August 2008

I started this blog back in August of 2008. Over two years ago! I wrote one post and that was it. I didn't touch it for another 24 months. Talk about procrastination....My original goal was to start the blog in preparation for documenting and communicating during my travels. At the time, I was preparing to leave Maryland/DC (my home of 21 years) to start travel nursing. The plan was to drive out to the west coast, work my way from southern California to Seattle and then back across country to home. I figured I would be gone and on the move for a year or two and a blog would be great way to stay in touch and share some of the adventure! So, what happened? The economy crashed. And come May of 09 travel assignments, which were once abundant, became slim and far between. So quitting my stable, well paid career in DC did not seem like the best of plans when I'd be competing against nurses with travel experience for a small pool of positions. Do I regret not experiencing travel nursing? Well, it's hard to regret when two months after my postponed leave I met Michael, my future husband. It's hard to regret when I have been able to stay in DC near my family who I am very close to. And it's hard to regret when I have had a stable income while so many others have struggled to find work and make ends meet. So even though the travel nursing experience has been put on hold indefinitely (maybe a semi-retirement plan?) the desire to travel has remained. I had the amazing experience of traveling to Australia (#1 on my all time travel list!) early last year. I have been on a few shorter trips this year and have a few plans in the works. So, the point of all this? If you haven't noticed I have a 'Places to Visit' gadget on the right side of my blog. It started as a few places I planned on working. I will be updating in the coming weeks to places I've visited, places I have actual plans to visit, and places on my wish list. As well as potentially including some posts on travels I have already completed....Mixed in with all the wedding planning craziness and trivial day to day drib-drab.