Atlanta - Portland
In 2004, I made the journey from my hometown in Jacksonville, FL to Atlanta, GA.
It was a great descision and the last few years I have made a plethora of friends and gone to some amazing shows.
Now it's time for another large move. Next week I will be driving almost 3,000 miles from Atlanta, GA to Portland, OR.
I couldn't be more excited for this trip. I actually requested this move after a life chaning week-long visit to the place. As soon as I got back I put in for a request from my job at Sage Software. Sage has an office in Portland and while it took nearly 6 months for something suitable to come, it finally did! Not only does my pay go up, but the job is also paying for the relocation.
I made the announcement at my 31st birthday dinner at Bone Garden Cantina. It was my older friends. Friends that had settled, gotten jobs, and lived prosperous lives. I can't really say there's a strong seperation but I have just as much fun with them as my younger, jobless, or living at home friends. They're all a part of me in one way or another.
My drive was inevitable. I love my 2009 Volkswagen Rabbit and bought it at only 10 miles. It has now reached an amazing 60,000 miles and still churns away, good as new. I made full inspection and cleaned her up. I also had to decide who would be going with me to this. I could take a friend from Atlanta with me and fly em back, or a friend from Portland and fly them here. I had a few offers but none solid enough. Luckily one of the greatest people volunteered for this.
My mom.
She is now retired from over 30 years of teaching school and has all of the free time she could ever need. Lately she's traveled to Grand Canyon, Maine, Orlando and a few other places, as well as going on Cruise adventures to several islands with my sister. She's defeintely the person I inherited my travel bug from. So this weekend I will be picking her up from Florida and then heading off.
I've accumuated SO much in my 31 years! I'm still downsizing all kinds of photos, VHS tapes, high school drawings, and all sorts of other things. The only things comign with me are my two TVs, PS3, clothes, Ikea shelf (my only truely owned furniture), and bedset. I'm a keeper, a saver. I look at something as semtimental value and think one day it'll either be worth something or maybe I'll buy a scanner and scan it or something else to the point it just won't go into the garbage. Luckily the family offered to store a few boxes for me.
So wish me luck, this will be the move to end it all. East coast goes West coast and while I'm going to visit, I'm living out west for a good while. Thanks to everyone for the great times.