From Squaw to Sequim

I spent a week at Squaw Valley, CA, and then I moved on to Portland, Oregon. Over the past two years, I have been to Portland three times, and each time I like it more and more. I have yet to be there during a winter, however, so I'm not sure if I would retain that feeling of love.

Portland was a whirlwind, meeting new people and catching up with an old friend. But I guess that's what this summer has been for me so far, lots of new people, catching up with old and busy all the time. It isn't the sort of busy that filled my work days though. It is the type of busy that is relaxed with places to be and people to talk to, but it is calm for the most part. There's downtime without stress where you can let your thoughts wander, or not. You can read a chapter of a book or just stare at the bird cutting through the intense blue sky. And that's what I have been doing.

Amsterdam seems like a distant land full of distant memories especially since I am now on the other side of the world in Sequim, Washington listening to a babbling fountain, sitting in the sun with my computer and a dog named Jessie to keep me company. Life is good here, but it has been much too easy to completely disengage from thinking about my future plans. I feel like a recent college graduate with no prospects. The difference now is that when I first graduated I had hundreds of things that I wanted to do, but now I don't have the first clue what I want to spend the next decade doing.

But like Cheryl tells me, it's all about the journey. And since she is one of the smartest people I know, I tend to trust her judgement.