Well folks, we have come full circle! After eight years, four states, and one foreign country, Chuck and I found our way back to the District. It would be fairly exhausting to recap everything that’s happened since then, so I won’t try. All anyone really needs to know is that Chuck’s promotion schedule had us saying adios to the Pink House a full year earlier than expected. I wasn’t particularly happy about that, but I was comforted by the idea that we were headed back to Washington. It was time!

The past six months have been a frenzy of reunions, adjustments, new challenges, and adventures. We toured Italy for two weeks with Chuck’s family before settling into our “Blue Nest” on Capitol Hill, which was honestly just what I was hoping for. It’s smaller than we are used to, and it required a good bit of downsizing, but it’s cozy and well-located in southeast DC, close to where both Chuck and I work!

Yep, you read that right. I am working! Full time! I found meaningful employment almost immediately, thanks to some strategic planning from California and the power of social media, graduate school alumni connections, and networking. I wouldn’t quite call it a dream job, but it’s got me back on a career track – even if it is within the madness that is government contracting. For instance…

I am (mostly) using my communications degree, gaining rare insight into a rapidly expanding industry, and even working from home most of the time! Better yet, I have maintained a highly rewarding, remote, part-time volunteer position with the corporate engagement team at The Good Food Institute  since March 2019. I am very passionate about GFI’s mission and have long wanted to work for them, but the fact that I can keep a corporate job and remain connected with GFI is satiating my appetite for those ever-competing, diametrically opposed motivations: money, and changing the world.

Meanwhile, Chuck and I are having a blast getting re-acquainted with the city we have long called “Home.”

Anyway, I want to get back in the swing of writing about things beyond life updates, so I’m going to stop my re-cap here and get back to normal 🙂 I have truly missed this!