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To Cruise or To Sail?

I'm sorry and you're right. I've pretty well had my fill of breakfast burrito. I'm telling you, this corporate gig is taking up A LOT of my time. But I hope we can get past that because I need your advice. I know, I know. We don't talk. I don't call. And then one day I show up on your doorstep with big sad eyes, and want something from you?!? It's not fair, you're right... but pleeeeaaase.

My life is at a crossroads. And when it rains it pours. Right now I have all kinds of opportunities knocking. All good. Some great. For the sake of time I'll run two by you. Please consider each carefully and then get back with me:

Life Option 1:

As many of you know, I have always wanted to live in the Northwest. The evergreens, the mountains, the ocean, the people. I love it. Specifically, Portland has a special place. Well I had a shot earlier in the year when Princess Cruises interviewed me for a Regional Manager Position... in Portland. I was runner up to a guy who already lived in Portland and was working for a different cruise line in the same position.

Then out of nowhere I get this lead that another position opened for a different cruise line. It's almost the exact same job: Work out of home. Company car. Good pay. Cruise benefits. Live in Portland and call on Washington and Oregon. I track down the person I need to interview with, interview a couple times, and now out of over 100 applicants I am one of four. I'll probably find out on Friday if I "got the job". Honestly, I think I'm in the running after the last interview. I do know none of the other applicants come from cruise backgrounds. Sounds perfect, right?

Life Option 2:

I love to travel and I want to change the world. If you are reading this, you probably already know that too. Well in the past year, as I have been wearing the Public Relations cap at the Grand Canyon Railway (our PR Director left), I had the opportunity to host several groups of travel writers. Travel, write, and have someone else pay. Not bad. So I had toyed with the idea that if I did not have a good job lead by the new year I might try my hand at travel writing. Take another trip and see what I can make of it.

Now the kicker. I have a friend from college who shares the same see the world passion as I do, if not more so. He's done the crabbing thing in Alaska. He's built houses in Ireland. He's traveled. I recently met up with him as he was passing through Arizona and he told me he was planning on sailing around the World... and I could come if I wanted to. Sail around the World? Are you kidding me? It would change your life. So the idea is this: Pack my bags (again). Grab my camcorders, my camera, bring my laptop and sail. Sail AROUND the World. Meanwhile I take this silly little blog to the next level. Look for sponsorship, my own website, video blog, the whole nine. Then get on the boat, and sail. And here's the beautiful thing, bit by bit maybe make a difference on the human level. Pull in to port in some country and build a house for a family. Report on the human condition every step of the way. Then a year and a half later return to this sweet country, find my way to Portland and... and who knows what.

There's a story there somewhere. The risk for sailing? Well staying alive. (Just kidding mom--it's totally safe and the boats already been around the world twice. MOM, it's fine!) Actually the biggest risk is that I've never actually sailed. In fact the only time I spent even a night on a boat was in Thailand when I returned to the same port I left from after a full night of "sailing". Will I like it? Can I handle it? That's the risk. But isn't that what life is... risk. Worst case scenario, I leave. I fly back with my puny sailor tail tucked between my legs and whimper back to, to Portland. Problem is I won't have a job, much less a sweet job like the one I think I'll be offered in a couple of days.

What to do? What to do? Currently I'm taking a poll. So tell me what you think.

Cruise... or... sail?

Cheers.

posted by Travelin' D @ 1:10 PM