Everyone's traveling but me...

It seems like everyone I know is going someplace new and exciting; everyone but me that is. One of the college kids that we're friends with from our church went to Ireland on a 10-day missionary trip (I'm so jealous of that one), his sister just started college (which makes me miss my college days), and a friend from college and his wife departed today for India and will be gone for four months (what would I eat?). When I talk to old friends, they always seem to have news of babies, new houses, trips, new jobs, etc. Then they ask what's new in our lives, and the answer is nothing. No kids, same house for six years, no trips more than two hours away, and we've both been in our jobs FOREVER! Okay, maybe not, but seems like it. Hubby's had his job for about 20 years (he started part-time in high school) and I've had mine for almost seven. My big exciting news is usually something like, "We got a new cat." Don't get me wrong, I love my kitties (Crazy Cat Lady, remember?), but if I tell most people that a cat is our news, they look at me with this blank stare. It's no wonder crazy old cat women are seen as "crazy." We're all boring.

I'm ready to get off the merry-go-round and get on the roller coaster of life. I made a conscious decision years ago to not do anything to cause any waves in my life. I got a degree in something I perceived as safe; it would be around for awhile, I would make pretty good money, and it's (basically) low-stress. I passed up the degrees that would have been risky but exciting. Now I'm ready (I think) to do something different. Something that maybe doesn't provide a steady income, but that I'll enjoy.

Merry-go-round: safe, but same views over and over, no stomach-clenching
Roller coaster: lots of ups and downs, stomach alternately in my throat or my rump, but new and interesting sights

I'm 31-years-old. The older I get, the more our income will be, and the harder it will be to pull up and start something new. Which is why we know we have to make our changes soon. I could throw up thinking about it. But you know what? After you throw up, you feel a whole lot better.