Perception

I've spoken before about how travel (especially for work) really puts things in perspective and this last trip especially. I think it was both because of the length of time and the way that this trip went that made it feel that way.

It's so good to be back and so amazing to have all my things even the small things like my preprogramed car radio stations, or the foods I like, or my favorite vegan ice cream (Ben and Jerry's!!!). Living out of a small carry-on roller bag for two weeks was tough...

Not sure who this is but he seems like a cool dude

Mainly it's the big things. I missed my Veggie dog sooooo much and I can't even express how great it was to see Katai again. Having the freedom to go to the barn when I want to is fantastic and I'm really looking forward to continuing boot camp with Katai for the next few weeks in preparation for our show on the 26th.

However, it was also the trip to OR that really helped. I had whined mentioned earlier this year that I was wanting to move someplace else more permanently. I've been firming up my plans over the past few months and right now my goal is to start applying for jobs in different cities, to take the next step in my career, in the next 2-3 years. The problem was that I didn't know where I most wanted to go.

After all, who wouldn't want to live near this

Portland has been at the absolute top of my list since I was 18 but I'd never actually been there. I'd been along the coast of OR with my mom the summer before I started college but never to Portland. It was that trip and many of the things I'd heard about Portland that interested me in living there. Recently though I've heard more things that made me not want to necessarily settle on that as my top option and of course I wanted to visit it before I decided for sure. I was disappointed when that trip fell off the table earlier this year and thrilled when it became an option again with this work trip.

Now that I've had a chance to visit it's not at the top of my list anymore. Not that it wasn't an amazing visit, it's just that in the meantime I've fallen in love with a different place that I never expected. I'm honestly sort of relived and happy that I can move that place to the top of my list. I'm still going to apply for jobs in a few different cities/locations but I know where I'm going to focus my applications now. Of course things could still change in the next couple of years but for not it's nice to have an outline of a plan.