Trials and Tribs of Moving

This has been one hell of an adventure already and I haven't even left yet.

Two weeks ago today I found out I got a job in Nashville, TN. After living in Seattle for 8 months I have to, once again, pick up and move my entire life within the confines of my car. I was given two weeks to move and get settled. I asked for an extra week just so I could end on good terms with my still current job serving at Wild Ginger and they granted me that much. My official start date is March 14. Exactly ONE week to transplant my life from the West Coast to the Central time zone.

This time, however, I will be making my trip with a slightly different companion! Lexi is about to take her first trip out of the city of Seattle! She's in much better shape, but way smaller than my dear old Ollie. I know you all don't need to worry about her, but I will be making the first three days of this trip on my own. That's right. The first 20 or so hours of driving will be entirely by myself. I look forward to and dread this portion, but I'm so excited for what I have planned. Still in limbo about where to be the second and third day, but I'll figure that out as I go.

Now for why in the past two weeks I've been going crazy...I'm sick. I've gotten sick ONCE since I moved to Seattle, yet it seems I've stressed myself out to the point of no return that my body just leans toward sickness. This is going to suck driving when all I seem to want to do is sleep. I'll get through it though. Lots of medication, water and a box of Kleenex in the passengers seat.

I ran into a little snafoo (spelling?) regarding my bank account. I made sure not to go out this month to save all my money for the drive and my partying habits in the places I will be going. I had $700 in my account with another good amount of money coming in during the week I'm traveling and more coming once I get settled into Nashville. In other words, GOOD TO GO! I had all my bills paid for and then I get that disastrous phone call saying my balance is low. There's no way! No possible way! I could only think my debit card got stolen or something. I check my balance: $14.99. Not even $15 to travel cross-country! Seriously?! What the hell am I supposed to do?! My rent got taken out of my account TWICE. My landlady claims the money isn't in her account, yet it's NOT in mine and it says it was deposited to HERS! So, I have to wait until Monday to talk to USAA to try and straighten this out, but let's just add another stressor to the list of reasons why this is going to be a ridiculous adventure for me! Crap.

Then to top it all off. I still do not have someone to take my room here in Seattle when I'm gone. It's the only thing left that I have to do/worry about and I wish I could just know already. I have a lady who's extremely interested, but she's not making her decision until this evening. As if I had enough to worry about, now I have to worry about whether or not come this evening I will have to continue searching for a roommate on the road and even when I will be living 2 timezones away! Come on! I'm just ready for everything to be done. I just want to be in Nashville. I want to be sitting comfy cozy in my lab coat at my new job and sitting happy because all these worries will be behind me!

Oh, I wish it could all come sooner.

Holy Orange Cows, Batman!

It seems like I owe you all an explanation.

If you haven’t heard from my mother, or myself (which I haven’t told anywhere near as many people as she has) then you have no idea why I haven’t had a spare moment to jot down anything to tell you. Well, GOOD NEWS to all!

I got a job!!!

Yes, you saw that correctly. Gillian has earned her first “big kid” job. Get excited because the news gets even better. The job is in the field I actually studied in college. What? What college grad do you know can actually say that? Wait…there’s more! I will be working as a research assistant at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. I was also offered up to 70% of my tuition for grad school paid for by my new job! So, I get a job and basically accepted to get my Masters and/or Ph.D!

So, get this straight…In the past two weeks I have interviewed three times for a position, been offered said position under the table and then ON the table, after that I put in my two weeks notice at 3 jobs here in Seattle, I found a place to live in Nashville, I planned out a fun week-long trip back to that side of the US and I have packed up my entire room and sold all my furniture. I’m currently looking for a roommate to fill my room here and we’ve had a few really great candidates, while two more are coming any minute now. This is my down time - that moment between finishing up one project and beginning another. Hence, why I have not had one spare moment to write anyone as to what is going on in my life.

I won’t lie; this is a little daunting. I’m about to move cross-country twice within 8 months. That’s right, a full year has passed and I have moved from Orlando to Tampa, Tampa to Seattle and Seattle to Nashville. Wow. Even I’m amazed. I’m a whole mess of emotions right now. I’m trying to subdue the excitement to deal with every other emotion that’s been running through my brain! Apprehension, Sadness, Happiness, Anxiety, I’m just a roller coaster right now. I’m sure you all understand.

I think most of my excitement is for the projects I will be working on. My time will be delegated between two physician scientists, Dr. Ware and Dr. Girard. My research includes Acute Lung Injuries and Delirium in ICU patients. Apparently Dr. Girard already has projects planned for me outside of my bench work at the lab, and yes, my job is bedside to bench work. I get to actually discuss and collect samples from patients and do the lab work I’ve been dreaming about since I was in kindergarten. Yes, kindergarten was the first time I wrote down that I wanted to be a scientist, so this is literally my dream come true!

Sunday Funday

Okay, there's actually quite a bit to update for ya'll, but I don't want to spoil it. Once I have more specifics I will let you in on my secrets...if you don't already know.

I've had the most spectacular Sunday today. It was my only day off this week and I had a phenomenal night at work last night. Today Anna-Lisa called me early to go to the Farmer's Market with her where we went and walked around in the FREEZING cold. I haven't been that cold in a very long time. I was not prepared for the chilly, clear day. The sun was out in the morning and it's been in the 50s all week. I should've known it was time for a change. Anyways, we went through the market and she bought a cute maroon hat/visor thing. I'm not sure what the actual name for it is. Then we went and got Pho and a vietnamese sandwich. Delish! It was nice to have a hot bowl of soup on such a chilly day! Then we had a nice relaxing time at her place where she got some work done for her job and convinced me to put up a profile on "plenty of fish."

Yes, so we hear that our generation meets more people online and starts more relationships through cyber chat than through normal human interaction. In my opinion, it's probably just funnier to see exactly what people have to say about themselves...and I might be a tad interested in the types of people that have profiles on here. It never occurred to me that this might actually be a way to meet people. Hmm...

Then we went on a photofest and spent a good half hour taking ridiculously stupid photos and rolling around crying because we were laughing so hard. Sushi was our dinner at my favorite place in my neighborhood! Then she went off on a date.

I came home to my roomie learning Italian and her friend Jake teaching her. So, I sat in there and learned pronunciations and spellings for various nouns/verbs. Italian is fun to speak and a great mix of French and Spanish!

Last but very not least I got to Skype with one of my favorite people, Brandon, tonight. If you don't know, he was one of my really good friends in high school and we've kept in touch all these years (we didn't even go to the same high school!). He got a job as the Asst. Producer of the show "Ice Road Truckers" and is spending the next three months in Canada. He was telling me about how it was -30 degrees and how it was to get to -60 where he was going tomorrow, by God's Lake, Canada. Crazy! That kind of stuff baffles me. And I say I'm cold here when it's only 30!! What?! I. Am. Ridiculous.

I got a little off track with the books. Emma bored me a little so I stopped and I reread an old favorite in the meantime. So, I will have to jump back on my NYR bandwagon. I'll try for finishing Emma by the end of, not this week but, the next week.

Oh, and I'm sure everyone knows already now but I'm an AUNT! It'll be more real when I get to hold her and play with her, but for now I'm just ecstatic to have a little one in the household. I can't wait till that's me (shh...don't tell anyone I said that). I'm too young, but in (quite) a few years it'll be me. I'm the one everyone knows as the kid person. I'm the one that babysat. I'm the one that played with the children at work. I'm the one that, at this point and time, is very happy to give those children BACK to their parents. I just look forward to the future. But for now, Andreia Daniella is my new favorite!

"Your funds aren't too low, your needs are too high." ...hmmm, how often do I want more than I need?

A guy I know put this as his Facebook status today. How many times have I complained of no money? I claim I just need a new job to make more. I make more than the average person my age now, why in the world should I have a right to complain? Why could I not just be happy where I'm at and content with what I've been given? It seems I've fallen into the trap of American society in wanting what we don't have. I just keep thinking "I'd love to fly home = $300," or "I'd love an XBOX so I could play games with my best friend = $350," or "I want to go snowboarding = $400/weekend," or even "I'd love to buy that snowboard = $200," or "I still want to spend 3 months in Kenya helping people = $3000." These are all superfluous things. I don't NEED any of it. Personally, the top of the list is to go home, but these are all WANTS not NEEDS. I wish I was in a place where spending this money was actually possible, but I need to be okay that I'm not.

I am actively looking for a new job. I've applied to probably 20 different positions in the last 3 days. I just feel like a change of scenery is necessary and a job where I know how much I'm going to make is definitely on the list of reasons why. I don't like having to go into work praying that I'm going to make enough this week to cover my bills. I want to KNOW that I'll even have extra this month. I guess, we'll see how things go...

I'm at a crossroads right now. Who knows what's next on the agenda for me? I certainly have no idea. I think I am about to end a chapter, but I'm unsure as of what to do when the new one starts. Where will I be? Where do I want to be? And how exactly do I expect to get there?

Rule of Three

So, superstition always told us about the rule of three. Three bad things happen, but then around the corner are the good ones. I know it's only when bad things happen that this proverb (or whatever it is) comes into play, so here I am bringing it up. About three months ago my printer died, two months ago my dear old Ollie died, then as of last night my AMAZING LCD/HDTV said it's final farewell in a quite brilliant version of abstract art.
Oh how sad this day was. I started the day off at LTD (a bar in Fremont) to watch the Seahawks sad sad game, almost winning in the last two minutes. So close, yet so far. Then, I went to the gym for an hour and a half and came home and cleaned. I decided 'today's the day I'm going to change my room.' So I set off on a five hour feat to move my room around so that I could get cable to my tv. It's on the other side of the room so basically I have to move EVERYTHING. I think it's a good time to start clearing away some of the crap I seem to have accumulated slowly throughout these rainy, overcast months. I moved my queen size bed, dresser, "closet," bookshelf all by myself for hours. I was figuring out how to hook up the cable box when I hear a loud THUD from the place all my room essentials were in. I come in to see my Christmas gift from my parents last year on the floor with my shitty DVD player lying on top of it. Not only did it crack the screen in one fatal swoop, but also destroyed every chance of fixing it. Thank you very much $30 DVD player for ruining my $300 TV.

Much love to the universe and hoping some cosmic karmic energy comes my way. I've been a good girl, I swear!

In better news, I'm finding out that both my roommates want to move out and break their lease. This is the chance I've been waiting for to take the 4000 miles back to the East Coast, but see here...I'm not running as fast as I thought I would. I'm actually pretty tentative about going anywhere. I finally have friends that I enjoy hanging out with. I'm finally pretty stable in jobs and life. I'm going to the gym and in an all around better mood about life. Why should I leave? Leaving just requires me to start all over again. Finding new friends. Finding a job. A place to live. It just sounds so exhausting to me. Maybe I like Seattle more than I ever could've conceived. Here I am with a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm gripping the darkness for dear life not wanting to make one single solitary step out of this new comfort zone.

1.11.11

I woke up today in a fantastic mood. Took a shower, had breakfast, made my lunch, left at a decent time to get to work and warmed up Lexi (my new car’s name) so she’d be nice and toasty when I got in. I started driving to work and as soon as I came over the hill to get on the interstate the skies opened up and the sun shone through right over Mt. Rainier. My friend’s band, Among the Thirsty, came on my iPod playing my favorite song of theirs so loud at the exact moment talking of new chapters and new beginnings. I couldn’t help but smile and blare the music to keep my spirits up. I got to work in a section where I knew I’d be out of work quick with little money and I walked in to the maitre d asking if I’d move downstairs to take a 15-top and a 7-top right away. Of course I will! That means automatic money instead of relying on people tipping well. And on top of the auto-grats you can get tipped again! So, I left work today with $100 and 4 hours of work.

Went to Whole Foods to volunteer for Lifelong AIDS Alliance tabling for their “Care to Shop” movement. Basically it’s a food donation to give food to the people I always delivered to. I don’t think people in Bellevue know how to smile or acknowledge someone when they speak. I chatted and joked with the employees though and got some free samples. I kept yelling at this guy Brian to say it wouldn’t snow. The forecast said, “No Snow” on my phone. It has to be right! I am NOT driving home in the snow. We all know how I feel about that. On my journey home what happens? It’s snowing. It started as soon as I reached my exit, so I was safe to not have to drive once it stuck to the ground. I just went outside with my roomie Mel and her boyfriend George and there’s a few inches on the ground already and it’s supposed to keep snowing until early morning. I heard about 4am it’s supposed to stop. Depending on the depth of snow, we’ll see if the buses are even driving, but god knows my little Lexi will NOT be on the roads tomorrow after this. There’s no way it’s not snowing at work this time. I had George drive me to work Monday cause it snowed in the morning, but it had all melted away by afternoon. I have to admit I do not like mid-workweek snows. Snow all you want on the weekend cause then I can play, but during the week I have to get 12 miles somehow! We’ll find out I guess. I had planned on going to yoga tomorrow and then to trivia/bingo night with Anna-Lisa and Whitney. It’s all dependent on this crazy weather!

For all of you who were wondering…I finished Sense and Sensibility this afternoon. I’m starting Emma tomorrow. Then I believe next will be Eat, Pray, Love. It’s a work in progress, but I think it’s going well so far. My momma bought me a pretty sweet down comforter, which is supposedly getting here in a couple of days. Just in time for the snow! And to top it off I get to play around with internet on my phone for a whole month! Yippee skippy! I couldn’t thank my sister, Meghann, enough for my kick ass North Face boots because they seem to be the only shoes I can wear in the snow. To top it off they are super warm!! I’m learning layering a little better. I have more winter clothes than I ever believed imaginable. Funny how that works out. Well, I’m off to watch a movie and get to sleep so I can wake up early and figure out how I’m going to get to work in this snow!

The sunset slowly sets in one portion of your life only to sunrise on the other horizon bringing about new days, new goals, and a brand new year. I was lucky enough to witness the first sunrise of the new decade. On a crystal clear, brilliant day such as January 1, 2011 I was up at 6am driving my brand new car to the airport to drop my parents off.


It’s been incredible having them here and helping me make the biggest purchase I’ve ever made. I bought a new car with their help. No name for it yet, so I keep calling her “new car.” She’s a pretty black 2010 Nissan Versa hatchback. She’s got the new CBT transmission, so there are no gears to shift through which I have to say is one of the strangest feelings in the world to not have the car shift gears.


I’m still working on the new year’s resolutions, but I would love to finally finish reading all the books I’ve only gotten part of the way into, such as, East of Eden; Love in a time of Cholera; Shadow in the Wind; Eat, Pray, Love; Sophie’s World; Crime and Punishment; and Awakening. I decided I wanted to read all the Jane Austen classics considering how much I LOVE Pride and Prejudice. Just ask my mom, she’ll tell you. So, I’m starting with Sense and Sensibility. I’m starting tonight and I want to finish it by next week. That’s 562 pages of 1800’s goodness. I’ve read that in a night, so this should be easy.

I feel like a whole new person these days. I think the change in attitude is due to the clear, blue skies I’m waking up to and the beautiful sunsets in the evenings, as well as, the stars I get to see at night. Oh how I miss seeing the sky! I’ve been living in a bland, white/gray world for the past couple of months. It doesn’t bother you so much until you realize how long it’s actually been since you’ve seen the color blue. I always notice it on my drive to work when there’s that small patch of blue that’s covered up almost immediately. So sad. Well, I’m going to go finish my laundry and get in my jammies to start reading my next Austen classic. I should’ve been born in this era. I love the beauty in the crux of the turn of the century. Happy new year everyone and I hope your new years resolutions start off promising!