...Today is my 48th birthday and what a great year it has been. I have actually been through more life changes this year than in any of the previous years. Not only did I quit my job to start a new career in a new state on the opposite coast of the one I spent my entire life but I rented out my condo packed all my belongings and shipped them out along with my car. I had to say good bye to my family that I'm extremely close to and my eclectic group of friends who I could not live without and a few amazing yet now former coworkers. I was also moving in with my boyfriend which was going to be a completely new experience for me as I had never been married or even lived with a guy before or lived with anyone for that matter since I was in college. I had always taken care of myself and would now be adjusting to sharing my life with someone else. All the above are very positive changes but that didn't make them easier.
It all started a year ago this week while I was visiting Steve for a weeks vacation and to celebrate my birthday when I sent out that email notifying my bosses of my two weeks notice. The next several months were a whirlwind of packing and good bye's and unpacking and then the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's all in my new home, new state and with new people. I distracted myself by cooking for everyone as we invited "holiday orphans" to celebrate at our house and on New Year's eve I celebrated the east coast and west coast time zones midnight.
Then January meant a new year and time to get to work on JoAnnSpeaksOut. I put a loose plan on paper and where I should start first and got right to work. I was hitting all my goals and making a lot of progress for a new business in a new state. It was good that one of my work strengths was research because I had to do a lot of it acclimating to new geography, how and where I was going to promote myself and every time I had an appointment it was on a road I hadn't driven on before to a town I hadn't been to before. We take all that for granted when we grow up, work and live somewhere our entire lives. Promoting myself was new too but I was always good at doing it for my employer so I learned to turn it into my direction instead. A website was a must so I learned how to design one by using a template and set off on designing my own because who better would know what I wanted than me. Social media was a must and I dove in head first to twitter. Next was starting my blog and finally Facebook.
It's important to share with you that after the horrible experience with Match.com I had completely shut myself off from anything that would put my face and personal information out to the public. My solution to protecting myself from being as vulnerable as I was when I met Jeffrey Marsalis was to go dark. I didn't start a personal twitter account until last year and didn't go on Facebook until a few months ago. I had to open myself up to all these things at my own pace and when I felt comfortable. It was all part of the healing process and although my date rape was 10 years ago I had to take each step when I was ready not when everyone else thought I should and it all worked out. This doesn't mean I still don't have things to accomplish emotionally but I'm okay with it.
Once the Summer began I was finally feeling settled in to my new career and surroundings and was more confidant with everything. I experienced all that LA has to offer in the Summer with Steve which brings me to last Friday. I can't explain why but my upcoming birthday had me missing what I left back in NJ (family & friends). I told Steve how I was feeling and he let me have my moment instead of dismissing it or saying it was wrong. Today I woke up not even thinking of my age because it doesn't matter. I am healthy and happy and lucky for my life and those family and friends I share it with...
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