I sold my house last weekend and I gave my notice at work. Scary. I'm heading west. Somewhere. I'll probably end up in Albuquerque, but maybe not. Oregon is also a possibility. Where ever I go, I'll make sure I have a longer riding season.
This is a life change for me. I've been wanting to do it for a couple years now. I've been through two major layoffs where I work and this April they started talking about more cuts. I know there aren't any guarantees with any job, but after the last round of layoffs I told myself I wasn't going to get caught in that trap again. Well, rumors started to fly this spring and I just decided I'd had it.
I like Minnesota, but I don't like the humidity in the summer, and I don't like the long, long winters. No offense you Minnesotans. I really don't like seeing the bike sit in the store room for 6 months of winter. Minnesota is lush and beautiful and green in the summer, but I'm basically a western guy. I like the mountains and dry, cool nights.
My girlfriend Addy is behind me all the way. In fact, she is the one who talked me into it. She is the only woman I have known who hasn't pushed me to MAKE MORE MONEY. She says there's more to life than money. Well, money helps a lot, but I think she's right. I have given up a bunch of weekends and nights to this job. A few years ago I told Addy that I didn't want to become old and eccentric by working at the same job, tied to a paycheck, because I was seeing people, fellow workers, who were like that. Well, not long ago she called me on it. She said I need to get out of there or I'd be just like them. She said I was getting like them. That kind of hit me. It rocked me off center. It started me moving.
This is a big country and I'd like to see some more of it. And, like we used to say in the oilfield, I was looking for a job when I found this one. I'm outta here. So, in a month, I'll be starting on a new adventure. All those book people say that in order to make a big change in your life, you have to get out of your comfort zone. Well, that's what I'm doing. The really weird thing is that I can do whatever I want. That's what I'm trying to get my mind around. Maybe I'm crazy. We'll see what happens. It should be interesting.
Cody
