Not all those who wander are lost.

Everything in my neck of the woods has been rather uneventful lately. I am in Provo, without a car, job, or school, and so I've just been lounging and living off the little bit of money I put away before my mission. However, I DO have goals. As much as I love having absolutely no schedule, and being able to read and nap and eat and watch movies and blog to my heart's content, my overactive conscience just keeps whispering to me... to figure out what the plan is.

I have about a gazillion ideas. Let me share a few.

• Go to Ecuador and work in an orphanage there
• Find mr. right and marry him
• Work at one of several treatment centers for adolescents in the area
• Work at the Center for Women and Children in Crisis (I volunteered there before my mission)
• Move up to downtown Seattle(ish) and find a job
• Someday open up my own bookstore
• Be a substitute teacher wherever I end up moving to (so that I don't have to take on a huge responsibility, but still get paid a reasonable amount
• Find a family to nanny for
• Eventually go back to school and study one of my recent interests (environmentalism, feminism, photojournalism, teenage pregnancy/body image/women's studies, cultures and peoples, spanish, french, etc. etc. etc.)
• Work at a daycare or other childcare facility (which doesn't actually sound very appealling, but hey, I like kids)

Some of these options could be combined with others, others depend on whether or not I do other things, or how much money I have. And I have tons more ideas. And ideas that branch off of these ideas... like if I did one thing and it was successful, I could then go on and do this other idea I have.

It is a little overwhelming. The sheer breadth of opportunities is a little frightening.

BUT, it has been fabulous for me to have some time to regroup, catch up with friends, have my own space and time, and just kind of... explore. Sometimes it's a little scary, because I've never let myself be without direction before, but it's so magnificent to see the world completely open up before my eyes. I can go or do or be whatever the heck I want. I can seek that true happiness in my job and family and self that is always talked about but rarely seems to be found. That is my main goal for this period of my life I suppose. Not to get so caught up in DOING, that I forget to think about what it is that I'm doing. To remember why I'm here, what makes me happy, and what a huge difference I can actually make in this world once I set my mind to it.

Now, the task at hand.

I think I need some advice. Or at least a little help. I'm trying to figure out where to go and what to do and where to work, etc. A week ago, had you asked me, I would've said that I was staying here until the end of August and then moving to Seattle to find a job and settle down a little. Now, I'm beginning to lean a little more towards staying here to settle down a little. For multiple reasons. Job connections, friends, cheaper housing, etc. However, I haven't really delved into my resources and connections back in Washington either. Soooo... what I need to know is, do YOU know of any job openings? Or maybe an opening in a house in Seattle or Provo? If you do, I would love to know about it! Post a comment, send me an email.

Until then, I will remain, the quintessential wanderer.