Missing Home

Homemade chocolate mousse with hand-whipped cream.

My husband and I recently relocated from the UP, Michigan to Portland, Oregon. We've seen so much already, and really love the area, but we don't know anyone and have been homesick. Hopefully we get set up here soon enough with a church, and meet a few locals soon!

Keep on dreaming

I roll with the punches, I keep people guessing, and I continue on my merry way. Why? No one else is going to do it for me.

I have this strong desire to leave this place, and have had it for a long, long time. I never realized it before, until I remembered what I always wanted [to be] when I grew up.

I never thought of a career as my goal, and never answered those annoying questions with "A doctor! A business lady!" What did I want to be when I grew up, at age 8? "Alone, secure, and far away from here." That was all I hoped for. I was content in working in a bookstore stocking shelves, or in a restaurant bussing tables, as long as I was away from Mama, Detroit, Michigan, and anyone who knew me.

What do I want now? To be away, able to pay my bills, but mainly just away from Michigan. Far, too.

Does that mean I want a new life? Does that mean I hate what I have?
Am I terrible for wanting something that isn't a moment away from the family and friends that I have so closeby, now?

I wonder about this most days.

Fingers-crossed

Today, finally, I helped Seth send a resume and general cover letter to a friend in Seattle. This guy could really change our lives, and really wants to help us... He's gone so far as to tell us that Seth could work for him, and that he'd pass along his CV to colleagues, family and friends in the construction industry.

He cares so much, I can tell. Lots of people would say, "You can stay with me for a few days..." But few would go out of their way to get you a career after graduation, while 2000 miles away.

If something works out on his end, our lives would change drastically. I've never made more than 11k per year, combined with Seth. If he actually got a REAL position... We wouldn't have to live in our super tiny college apt anymore, find a nicer condo and be able to eat more than roman noodles and discount chicken from Walmart.

Honestly at this point, I'd be happy to just live there in whatever studio craphole we could find. But if we don't have to, I might just burst!

LinkedIn Profile

After making the decision to move, Seth and I started scouring job sites. I dug through the bags of merchandise I'd taken from Michigan Tech's career fair over the years, finding company names and searching their sites for job postings. I started worrying about my resume and eventually fleshed it out...

In my excitement I started looking at places to live, moving companies, top restaurants in the area. All for what we're calling "the dream."

I even told my current boss about my excitement, my goal to get out of here and hopefully make it in a big city (Seattle). She didn't sound all too excited--and not just because she'd be losing a valuable team member if I was actually successful. She's all about simplicity, living simply, without the frills. It was that mild discouragement which convinced me to flesh out my LinkedIn profile and finally work on it regularly.

I'm a Social Media Specialist - Community Manager, Technical Writer, and Editor... Pretty much what everyone is in Seattle, besides those measly software engineers.

Here's my permalink:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brenda-harjala/39/322/6b7

What is a "real" job?

I really wonder what the phrase "real job" means. Is a job that I have to get dressed nicely for, leave my house to get to, and actively interact with other people for the definition of a real job? Is a high-paying, salaried job a "real job"? (If that was the case we'd all be fake jobbin' it!

I'm a freelancer, and it makes me beyond happy that I can wake up whenever I want, work from my phone or computer while watching Netflix, and stay in my robe and slippers while I pound away on the keyboard. I get paid like everybody else--from an employer into my bank account--and I can clock my hours with oDesk Team...

But for some reason, I can't help but think that no matter how much money I make, how many promotions, or how often I tell people that I work for a specific company (that I found through oDesk) it won't feel like a real, grown-up job, until I GO somewhere and physically MOVE ON. I still live 10 miles from where I graduated high school, 0.4 miles from where I graduated university.

One of my best friends texted me the other day that her fiance "got the job!" A full time nursing position in Marshfield. After they get married, just weeks after she graduates, she'll be moving from her home town (which is laden with drama) to a city. She's has to go find a house, get situated, get furniture, the works... Another friend of mine got married to a military man, and shortly afterwards went and bought a house down South, and picked out a dog.

When I got married, I was still in school. I also married someone still in school. He's actually STILL in school, finally about to graduate.

And now, I'm not content to just be a freelancer making $12/hr when I know that I could be making in the $40k/yr range somewhere else, in a company with benefits. Should I be happy? Should I not want more? Should I heed the "at least you have a job" comments and stay where I am?

After realizing how many great things are happening to people around me I made the decision to move. Not a small move either, and not an "if we get the chance someday" move. But a "lets pack up and move to Seattle the last week of May" move. So, that's what we're doing!