A Year Later

Fort DeSoto State Park, St. Pete's, FL

Flying into Chicago today I found myself contemplating my move a year ago this week to Tampa. Having received an unexpected job offer in October 2011, I knew the moment that I left the meeting that I would accept the position and move to Tampa in the spring. As I look back on it, I am kind of shocked at my lack of hesitation and then excitement as I left D.C. in March. I like living in the capital region, I love Virginia, but I felt care free as I hit 95 and headed South. I had a furnished apartment, baseball, pools, and beaches awaiting me, not to mention an awesome professional opportunity. The ensuing 6 months were filled with sun and hard work. Tampa wasn't my favorite city in the world, but I embraced the area as much as I could and explored the state a bit in my free time.

St. Augustine was by far my favorite weekend trip. Complete with historic forts and winding narrow cobblestone lanes, I felt like I was in another country in another time. I took the beaches for granted by the end of the summer and missed "real trees" quite a bit, but ultimately I was thrilled to add another location to my "places lived" list, this one far different than any other.



Next came Boston. Again, I was incredibly excited with no hesitations about taking the job with the Romney campaign. After a whirlwind post-convention week of flying up to accept the job, packing up my Tampa apartment, taking a train back to D.C., and spending 2 days to switch over my clothes in D.C., I was headed to New England. Surprisingly, it wasn't until my final hours in D.C. that I started to grow anxious about my lack of bed and residence in Boston. I'm a planner (even by profession!), yet here I was moving to a brand new city where I didn't know anyone and I had no idea whatsoever where I was going to be sleeping that night or for the next 2 months. I had 2 suitcases, a bag, and 2 unaddressed boxes in Alexandria with instructions for my roommates to send them once I had an address...Every morning that first week in Boston I checked out of my hotel, checked my bags at the lobby desk, and spent each free moment at work looking for housing while also learning something completely new on a team that had been together for a while.

Chatham, MA

Looking back, I'm not quite sure how I maintained any grace! Thankfully it was less than a week before some girls offered to let me move in with them. 6 girls. 2 BR. 4 blocks from HQ. I jumped on the opportunity, packed up my bags, took a taxi to Sears to buy an air mattress, taxied to my new building that I had never seen before, and sat in the lobby until one of my new (stranger) roommates brought me key. Ha. Seize the day!

Sunrise view from my living room air mattress

Thank God my roommates were great, as were my coworkers as a whole. I have never worked with such a competent team working together towards a shared goal. Towards something we believed in, supporting two men that we grew to respect and admire, for a country that we love.  It isn't possible to explain the bonds built with people you eat, work, sleep, and breathe with for 2 months; people that I didn't know before September, but are now friends that will last a long time. We laughed, we cried. We had birthday cake for a dog. We envied those living life on the road, but celebrated every time we refreshed Eventbrite and watched thousands flock to Red Rocks, Fishersville, and West Chester. We ran the bases at Fenway after belting out "Sweet Caroline," took in the infamous "Plymouth Rock," in all of it's esteemed glory, the beautiful Cape, fall colors, the witches at Salem, Lexington & Concord, and followed in Paul Revere's footsteps down those cobblestone streets. We ate pizza nachos, made friends at the "gas station," did pub crawls, and had campaign prom. We left it all on the field. Boston represents all of that. It will always hold a special place in my heart, as will that old building in the North End. 

Boston morning run

Despite the disappointing outcome and the ensuing months of job searching, I don't regret for a second taking that leap last year. It was an adventure I will never forget and may never have the opportunity to do again. The relationships built through all of it and the memories created will not easily be forgotten. 

Final view of Boston

St. Patrick's Day, Chicago River

So now, here I am. Starting anew once again. While I'm not moving to Chicago for the job, starting here for the first couple of days seems dejavu to my last 3 jobs, each starting in new cities. Not sure what this one will have in store, but que sera sera.