Back to the Right Coast

I hated living in Arizona.

I try to downplay it at family gatherings or job interviews, when people ask why I left. It seems that leaving a job because you hate the location isn't a good enough reason. They look at me with pity, "oh how unfortunate for you."

Stop that. I turned it around. I saved up the money. I packed up. And I got outta dodge.

Anyone who knows me well -- my boyfriend, my mother, my former boss -- will tell you that I was unhappy living out the desert. I just wasn't fully functioning without weather and the color green. So I moved somewhere that has those things, and more.

So welcome to A OhKait - Washington DC/Northern VA mode.

Here, I am living with my boyfriend, instead of being in a long distance relationship. I'm close enough to hop on a single plane and see my family within half a day. I have rain, snow, clouds, and wind -- so much of it. I have friends that I already know, making it even easier to find new ones. And, I have access to some of the country's greatest cities, just by riding on a train.

I'm glad I went out there. I tried it. I adopted the perfect dog. I learned all about a different type of culture and style of living, that was more laid back with less urgency. I learned what I could live with and what I couldn't live without.

I'm an East Coast girl, and 2000 miles can't take that away from me.

Now, I make no promises that I'm going to write a ton more out here than I did there, but I do have a few drafts written already, so maybe you'll see a spike.