travel

Miss Independent

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A couple of years ago I wrote a blog in defense of my new lifestyle. I talked about love, working, and my need for space and independence. I cannot believe it has already been two years.

I am still roaming around as a wondering wanderer. Or is it a wandering wonderer? Either way I continue to seek adventure in every area of my life. My curiosity remains piqued and I am loving the opportunities I find for learning and experiencing new things.

I had some mishaps in the whole love department and I have taken a hiatus from my online experimentation. I just want to focus on my career, family, and friends for a while. Well, that is not entirely true. I did make plans with the infamous Tinderbabe for my birthday weekend. U2 and Hamilton in NYC! I am so excited and thrilled to share this with him.

I have no plans to spend the rest of my life in a shell, I am just not actively pursuing dating at the moment. Maybe later. We’ll see what happens when I am in an area a little less remote. I still do not believe in Prince Charming, and I am still not looking for some hero to sweep me off my feet and domesticate me. I like being a heathen.

I have made the decision to pursue my DNP (Doctorate of Nursing Practice) and I am geeking out at the thought of working hard to achieve a new goal. I was working on some education modules we have to do and I cannot wait to be a student again. I suppose I thrive on the stress. Maybe I just enjoy getting feedback on the work I perform. It is nice to have life divided up into semesters; a beginning and an end with concrete goals and deadlines. It helps break up the monotony. Besides, I want to be better at what I do. I want to learn how to give back and promote professionalism of my chosen career. I want to be an advocate. I am nervous and a little intimidated by the thought of continuing my education, but it seems to be the best route for me to take at this point in my life.

I am still working as a locum. It continues to be challenging and for the most part I enjoy my work. The process is a bit of a hassle, but it is nice knowing it is all temporary. I don’t have to stay in a situation where I feel trapped in a rut of my own boredom. I guess my independence is still a priority.

Accidental Social Experiment 

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Can I tell you a secret? 

One of the most exciting things about staying in a hotel is when housekeeping leaves me a note. I got one at Disney World, letting me know my water bottle had been put in the refrigerator. At the Fairfield in Maryland I got notes about every three days or so. 

I decided I liked it! So, to promote this practice I left a sticky note on the TV this morning when I left. 

Sometimes I am messy, sometimes I am neat. If I leave money on this dresser it’s meant for you! Thank you so much.

I had my hopes up when I walked through the door. I was excited to see what surprise (okay, prompted) message was left behind in response to my note and the dollars I had left behind. 

Nothing. The money was gone and the note remained stuck to the screen. 

I’m not gonna lie, I was a little sad. Okay maybe sad is being a little overly dramatic but it was a bit of a letdown. 

Apparently, money really can’t buy you love. 

Insomnia and 24 Hour Diners

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I don’t know if you can actually call it insomnia. I went to bed too early and woke up too soon. I slept well, so I am up. Not much is open this time of morning. I had to drive 8 miles down the highway to find this little place. Actually, I Yelped. I did not drive around aimlessly, that’s not even a thing anymore. 

I have to be honest this is one of my favorite parts of traveling. I love finding these little places. Usually the food is just okay, but I generally have a great time drinking coffee and reading a book over my solitary breakfast. 

Tip: you usually can’t go wrong with an omelet. Always get a glass of water with your coffee, and hope they are willing to make you a fresh pot. 

Life is an adventure. You have to get away from the hotel from time to time. 

Leaving Sucks Sometimes

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I am so lucky to get to do what I do. I am able to support my family, I get to travel and meet new people, and I get to help people. 

Sometimes leaving is bittersweet though. My family is at home and I am off on my next grand adventure. Sometimes I wish I could pack them all up in my suitcase. 

I’m not complaining. I swear. I just wish my hugs could have lasted a few more seconds. 

I also wish the dog would have been more gracious when I woke him up to get some puppy love before I left. Apparently, Boomer Wayne is not much of a morning guy. 

Headed Back To The Wild Northeast. 

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Last week I was chillin’ with this little lizard in Florida. Tomorrow it is time to pack for my next adventure up North. 

I’m excited to head back to Massachusetts and more than a little relieved that my anxiety has not spiked like it used to before every trip. 

I am looking forward to seeing old friends. I am excited about a dinner date I have planned with Tinderbabe. I am ready to tackle a new hospital and meet new people. 

All in all? 

Life is good today. 

I got to introduce my son to Gremlins. I have no idea how I let him get to almost grown without watching it with him.

I had a week to recover from Disney World Plague. I was so sick by the time I got home. Miserable. I blame all the rugrats. Children should not be allowed in Disney World until they have been swabbed for communicable illnesses. 

New adventures are in the air. After Massachusetts, I will be starting in Maryland. I can’t wait! 

Traveling Life

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And the difference with me is I used to not care. Stockholm let me go home.

-Jason Isbell

Sometimes it is easy to take home for granted. All the best people are there. My heart is there. So, I am constantly on the go, forever leaving my heart behind. 

So I can stay in a hotel and experience beds not as comfy as mine. Internet connections that require a sign in at the most inconvenient moments. Too many meals eaten out. Laundry crammed into plastic bags. Running out of good books to read. Always leaving something behind. 

Most important, I get to use toilet paper that apparently has a “subtle touch.” Let me tell you, it’s about as subtle as a scrap of sandpaper. I really want to meet the guy who came up with this name. 

Maybe all my friends who call me Princess have a point; I am a little spoiled. 

Wandering adventures are exciting and nerve wracking. Hanging out in airports and driving crappy rentals (unless you get lucky and hit the big time like I did this trip!) can wear on a person. I still wouldn’t trade it for the monotony of regular employment. 

I just have to keep my anchor firmly embedded with the people I love. I need them to keep me moored. As long as I have this, I can safely explore and push myself to do more and see more. 

Maybe I will even find more subtle touches. 

Home Sweet Home

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Sometimes I think it would be nice to drag my family and all my friends around with me as I travel for work. 

I imagine a huge tour bus with enough beds and room for the menagerie of pets. The cats and the dogs would be dramatically unimpressed. I’m not sure how the family would like it either. I imagine they would revolt and go running for the Texas border. 

Other days I fantasize about finding some little hideaway island where I can listen to the waves and read all day. Floor to ceiling bookshelves crammed with adventures and magical tales, music and movies filling my days. 

I know this is not reality. 

Wouldn’t it be nice though? 

California Dreams

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My view of the Saratoga Hills from my friend’s patio. It’s amazing how the hills appear to change hues throughout the day depending on the traffic, sunlight, and winds. 

This vista holds a magic I hope haunts my dreams forever. When I see these beautiful sights my heart longs for a way to capture the beauty so I can take it with me when I leave. I have not mastered my camera and in fact left it in Massachusetts. My iPhone camera is pitifully inept at giving me a worthy image. 

So, I have to stare at the distance and commit it to memory. I won’t succeed in memorizing the details, I will only be left with the feeling I get when I remember these hills and the changing blue of the sky. 

The quiet solitude of traveling gives me plenty of time to focus on my future daydream’s screenplay. I know the location. I can alter the light to suit my mood. I can remember it however I want to at that moment. 

Eventually I need to learn how to use my camera. There must be a way to capture the colors and emotions I feel when I stare at the landscape. I need to learn to convey the emotions coursing through me. I want to find the words to describe the smell of eucalyptus when I drove through the hills with the sunroof open and the windows down. 

Everything was brand new and as old as the world all at the same time. I was traveling a road completely unknown to me. Every bend was the chance for a surprise postcard image to jump out at me. 

I love seeing new things. I love experiencing the country. I can’t wait until I am able to view the world this way. I may never figure out how to record my experiences adequately. I guess I will have to relive them in my dreams. 

Finding Diners

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Cooking. Ugh. It’s one of my least favorite things to do. I hate it. I don’t enjoy the fruits of my labor. I do not even like eating the concoction I have created. It is a nightmare.

Living far from home has left me a little hungry. They don’t even have real Mexican food up here, forget about the abomination of Tex-Mex, which I love. I mean seriously love.

There is no United to get a breakfast burrito. They have Taco Bell but I cannot handle that nonsense. So, I have to rely on finding comfort food in other breakfast dishes. I have found three diners I like up here.

One has an omelette I like. They put onions in the potatoes and they remind me of my Mamaw’s. The omelette I get has spinach, mushrooms, and cheese. It is a great breakfast. The diner is comfortable and the servers are always nice and attentive.

The next diner is where I go when I want eggs, bacon, toast, and the let me get one pancake and one slice of french toast instead of making me choose. It’s funny I prefer eating with other people who like to order one of those since all I really want is a bite. Usually my eggs are runny and perfect, exactly the way I like them.

The third diner is a greek place. I get eggs Benedict and lamb there. I have no idea why. I did not even know I liked lamb.

I am going to start branching out more on my days off. I am making a decision to be a little more adventurous in my dining habits. I tried to pretend I was going to cook more and it only lasted about two weeks. I hate cooking.

P.S. I should probably go visit Gym but my knee has been sore for several weeks. I am not sure if I am just using that as an excuse so I am making a commitment to go this week when I am not working. Wish me luck.