Vindication

I felt somewhat vindicated today when I read that Forbes Magazine had posted its list of the Top 40 Most Stressful Cities in the Nation, with Washington, DC ranking #9.   Vindicated, because as I explained in my first post, I lived there for 5 years following college and last Fall gave up the big city and all that it offers to come home to West Virginia.  It was a decision that baffled more than a few people.

See, living in West Virginia comes with a very long list of stigmas.  If you’re originally from here and you stay then you’re unmotivated and probably not very smart.  If you’re from here, leave, and return then you’re a failure.  If you’re not from here and somehow find yourself living here then you’re pegged as just plain crazy.

But it takes articles like that Forbes Magazine article, to make you feel vindicated – like ‘ha!’ I knew I wasn’t a failure, I didn’t leave ’cause I couldn’t cut it, I left because who would want to live in the 9th most stressful city in the nation?  I blame these feelings of inadequacy on Facebook.  You see all of these people that you went to High School with who live all over the Country and you know they look at you and think ‘you still live in Charleston?? Loser’

At the end of the day, knowing that people think you’re a loser and being OK with it because you know you’re not, even if it takes a few Forbes Magazine articles along the way to reassure you.  That’s the true vindication.  That’s knowing who you are and what you’re about and being cool with it.

Picking a zip code is one of the many decisions that formulate ‘life in your twenties’.  I hope 30 is easier.

Good friends are hard to find

The totally adorable picture above is of my precious pooch Tucker (the black one) laying nose to nose with his bestest pal Duke.

This Denver business has really had Tucker in quite the tizzy.  In fact, he came to me the other day and said:

“Please don’t make me go to Denver – I don’t want to leave Duke”

He got me to thinking about it – I don’t really want to leave my bestest pals either.  The kind of friends I have don’t come around everyday.  And just ’cause we don’t sleep nose to nose doesn’t mean we’re not close.

So, after lots of thought – I’m doing something that I’m not well known for: completely reversing course and changing my mind.  These country roads of West Virginia will remain my home for the forseeable future.

Let’s just hope that somewhere within the confines of this beautiful state there happens to be a company that would like to add me to their payroll.

You’d think I was telling people I am moving to Japan…

I started informing close friends of my decision to move to Denver last week.  I have gotten a wide range of responses, most of which started with a very slow, drawn out “WOooooW’

Here’s a compilations of the funniest responses yet:

- A long time friend reacted with the most sincere confusion.  Why she asked would I possibly choose Denver?  She thought it to be a completely random and uncalculated decision. 

Hmmm…. I guess in our 10 years of friendship, you’ve never taken note of the fact that I go skiing every.single.weekend

- “WHAT?!  Oh my gosh.  No, Julie, no.  Really?  WOW!”  That was one of my friends realizing that I was moving 1/2 way across the country and she knows she’ll never in a million years pay the $300 for a flight to come see me, so when I see her before I go that’s pretty much it for our friendship. 

Bonus to moving 1/2 way across the country – you’re able to put a price tag on your friendships… not always pleasant, but a neat trick, nonetheless

- In a very steady, non stressed tone, a friend simply says – “So how long are you going to be gone?” 

Hmm… well, I’m moving.  In the true sense of the word: moving.  As defined, moving means you have no intention of ever coming back. 

Then she pushes:

“Well, like 1 year – 4 years, FOREVER??”

Well, potentially, yes, FOREVER… I mean, let’s hope if I’m going to say goodbye to friends and family and sell all of my belongings that its not all for nothing and that this is a good move for me and as such, I would be staying, permanently.

For the most part, however, this is what I have gotten:

“Jules, that’s awesome, I’m so happy for you – I know you’ll love it.”

I hope I do and I think I will, but either way, at least I gave it a shot.

Dear Mr. Uhaul: I would like to inquire about your ‘Frequent Renter Program’…

Denver, Colorado

I had mentioned, after returning from my Florida trip that an announcement was looming.  I feel sure you all lost sleep wondering what sort of impending news was going to pop up on JoblessJulie. 

I’ve wanted to move out west since before I had ever even been out west.  For someone who loves all things winter and skiing - it is the promised land.  For a variety of reasons, life has simply just gotten in the way between the end of college and present and as more and more years passed the idea of moving out west seemed more novelty than reality. 

But then – it just all fell into place. 

There are benefits to losing your job – even though I could have quit my job at any given moment, that would have seemed SO irresonsible in these ‘economic times’ as people like to say.  But, hey, if the company quits on you – well… the world is your oyster. 

So, effective late September, I’ll have a new zip code and I’ll get to check ONE.HUGE.THING. off my bucket list.