Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Highlights as of Late


Happy beautiful February!

I know I've already posted since the start of the month, but it took the end of my exams in order for me to feel like the month had actually begun. Thus over the last week, I've been busy celebrating and "relaxing" in my own way and it's been FABULOUS! And yes, what that means....is I passed! 

My massage license arrived this week and I already scheduled my first three paying clients! (Okay, so one of them is my mom :)) We'll see how all this goes, but I'm attempting to do my own "outcall" business. Since I currently have both of the rooms in my house rented out to others, then I'm going to try to flexibly schedule family/friends in their own houses. I'll bring my table, linens, oil/lotion, etc and give them a massage there. I'm still toying with the idea of eventually transitioning into using one of the rooms here, but ideally I'd love to work 2-3 days in a clinic setting. Since I'm going to be gone several times in the next six months, I'm trying to see if running a business this way might be easier.

The picture above is from the first camelia bloom. It's a SUPER early spring this year although I keep thinking we might get one more major cold spell coming through. Maybe?! The mountain could sure use it...although mentally I've already transitioned to thinking about backpacking season...
....but the first blooms meant that I've been able to do a few days of yardwork already and the chickens are all officially laying! Seriously, they're so fun (well minus their cackles at 7:30am when they want out of the coop....). They have distinct personalities and two of them actually enjoy being petted! 

The new housemate continues to be fun! She also has family in Seattle so she has already spent two weekends up there....and brought me back an Argentine treat which was amazing! It's been so fun to have someone in the house who is from Argentine culture. If I'm honest, I'm really getting to the point where I'm looking forward to the day I can live solo in the house again...but I've also so enjoyed meeting so many of the (mostly) great people who have shared space with me over the last several years.

And since I just received an email with the official job offer, I feel a little more comfortable spilling the beans about Africa. In a nut shell, I walked in to an amazing informational interview and walked out with an offer to join one of the local natural medicine institutions on their student trip this summer to Tanzania with the potential for it to evolve into something more. After additional exchanges about my background and knowledge, the invitation to join the group evolved into an invitation to teach the public health course that is being offered through the program this summer. So I will be joining an incredible institution as adjunct faculty and get to teach in my subject area while pursuing one of my personal dreams. There have been weekly meetings focusing on selections and there is still lots of preparation/details to work through, but can you say: DREAM JOB?! Such an incredible development and I feel immensely blessed! We will be doing a mix of site work (clinic visits, seaweed small business start-ups, trainings, herbal gardens), tourist activities (game reserve tour), and of course the classes themselves. Absolutely amazing opportunity and I am so honored and excited to be a part of it! Amazing things seem to happen when I trust that the Big Man Upstairs knows what He is doing...lots of trusting still ahead!

Additionally, as I've been transitioning to no longer studying, I spent a much needed weekend (after Saturday class) at the family beach cabin, where I also crammed the first long hike of the year in. Hebo Mtn is one that I didn't get to last year, and I loved hiking through a different terrain within the coast range. (This will get it's own post.) After a long month, the dogs were also stoked to get in a 10 mile hike last Thursday and then the 16 mile hike on Sunday. We're all still adapting to increasing mileage after rest month again!

I've also been able to be more social again--wonderful! So I met a few of the gals for happy hour on Thursday---amazing BBQ joint with great cocktails. And then my colleagues and I had our second wine pairings class this last Monday evening. The theme of this one was sweet wines and desserts--which is always my favorite. It was great to get to see one my favorite couples, another former colleague I hadn't seen in two years was also there, and I had convinced my direct supervisor/mentor to join us this time and he had a great time as well. Such a wonderful evening!

In addition to all of that I took a trip to the library were I walked out with a ginormous stack of various non-fiction works and it's been so rewarding to just plow through some titles again finally!

We did get a few additional inches of snow this weekend, so while there wasn't enough snow for Reg D and I to do our winter camping snowshoe trip, there has been enough snow for me to head up tomorrow to try my first official snowboard lesson. Here's hoping it'll be a fun time! :)

So many amazing things as of late! What have been some of the highlights in your neck of the woods?!

3 comments:

  1. I may have cried a little bit when I saw your flower and the words "early spring." I am so excited for you for Africa! How wonderful that it is all falling into place. I will be praying for you! Now, if you could pray that the blizzard we are supposed to get this weekend totally misses us, I would appreciate it...we have enough snow as it is! Don't need another 2 feet :-)

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  2. Wow, congratulations! That is so exciting that the Africa trip is going to happen and that you'll be able to put your skills and talents to use!! And congrats on passing your exam and being a licensed massage therapist! If I lived in your vicinity, I'd hire you as I am in need of a massage right now!

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  3. Oh man I have my anatomy test for that chapter of my fitness instructor training today and it's been an intense week preparing for it. Mine is super super basic too.

    So glad that studying is behind you and you can start relaxing, hiking and reading on the weekends now! Have a great weekend!

    Highlights for me as of late are having fun at work with a few events we're planning, running with Eric in the mornings and reading has been a big, big highlight for me these days. With all the book related podcasts I'm listening to and the read harder book challenge and new book club I've joined I've just really reignited a love for reading that's always been there.

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