Sitting Still and Moving On

I have been running. A lot. Both literally and figuratively, as I have been doing a lot at work and around the house as well as really getting my running workouts in. I recently attempted to do a 7 day workout blitz, but I injured myself and got sick, AND started my cycle, so I only got 5 days in. But I still felt good, cause I know that I was, you know, reaching for stars and grasping the moon and all that.

Yesterday, I did my weekly 5 mile run with BGR-DC, went HARD on Capitol Hill, and hurt my back something awful!!! So I have been popping pills and sitting with a pillow behind my back (in between going to the mall and Target and the grocery store...one monkey hurt back don't stop no show shopping), basically, forcing myself to take a seat. Its good to sit still, though, cause it helps you to put things in perspective. I realize that there may be times in my life when I can move about freely and do what I want, when I want, and then, POOF, something may happen that alters my plans, or my life. Learning to deal with the ups and downs is key; I think I am gradually getting better at it. I'm sitting still, breathing, and knowing that this too shall pass (with the help of painkillers).

As for moving on, I have decided to do something that I have thought about on and off for, let's say, almost 20 years??? I am going to become a diplomat. I know, it seems that as soon as I achieve one career goal, then I am off trying to achieve another...its true. I can now say that I have been a classroom teacher, a librarian, a researcher, a public health advisor, and now I want to be a foreign service officer. I have just come to realize that while I desire the stability that a salaried position, health coverage, and retirement savings brings, I also need to feed that love for language, culture, history, and society that international travel nourishes. And so, since I am not one to waste my life simply WISHING for the things I want, I have decided to pursue this ambition of mine. I have spent a lot of time perusing FSO blogs, and I will add some to my bloglist shortly. I have also researched the career a lot (now you KNOW that I did the research, lol) and am preparing myself to take the FSO exam in June 2012. I foresee, if I make it through all the stages, that I will probably make this career change in the next few years, while F. is still in school. It is possible that I won't start this until he is in college, but I don't want to wait that long to start the process.

One trepidation that I do have is how this will impact my romantic life. Am I now ensuring that I will never marry?  Maybe, but I do have fantasies of meeting some fellow internationalist and either having a long distance relationship that is mutually fulfilling, or meeting someone who would be willing to travel the world with me. Whatever the case may be, I am not going to stifle my life goals in the off chance of possibly being married here in the States. I mean, my romantic life is non-existent now anyway, and I have been stateside for over a year (true, I spent the past year in two different states and undergoing grueling dissertation completion and job search processes, but still, I should have been able to date, fall in love, and get engaged at the same time...if Kim Kardashian can do it...wait...oh...never mind).

So, I am going to go ahead and reach for the stars again. In the interim, I am hoping to get a six month rotation as a international health analyst working on issues in the Western Hemisphere. I am brushing up on my Spanish (reading) and Portuguese (reading and listening). I feel like my sitting still will bode me well as I prepare to move on, some time in the future.

On purpose,

Mae

Reset and Why I Now Love Starbucks

Okay. I was all repped up and ready to go on this blog, but then....the clusterbang called life happened and I just abandoned it. Aww, well....Cest la vie!

Anyway, I did manage to get ALL of my goals, well at least most of them, accomplished in the last few months. I finished writing my dissertation, successfully defended it, and graduated...yup, I am Dr. Mae now!!! I also made it through the grueling PMF process and not only became a finalist (meaning I was accepted into the program) but I also got a job assignment!!! I am leaving my field of education (which, honestly, I wanted to do) and am entering the exciting world of public health! I also am in the process of re-locating to the D.C. area and I am very excited (this place is so beautiful and full of history, art, nature, and all types of things that a nerd like me gets giddy over).


I was not so successful in the health and fitness arena. I gained quite a bit of weight over the past school year (being glued to a computer while writing a BOOK will do that to you, if you let it) so I am in the process of resetting my Best.Body.Ever. year. My new apartment is right next door to the fitness center (one of two in my "swanky" apartment complex) and the community is chock full of walkable and runnable paths and hills, in addition to numerous parks. Plus, I joined Weight Watchers online (got tired of hating on Jennifer Hudson and decided to just join and DO THIS!!!!) so things are set up for me to succeed. I know that I am really good at accomplishing my goals, so I just need to apply the determination that allowed me to attain my academic and career goals to this Best.Body.Ever. I'll do it!!!

So now I wanna get back to this blog. Over the months I have thought of so much that I wanted to put here but I just did not have the energy. Reset. I am ready now. I also plan on starting a religious/spiritual blog (more on that once its launched) and also adding some career related resources to my professional website (I probably won't link it here, but if someone wants to get access to it, you can holla at me). So here's to being committed to this!!!

Now, on to Starbucks. Starbucks has played a pretty big role in my life over the past few weeks. I have traveled from MI to MD and back twice in the past 30 days (I am actually en route to MI and blogging from Starbucks now). This place has been a lifesaver! The Frappuccinos have kept me awake as I've driven solo. And now, as I sit in a downtown Pittsburgh Starbucks awaiting my connecting Megabus to MI (I left Eve, my car, back in MD...she could only make the trip one way, old girl) Starbucks has given me refuge, a clean bathroom, and wifi! I used to hate on Starbucks mainly because I associated it with an ex (and now, unfortunately, deceased) boyfriend who used to like to sit in Starbucks and stunt like he was some type of entrepreneur when in fact he was a broke guy who foolishly quit his job and had an used car business (but no lot..or license to sell...or cars). He had wanted me to sell Eve, let him use the money to buy some used cars to then flip and then return me my money so that I could buy another car...I guess the seven grand I loaned him wasn't enough...okay so see why I hated Starbucks? But, I should not have held my poor relationship choices against the coffee shop. I now recognize the error of my ways and I appreciate all that Starbucks has done for me (even though these Frappuccinos are not helping me attain my health and fitness goals. Da well; no relationship is perfect).

On purpose,


Mae