romantic occasion, but it's also fun to have that time with your closest friends. Congrats Sean and Lia!

GUSTER-LIVE IN CONCERT: One of my most favorite bands. This night out with Sarah was complete with a trip to downtown Disney and a trip to their authentic Irish Pub. A night to remember. With hopefully, many more to come - now that I'm not a poor, starving, college student!

MY 1ST REAL CAR ACCIDENT: Although this doesn't rate high on my favorites list, it was definitely a moment to remember. Lining up perfectly with other stress-inducing activities, this lesson was one of patience and humility. The event was as embarrassing as it gets (I can't lie - I was racing to get to a computer to buy TSwift tickets right as they went on sale), but as my Mom admitted, "Happens to the best of us, honey - heck! my first accident was due to a fireman with his shirt off!" Oh, Mother.