Transitions

I have to admit that title sounds the "deepest" of any of my entries yet! What type of transitions could I possibly be thinking about? Nerd version: transitional energy states? Nope (or at least not today). Entrepreneurial version: my ingenious contact lens version of the "transition" lenses seen in glasses? I probably shouldn't even be mentioning that idea on here! Sports version: the transition of momentum from the kings to the HAWKS?!?!? :-) I would love to hear a lil more chelsea dagger tomorrow night!! But alas no, today I'm talking about the idea of places being transitional.

So far in my life it's been easy to see what places are meant to be temporary. Michigan, headed there for college knowing that it was going to be a four year experience and then I would be headed somewhere else. For a long time while I was there I had no idea where I was going to end up next, but it all got sorted out and after those four years I moved on. I've found that it's incredibly difficult to plan/predict where you'll end up next. I didn't realize until my last year/year and a half in college that grad school was what I "wanted" to do. And even once I narrowed it down to grad school, I didn't know Mississippi was in my future until 2 months before I graduated! Well I have to admit that grad school was the same thing. I guess I know a little further in advance that my course was going to take me into industry, but landing a job and knowing I would be headed back to Indiana didn't happen until well about 2 months before I defended.

Hmm... Now that I'm writing this out, I feel like I'm seeing a trend. At least for me, I'm not sure where I'm really going to end up until about two months out from that transition. As a well-known planner knowing this 2 month rule exists for me is great! Maybe it stands for other people as well (comments?!?!). But this doesn't help me figure out the even bigger question. How do you know if a place is a transitional place or a settling place? I think figuring this out is hard for me for two main reasons: 1. All I really know is transitions 2. I'm in a college town, which makes it transitional for lots of people here.

I know that I don't have to know the answer to this right now. I mean shoot, I haven't even been here for a year! But living the um... I'll say "transitional" lifestyle (i.e. apartment living, constantly changing your group of friends, not owning "adult" furniture) can be tiring! Seriously moving sucks. Anyone feel any other way about moving, please let me know your secret!

And I do have to admit that having friends all over the country is pretty cool. I can travel to a lot of places and meet up with someone I haven't seen in years! Definitely makes traveling fun!! But it becomes harder and harder to keep up with people that live so far away the older you get. And there are times I can't help to be envious of those people that I know that never left "home". I see friends on facebook that are still living where they went to high school and they have these friends that they've had since 1st grade. They have this solid core group of friends and that just seems like a very comfortable lifestyle. I definitely think I felt that at the end of my time in Mississippi, which made leaving very difficult. But the truth about that group of friends is that they will soon all be dispersed (wow... chemistry nerd for sure!!) across the country. I unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) was just the first one to leave that group. I think I just want that back and I'm being impatient. Let's be honest it hasn't been a year here in my new home! And truthfully I'm definitely doing better here than I was in my first year in Mississippi!! 

So maybe this Indiana stop will be a long transition, or maybe I will settle (there are some pretty sweet job benefits!). Either way...  I'm pretty sure this next year will be the last year I'll rent so... here's to moving again!! And figuring out this whole home/townhome ownership thing!! Gulp!

100 Days Wrap Up!

So... It's been a while! And I have to say that it's been a very busy while. I've traveled a ton!! Nashville (twice), northwest Indiana (twice), Vegas (twice... seeing a theme?!), Indianapolis, Michigan, Colorado and Mississippi! All this traveling has made for a ton of great 100 days of happiness pictures! I realized I really do love to travel and see new and different places, as well as familiar ones that I haven't been to recently. And oh the stories to tell! Good and not quite as good. Catching up with grad school friends in Vegas and getting to see the Hoover Dam, right after trying chicken feet! Then on a different trip missing my connection in Atlanta thanks to AirTran and being told I'd have to hang out in the airport for 10 hours! So instead I rented a car and drove the 5.5 h to Mississippi!! All in all it's been an interesting spring! Since I missed so many days I figured I'd add some pictures to recap the last half of the 100 days!

 Bonfire!! After the Indy half, I got to spent the night with Bloomington friends eating some great BBQ and hanging around a bonfire!

 Living the dream!! Finally got to see what Red Rocks was all about! I am definitely looking forward to catching a concert there in the future! Even picked out my ideal row... 37!

 Bellagio Fountain! For as crazy and non-stop as Vegas is the Bellagio fountain is so peaceful. I really think I could stand around for the majority of the night and watch all of the different fountain shows. Loved it!

 Got to watch the last Hawks game of the season with my Dad! It was my Christmas present this year and it was great to be able to cheer on the Hawks, even if we couldn't do it in Chicago and hear Chelsea Dagger after every goal.

 Mountain bike season! Finally it got warm enough to mountain bike! And I was even lucky enough to make a new friend who wants to learn! You better believe I'm out there hitting up the trails as much as I can!

 Cowboy boots! Quite possibly the best souvenir I've ever picked up in Nashville. Not only that, but they are a great reminder of the half marathon weekend with friends from Mississippi and college getting together. Absolutely awesome weekend!

 Second halfie in 2 back-to-back weekends! And the best part was finding a way to represent my running buddy. My friend's favorite color is yellow, so you better believe I was going to have some yellow on, especially when doing something as crazy as running two halfies in back-to-back weekends! Can't think of anyone else that would have done that with me but that guy!

The Hoover Dam! This was on the second Vegas trip and I got to get out and explore with a grad school friend. It was nice to be able to get away from the strip, because every (all three) time I've been there that's the only area I've visited.

And this is just a glimpse of my 100 days! I am so glad I invited friends to try the 100 days because it was a great way to keep up with friends that I definitely wouldn't normally text that much! And another really cool thing was now friends of mine that have never met feel like they made new friends through this process. It definitely made for a fun 100 days and I recommend trying it! Get your happy on!!

P.S. Seems as if my life is calming down a bit, so I will be keeping up with this more! And I'm sure all of my travel stories will be coming out soon enough, so stay tuned!!