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Back In Biz

Well here we go. After MONTHS of silence I have decided to come out of hiding and compose anther blog. Not even a pseudo blog written by one of my friends. No, a true blog typed by the tips of my very own fingers. But before I get going I'd like to dedicate this to Ken in Portland who I recently bumped into. Ken, bless his heart, is one of the faithful, who told me when I saw him that he still visits the blog and offered his condolences for the last real blog before my hiatus (the depressing piece on suicide). This one's for you my friend as one of the primary inspirations to dust off the wheels of blog and get this thing rolling again.

And now as I sit here in Macy's coffee shop-Flagstaff, AZ, where I spent so much of my time in the final stretch of retirement, I can't help but observe a few things:

Observation #1. I am blogging on a site titled: World Trip 2006. Cool huh? I'm not sure if you noticed or not but I am no longer on a "World Trip". And furthermore, we are about 6 months out of 2006. And yes, to answer your question, it is embarrassing. I just haven't really gotten around to changing it yet.

Observation #2. There's really no reason to feel embarrassed when you haven't blogged in half a year, because there's a good chance nobody is reading anyway. But, I'm reading it and maybe Ken is reading it, so I maintain that there are at lease two good reasons to be embarrassed.

Now, let's get on with it. I've decided this re-entry blog I will commit to explaining where I've been and what's happened personally since the new year. When I got back from my trip, as you (and by you I mean Ken and myself) well know I spent a good month recuperating at coffee shops, and planning my next move to my beloved Portland. Well it seems someone opened their yapper here in Flagstaff because I got a call from the GCR explaining they heard I was back in town and asking me if I wanted to "rejoin the team".

"Perfect!" you say. "Quit. Travel the world. Come back like you never left." But that's just it, I did quit and travel the world and opened my eyes to a new perspective on life. And quite frankly, I was ready for the next "step". So when the GCR called for an interview, I thought, "Well, I won't take it, but what's the harm in interviewing..." Anyway I took the job. I guess everyone has their price. Truth is I needed money and even though I was shooting for a 25% increase in salary, I guess I was willing to settle for 13%.

Having sold out, I feel like I need to explain myself again. You may ask, "Didn't you learn anything in your travel Derek? Money isn't everything." Well yes, I can see that now, but at the time my thoughts were: 1. Money is something and I need some. 2. It'll look good on the resume to have a company ask you to come back and pay more after you quit and traveled for a year (er 9 months). 3. It's easier to find a job when you have a job, which means it'll be easier to find a job in Portland when it comes up.

They're all true, I think. But worth it??? I don't know. I am making money. I did interview for a great job with Princess Cruises based in Portland...(but came in runner up). But truthfully, Ken (and anyone else who most likely is not reading right now), I'm ready. I just turned 30 years old and I am ready to take the next step. I want to change the world. I want to travel... again (there's still a LOT of Southern Hemisphere I need to see). I want to move to Portland. I think I'd be willing to settle for one or two of the three right now.

That's probably enough rambling for the re-entry. The last thing I want to do is annoy the only reader that's visiting by too much rambling. But I'll be back, and probably even within the next 6 months.

Ciao.

posted by Travelin' D @ 11:48 AM