Elegy Part I: The Career Train

The next two blogs are in two parts, highlighting simulataneous areas of my life that gave me the last PUSH to buy my tickets.

Imagine, if you will, two trains.

Train #1 is broken down on the track, rusted, derelict and out of service. Essentially- A sorry excuse for some scrap metal. We will call this "The Career Train"

Train #2 is out of control, heading down the same track at a high rate of speed toward Train #1.It cannot and will not stop until everyone on board is injured,  maimed, burned to a crisp, or snuffed. We will call this "The Relationship Train"

Part I. The Career Train

For a few years, I had put thoughts of Europe aside. I thought "well, I will go before I turn 30...I will go before I get Married" (or as married as a midwest homo can get)..

• 30 was around the corner.

• Marriage? HA...not so much (see Train #2) Bringing us to.....

Last Summer.  I was having fun working as a server/service captain at Los Cabos in Mission, KS. Though it was, well, a nice change of pace from the financial indu....Wait.

Who am I kidding?  In January, I was "laid off" from AFS... a job I loved. The two very unstable, alcoholic, unethical a-holes of EPIC proportion convinced me to give up my Personal Assistant business I had started and say "Peace" to several clients. The promises of full time, great pay and decent benefits were, well... It was great for the first 2.75 years.  Needless to say,  I should have gotten it in writing...

Reality: I was 28 Waiting tables. My college degree, academic accolades, and prominent DC Internship were proving Worthless. The non-profit I gave my heart & soul to for 6 years wouldn't hire me, nor would any others. (Made it to the top two countless times. Never good enough...) Obviously, I had an ever-growing chip on my shoulder. Los Cabos was great. I was the Service Captain, teaching the training classes...getting prime pick of shifts..but, with the "responsibility" came the disdain of the other staff. I had worked at Cheesecake Factory for almost 8 years. That place was a family. I was closer to my colleagues than I ever was to any college friend. Jim, whom I met my first day, April 21, 2001, would become my absolute best friend on the face of this earth. Still is. (Love you hubby, Muah). Los Cabos was different, though. I wasn't close to any one there, really. I felt like I was wasting my talents, education, and potential. I was pretty miserable.

It wasn't that the money was horrible. I was doing OK. Plus, I was house-sitting, pet-sitting, free lance writing, etc. for extra cash. I was taking all of this extra income and stashing stashing stashing it in my server book. One particular day, last June, I realized I had about an extra $600 after paying bills and I considered options of what I should buy. Wine? Yum....but, no. Books? Yay...but, no. Clothes? haha. Have you met me?

And it hit me.

EUROPE

Why not take the $$$$ and the one perk of being a 28 year-old taco server---Flexibility.
I should JUST GO.
So I put that $600 in a new "travel" checking account, adding to it as I could, and monitoring Flight Prices.

Beginning of August, I had about $800 saved up...prices were $970....
Mid August, I had about $900 saved up...prices were $920
Late August, I had about $950 saved up...a doomed "relationship"...and prices were $870... SO...

*click*

Bought that bad boy...  

Just in time to watch Train #2 collide, full force into Train #1. No survivors. Hindenburg-esque explosion.

At least I had one bright spot... 5 weeks of European Bliss. I just had to get through the Winter.