Carried Over

What a week this has been.So many changes (most of them good), and big decisions were made. But the best part was being able to spend time with my family that was here visiting from the Mid-West. Being able to reconnect with them was like plugging into a light socket. It totally re-energized my spirit and gave me reason to smile again and again. The stories that were told, both old and new, were truly priceless, and to watch the bond of a father and daughter that had been separated for over 11 years seal itself once again was just awe inspiring. I guess the best way to describe this time would be "as it was written", because so many answers were revealed, so many holes filled and all of our lives changed, forever. I love and cherish my family now more than ever, and I regret every moment in the past that I took for granted. Up until today, I honestly never realized the extent of my loneliness until I had to say goodbye to them again.

Now on to business. As I stated, I made some pretty big decisions this week, the first being that I've narrowed my search down to the final three. The first is Seattle, Washington. I was very impressed by the diversity of culture there. Its on the ocean which is a MAJOR plus and the bank that I work for has just expanded to Seattle. Its beautiful, very green with breathtaking landscapes. It has a pretty decent housing market and the school systems aren't bad either. The downside is that it rains.....9 months out of the year. For a Cali girl raised in the sunshine this could prove to be problematic. But I will remain open minded.

The second is Houston Texas. Again, extremely diverse in culture, and a very affordable housing market. Alot of the major fortune 500 companies have their headquarters there and its very big on education. Its close to the Gulf of Mexico and is also very beautiful and lush. I mean come on, Beyonce is from there so it can't be all that bad right??? (that was a joke by the way). Downside(s), it does get hot which I am use to, but along with that heat comes high humidity. Oh, and the biggest downer is because its so close to the gulf, it's very likely that it will be hit by hurricanes. But in all fairness, I live in the land of earthquakes....even though they only last a few seconds (ahem). Again, I will remain open minded.

And last, but certainly not least, Atlanta, Georgia. I must admit that there wasn't much that I didn't like about Atlanta. So much culture, art and history. They also have a music scene that is so diverse!! A lot of big time companies also call Atlanta home and there are a number of excellent schools. The downtown main area is very "people centered", meaning every business, every restaurant, bar and every bookstore is meant to cater to everyone's specific need or desire. And then there's the suburb's surrounding the main city; very beautiful and surprisingly affordable. The only downsides that I could find is that its about a 4 hour drive to the ocean, and the hot/humid thing. Other than that, I really liked what I was able to discover with a mouse.

So there it is, my top three choices!! The best part is that I know someone in each place and they have all agreed to show me a glimpse of their home towns. First stop will be Atlanta, since it is the furthest away from me. I plan to take this trip sometime within the next month or so. I'm getting more and more excited. Again, if anyone reading has any feedback about any of these places or anything else, please feel free to comment. T-341