236 page views on March 26?! Geez. A lot of you out there apparently care about my life... shucks :)
The week in review:
Friday, 3/22: All is normal, business as usual.
Saturday, 3/23: (Technically Sunday) 4AM wake-up from the monsters that live upstairs.
Sunday, 3/24: (Technically Monday) 12:30AM wake-up from the monsters that live upstairs. Two nights in a row is 2 too many... Put on my bathrobe, marched around the building to their front door, rang the door bell, and served a slice a' Liz.
Monday, 3/25: 8:30am, receive phone call that JB had been in a wreck and had visited a hospital near me. JB in ICU. I choose to take over JB's contract work with Brevard College co-leading the 21-day trip (that leaves this Wednesday). Minor freak out about change of events and having to quit my job :-\ (What are they going to say?!) Quit my job (they were sad & disappointed, but understood). Visited JB in ICU. Took husband out to eat at my "new" favorite calzone joint.
Tuesday, 3/26: Half-day at work to clean house. Boss took me, Michele, & Henry out to lunch at my "new" favorite calzone joint (2 calzones in 2 days!). Visited JB in normal hospital room, looking perkier.
Wednesday, 3/27: Enjoyed a hike in the woods with the dog. Packed my crap & ran errands. Made lodging arrangements for my trip to Brevard. Cooked a couple meals for husband.
Thursday, 3/28: Visted JB in hospital (definitely more "out of it" and in pain). Enjoyed a hike in the woods with the dog. Made final packing arrangements. Will leave for Brevard this evening.
Anticipating...
Friday, 3/29: Tour a few housing possibilities for when we move to Brevard full-time. Meet at Brevard College to turn-in employment documents, pack food & paddling equipment, and get general run-down of trip. Stay with friends.
Saturday, 3/30: Hit the trail. Backpacking & paddling for a couple weeks. Life could be worse.
Whew! What a whirlwind. See you in a couple weeks. Updates on JB on Facebook...
3.25.2013
A New Adventure
This is going to come as a shock to some, exciting to others, and perhaps both to most. And I apologize in advance for the "impersonal" nature of this post - all of you deserved a phone call, but this way I could thoroughly and best explain the situation for a mass audience... And if you have questions, concerns, or complaints... well, sorry, I don't have time for them.
You know, my husband says that I'm really good at planning things and seeing them through to completion. He would also say that I'm probably equally as bad at flying by the seat of my pants and taking life by the horns. Fair enough. Well, today I've had a solid training session in laying aside "plans" and doing what needs to be done...
This morning, around 8:30a, I received a phone call that a my best friend, my college roommate, had been in an accident and was out "my way" in a hospital. It was nonchalant, which led me to believe that things weren't too serious... as my girl, JB, also has family in this direction. After making a couple phone calls, I finally was put through to the SICU waiting room, now nervous for the outcome of my friend's accident. Long story short, she's "fine" - she has, and can move, all limbs and will not have to have surgery... she is, however, healing up 5 broken ribs and a fractured L2 and also suffered the death of her dear left kidney (it's alright, the right one is coping nicely with the additional work). This same gal was contracted to co-lead a 21-day paddling & backpacking expedition with a Brevard College professor as part of the undergraduate Immersion semester for the WLEE (Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education) program. Clearly, this was no longer an option.
After making a few phone calls and having a spur-of-the-moment, intense conversation with my husband, I've decided to quit my job at Scott's Bicycle Centre and move back to Brevard to sub for JB on the 21-day trip... and stay indefinitely. And this is effective immediately. JB's accident started a domino effect that left no doubt in our minds - Brevard is where we're needed right now. My last morning at Scott's is tomorrow. I head for Brevard on Thursday, and hit the trail on Saturday. No cell service or facebook or email or anything technological for three. whole. weeks. Awesome! I'll be back at the end of April to pack up our apartment and see Andy graduate... (that's when we'll have the see-ya-later party!)
You see, home has always been Brevard for us. When we moved to Chattanooga, we left our hearts in Brevard, and anticipate our return. The last few months have been filled with long, middle-of-the-night conversations about our plans after my husband's grad school graduation in May. And ultimately, we decided that moving back to Brevard is best for our family, as, pure & simple, Chattanooga doesn't offer many options for folks with Andy's Master's degree... and we've gone through too much to waste it. We've really struggled with this decision - my job at Scott's is wonderful. Sure, I haven't always enjoyed the folks I've worked with, and sure, taking inventory and cycle counting really is the bain of my existence, but ultimately I discovered an area of cycling that I'm really, ridiculously passionate about (women & cycling) and I've seen tangible growth in helping women realize that bike shops really aren't all that scary!
Really, it feels like I've finally gotten the train chugging along at a quick clip... and I'm jumping off the train.
Here's the thing: Scott's is the best shop in the Chattanooga area, hands down (and I'm not just saying this because I worked there. I mean, I quit. What do I owe them anymore?!). We visited several when we first moved to town before happening upon the "family" atmosphere that Scott's provides. Would you drive a few extra miles for the best doctor around, the one who really knows you and what you need? Probably. When you love your bikes as much as we do, it's not a big deal to drive a little farther to know you're going to receive great, knowledgeable service with a 24-hour turn-around, no bullshit required.
And the best thing: Scott's will still be this great without me. (Yeah, yeah, I know all you people visited Scott's juuuuuust for me... right.) And there are definitely no hard feelings involved... only a little sad to be jumping off the train.
I'm very, very appreciative of the folks in Chattanooga who really gave me a chance; the folks who let me work for them, volunteer for them, who trusted my knowledge and opinions, who asked me for advice, who gave me advice... Rock/Creek Outfitters, Scott's Bicycle Centre, VeloVixens, SORBA-Chattanooga... and the countless friends I've gathered along the way. If I could take all of you to Brevard with me, I would in a heartbeat, and it'd be the best thing EVER. But alas...
I hope this explains a few things. I certainly never meant to deceive anyone, and don't mean to "let down," sadden, etc. folks. You know you'd do the same thing if it were you. We're leaving a bunch of awesome people and awesome opportunities, and we trust the same are waiting for our return in Brevard. PLUS I'll get to take care of JB while she gets back on her feet.
Brevardians - here we come!
You know, my husband says that I'm really good at planning things and seeing them through to completion. He would also say that I'm probably equally as bad at flying by the seat of my pants and taking life by the horns. Fair enough. Well, today I've had a solid training session in laying aside "plans" and doing what needs to be done...
This morning, around 8:30a, I received a phone call that a my best friend, my college roommate, had been in an accident and was out "my way" in a hospital. It was nonchalant, which led me to believe that things weren't too serious... as my girl, JB, also has family in this direction. After making a couple phone calls, I finally was put through to the SICU waiting room, now nervous for the outcome of my friend's accident. Long story short, she's "fine" - she has, and can move, all limbs and will not have to have surgery... she is, however, healing up 5 broken ribs and a fractured L2 and also suffered the death of her dear left kidney (it's alright, the right one is coping nicely with the additional work). This same gal was contracted to co-lead a 21-day paddling & backpacking expedition with a Brevard College professor as part of the undergraduate Immersion semester for the WLEE (Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education) program. Clearly, this was no longer an option.
After making a few phone calls and having a spur-of-the-moment, intense conversation with my husband, I've decided to quit my job at Scott's Bicycle Centre and move back to Brevard to sub for JB on the 21-day trip... and stay indefinitely. And this is effective immediately. JB's accident started a domino effect that left no doubt in our minds - Brevard is where we're needed right now. My last morning at Scott's is tomorrow. I head for Brevard on Thursday, and hit the trail on Saturday. No cell service or facebook or email or anything technological for three. whole. weeks. Awesome! I'll be back at the end of April to pack up our apartment and see Andy graduate... (that's when we'll have the see-ya-later party!)
You see, home has always been Brevard for us. When we moved to Chattanooga, we left our hearts in Brevard, and anticipate our return. The last few months have been filled with long, middle-of-the-night conversations about our plans after my husband's grad school graduation in May. And ultimately, we decided that moving back to Brevard is best for our family, as, pure & simple, Chattanooga doesn't offer many options for folks with Andy's Master's degree... and we've gone through too much to waste it. We've really struggled with this decision - my job at Scott's is wonderful. Sure, I haven't always enjoyed the folks I've worked with, and sure, taking inventory and cycle counting really is the bain of my existence, but ultimately I discovered an area of cycling that I'm really, ridiculously passionate about (women & cycling) and I've seen tangible growth in helping women realize that bike shops really aren't all that scary!
Really, it feels like I've finally gotten the train chugging along at a quick clip... and I'm jumping off the train.
Here's the thing: Scott's is the best shop in the Chattanooga area, hands down (and I'm not just saying this because I worked there. I mean, I quit. What do I owe them anymore?!). We visited several when we first moved to town before happening upon the "family" atmosphere that Scott's provides. Would you drive a few extra miles for the best doctor around, the one who really knows you and what you need? Probably. When you love your bikes as much as we do, it's not a big deal to drive a little farther to know you're going to receive great, knowledgeable service with a 24-hour turn-around, no bullshit required.
And the best thing: Scott's will still be this great without me. (Yeah, yeah, I know all you people visited Scott's juuuuuust for me... right.) And there are definitely no hard feelings involved... only a little sad to be jumping off the train.
I'm very, very appreciative of the folks in Chattanooga who really gave me a chance; the folks who let me work for them, volunteer for them, who trusted my knowledge and opinions, who asked me for advice, who gave me advice... Rock/Creek Outfitters, Scott's Bicycle Centre, VeloVixens, SORBA-Chattanooga... and the countless friends I've gathered along the way. If I could take all of you to Brevard with me, I would in a heartbeat, and it'd be the best thing EVER. But alas...
I hope this explains a few things. I certainly never meant to deceive anyone, and don't mean to "let down," sadden, etc. folks. You know you'd do the same thing if it were you. We're leaving a bunch of awesome people and awesome opportunities, and we trust the same are waiting for our return in Brevard. PLUS I'll get to take care of JB while she gets back on her feet.
Brevardians - here we come!
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