I was in Memphis, Tennessee earlier this week. The city is the self-proclaimed home of the blues and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll.
Got to check out the touristy BB King’s Blues Club on Beale Street. Preston Shannon and his band were playing and were awesome.
I love listening to blues, especially when it’s really well played, and watching the musicians get so into it. I just can’t stop my head from bobbing and my foot from tapping. It’s just so damn soulful.
Had to eat Memphis barbeque too and it was great. The BBQ sauce is a little more tangy and vinegar based but I liked it.
I was also just across state lines in Southaven, Mississippi for about half my time supporting clinics there. A lot of the people I worked with had big-time Southern accents, but there’s something soothing about it. For the most part, they were some of the nicest people I’ve ever supported. Must be what they call Southern charm.
Tennessee and Mississippi make it 32 states.
I was in the coastal city of Charleston for a few days this week.
Just my luck that the couple days I’m there, it’s record cold temperatures. A far cry from the typically humid, subtropical climate.
I did like all the palm trees though and could see how it’d be a nice place to walk around when the sun was out.
If you didn’t know, Charleston has colonial history dating back to when it was an English settlement and eventually played a role in the American Revolution.
Went out to dinner downtown on my first night, and it was eerily haunted and historical at the same time. The cobblestone street alleys and fire-lit lamps along the main road added to the effect.
Got a feel for the coastal seafood with some fantastic oysters at Pearlz restaurant.
Also, South Carolina is 30 out of 50 states.
I did a year-in-review post last year, and gave it a theme as well. I’m going to go ahead and make this a tradition since it gives me a chance to reflect and make sense of what the last 365 days has taught me.
This year, especially during the summer, friends came and went, but I instead settled in.
Second year on the job and still in Madison, Wisconsin. Turned 24, which I think is a big transition age from immediate post-college life to more adult living.
During my extended time at home these holidays, I’ve come to appreciate family more.
I’ve also helped pay it forward for things that I loved in the past. I want to continue doing it more and more, in one part as a sort of selfish way to live through others, and in another part to keep inspiration alive.
Towards the end of the year, I’ve wondered a lot about where I am in life and how to set myself up well for the future (a source of much anxiety). I feel like I’m racing against time, still trying to find my true north.
My two-year work anniversary at Epic brought those thoughts to a head as I flirted with applying for business school, going back and forth before deciding to wait.
I’ve felt in between, and that’s been tough. These feelings usually coincided with the summer (when lots of friends left Epic/Wisconsin) and winter (miserably cold). Coincidence? Probably not.
But it’s been a good year too. I’ve gained more responsibilities at work and brought my first customers live on Epic. It was great to see all the time and effort finally pay off.
This year has been even more travel-heavy than the last, as I spent nearly half of 2013 on the road, further enhancing a lack of home. But I did enjoy getting the chance to explore some new, exciting cities in Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit, and Boston.
Travel stats for the year:
- 36 trips (28 trips last year)
- 177 days on the road (106 days last year)
- 67,835 miles (52,000 miles last year)
A late December realization: I think I’ve lost some fire, though I know it and am ready to get it back.
Here’s to a fiery 2014!
I was over at a big family gathering for Christmas yesterday and realized that I’ve lost some of my boldness.
In a conversation with some uncles, we got to talking about how I’ve been at my job for two years and I mentioned that I’m starting to look for a career change.
I’m not the biggest fan of Wisconsin and want to move to a big city.
They suggested I pick up and leave, and just figure it out along the way.
But I’m pretty risk averse to that right now… I’ve fallen back into a semi-comfortable job and need some pushing to move.
I don’t have to look very far into the past to see where I made a safe choice over a bolder one: deciding not to apply for grad school this year.
That’s when my uncles reminded me that, out of all the cousins, I’m the one who jumped the farthest from the tree. Two years ago, I had the guts to pack up my life and start anew halfway across the country.
For me, it was a bold move, and I loved every part of that decision.
Time to look within, rekindle that fire, and get the boldness back.
If I’m out late or just up late, the same questions seem to be racing through my head:
– What am I doing here?
– What’s next?
– Where am I going?
These are the things that keep me up at night.
I just feel that decisions I’ve recently made and will make in the near future will shape am important part of my life. Hoping to have a good answer to all of those questions soon.