I want all that stupid old sh*t like letters and sodas...

After a solid year of vacation, I have less than 3 weeks before I'll be expected to show up in the same place 4-5 days a week and act responsible. As excited as I am about the new job, I realize it's probably going to be a bit of a difficult adjustment. With that in mind, I have been spending the last several days finding new ways to waste time... a luxury I think I'm soon going to have to give up. There are moments I feel guilty that I should be *doing* something, but doing nothing (or close to it) can be pretty rewarding. I've been reading a lot, taking long walks, and doing a lot of thinking.

This morning, before standing in a long line at the Department of Licensing to pay for my overdue 2009 tabs (oops!), I sat on cross-legged on the floor in Barnes & Noble and read the book Other People's Love Letters cover to cover. This is a sweet little book. You should read it. It reminded me a little of PostSecret and Found (which you should check out if you're looking to waste some time...)

OK, I'm off to go do something productive (maybe)...

Chances are you'll go far, if you get in with the right bunch of fellows...

On September 10, coincidentally a year to the day that I left Seattle to start this whole "Where's Josie" adventure, I received a job offer from Children's Hospital. I happily accepted it, and as of early next month, I'll begin my Clinical Fellowship working as a speech-language pathologist in the Autism Clinic. Pretty exciting stuff...

It all feels a bit surreal, and more than a little serendipitous. Who wants to buy me a drink? :)

Josie's on a vacation far away...

Almost every morning that I spent in the little Thai village with Stacia, I woke up to her singing the words above to me. You might recognize them from the Outfield "classic" Your Love. Every time I hear this song, it makes me smile.

It's been awhile since I've written, and I realize this site is starting to look more like a tribute to my family than anything else, so I thought I'd try to give an update about me. I just got back from another fun weekend trip, which might have just qualified as a vacation from the vacation that is currently my life, and all of a sudden it's September... not quite sure how that happened.

I'm finding that for all my big talk about being content to let things just fall into place, and relax, and not worry too much about "what's next", that there are definitely moments in which this is much easier said than done. Found myself in the midst of a mini existential crisis yesterday... worked my way out of it by cutting my own hair (this is strangely cathartic, and probably one of my favorite "uh-oh, bad choices"), taking a long walk, and having a good dinner, replete with good wine and even better company.

So, for those of you still keeping track, I still have no established game-plan. I am mostly OK with this, and I do continue to trust that things will work out as they should. I am trying to take an open-handed approach to everything that comes my way... letting things come into my life as they will without trying to hold on too tightly... I don't want to get too hokey but I do tend to believe that the harder you try to hold onto things (whether these things be money, or possessions, or people, or expectations) the more they slip away from you...

Anyhow, not much of an update I suppose, but suffice to say that life is good, and I'll keep you apprised as I continue to figure out what's next...