Wanderlust

We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls--Anais Nin

I need a vacation. I actually have one coming up. I'm going to Gen Con in August. It's a gaming convention in Indianapolis. I'm so incredibly excited that I've started a countdown. And of course time slowed down. I realized today that it's been an entire year (almost to the day) since my last real vacation. And for a traveler like myself, that's a long time. I'm not really a gypsy but I have an odd wanderlust. I don't like to stay in one place too long.

I have lived in my house for six years. That is way too long by my standards. I'm not a nester. I once told my boss that I'd prefer to move every year. Not just because I like the change, but because I'm more likely to live simply that way. I've worked at my job for five years and I find myself longing for something new. I once read a writer say that she wrote so that she could live many lives. That's how I am. I tell myself stories so that I can live multiple lives.

When I found the quote from Anais Nin, it just struck me. This is why I travel. This is why I tell stories. This is why I move. I'm searching. I'd say that I hope I find what I'm searching for but I don't really want. It's the search that draws me. To borrow another quote from another brilliant (and feisty) writer: The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity--Dorothy Parker.

I Think a Change Will Do Me Good

I'm sitting in my temporary office writing this on my lunch break. The department has been undergoing a physical reorganization (which is a fancy way of saying that they're moving everyone around). I'm moving from my huge cubicle on the first floor, up to the third floor for the next two weeks, and then down to the second floor in my permanent home. It's a lot of moving in a short period of time but it seems to be having a good effect on my psyche.

I've been working in the same cubicle on the same floor surrounded by the same people for the last four years. Everyone has been incredibly nice and the space was very large, but I had recently decided that I was ready for a change. I wanted something new. And this move is making me see my old office in a new way. I have a different breakroom, I have a different bathroom, I have different walls. Everything looks different and feels different. It's actually wonderful. I'm enjoying the newness of everything.

Next week I move to my permanent location, a sunny cubicle with a window and an Eastern exposure. I'll have new neighbors and a new boss. I'll even have some new duties. And I have to tell you, I couldn't be more excited. It's amazing how much a change of scenery helps. I'm happy, I'm productive, and I'm comfortable. It's a good day.

Movin' on Up

First I have to tell you that I love the thought of moving. The actual process kind of tires me but I love the idea of moving. I enjoy looking at different jobs in different cities and then trying to figure out where I would live and what benefits the city would offer. I have spent hours on http://www.realtor.com/ looking at houses I will never even step foot into. I've spent tons of time on sites like http://www.city-data.com/ and http://www.bestplaces.net/ looking at cost comparisons and demographics for the cities. I have made plans to move to hundreds of different cities...but still have never left Des Moines.



The tough question is why? Why haven't I moved if I love the idea of it so much. There have been a lot of different reasons (family, job, house) but the main one seems to be that I haven't found the perfect town yet. All cities have their advantages and their flaws. The cities where the climate is perfect and the job market is growing tend to be expensive. The cheaper cities tend to be in cold climates or have high poverty rates. Yes you get what you pay for. I'm just trying to find one where I pay the right amount for what I get.



So after saying all of these things, why on god's green earth am I considering moving to the Twin Cities? It has all the things I dislike, high cost of living, cold winters, huge size, snow.... And that's where I run into problems. Other than repeating snow, ice, and cold over and over I can't think of anymore problems. Higher education rates, good group of friends already up there, lots of entertainment, beautiful surroundings, and a fantastic job possibility are all on my positives. And one thing that can't be quantified. I love the cities.



I have fallen in love with a couple different cities in the course of my life. These are places that I knew instantly I could live in. The Twin Cities were my first. My first very vivid trip there was at 12. And I decided then and there that I would live there. The feeling was only enhanced when I visited again at 16 and saw the place as an almost adult. It just felt like the right kind of energy for me. San Antonio was my second love. It is strange that I would live in San Antonio (high poverty) in a second but you couldn't pay me enough money to live in Dallas. Likewise I could live easily in Seattle but would not even look at a job in LA. I can't even begin to fathom why the thought of living in Kansas City makes me shudder but would be okay with St. Louis. And of course my dream city would be tropical, on the ocean, and well-educated. Then again my dream city would probably be unaffordable.



So why am I writing this? I have a position I want in the Twin Cities. It would be a dream job, challenging and interesting. Varied and unusual. And now I have to decide. Do I apply? Do I subject Jeff to the cold and snow that he hates? Do I live in the cities I love even if it means frustrating winters and possibly long commutes? Suddenly the prospect of moving is that much closer, and that much scarier.

{Edit}: My apologies to Em for this one. She had left me some beautiful comments. Such nice words and somehow I went and deleted them. Stupid computer. Emilie Thank you.