The countdown has begun..

T-minus 2 days until I start my new job. When I start on Monday, it will mark the end of my 418 day vacation between real employment. A feat I am extremely proud of. It has been the best year of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. (possible exception: someone professionally cleaning my room (and front car seat) in the next 24 hours).

I remember when I was looking for jobs out of college, I told myself: "I've had a lot of fun for the last 21 years, so it's time to suck it up and work 80-100 hour weeks for 5 years, have no discernible life and set myself up for a decent existence down the road.."

Boy, was that the dumbest thing my brain has ever produced. 4 years removed from graduation, and I am no where near where I thought I would be. And I love it. Sure, I am settling back into a decent and safe career, but no matter how much I get into my work, quality of life will always be priority #1. (At least until I have kids, then it will become priority #32 behind such things as; potty training, ass wiping, gerber food shipments, my wife's tolerance for juvenile behavior/humor, etc.)

While I embark on a new job and a little more stability in my life after 1+ years of living on couches, floors, nappy hostel mattresses, single beds, king beds, in tents, on buses, on planes, in cars, and everywhere in between, I will never stop craving surprises, unpredictabilities, new challenges and blue powerade. Never!

It has been one hell of a ride thus far, and the thing I look most forward to, is not knowing where life is going to take me. (Although I must admit, it is somewhat depressing knowing that I will never be a professional baseball player or child chess prodigy).