Life.
It can really let you down, huh? Work, school, bills, sick parents, stress, gas mileage, new contacts and eyeglasses. It is always something isn’t it? But I guess the key is to not let life bring you down.
My new job didn’t work out. Well, it more than didn’t work out. I quit 8 days in and went back to my old job. I did not see that coming! Nobody saw that coming. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. I hate that clique but it’s at least true in this situation. I’m back at the old government job. I shouldn’t hate on it too much. I sit in a corner, alone, people leave me alone. I’ve learned a few lessons in leaving that job, starting a new one, leaving that job, then going to the old one.
Don’t get so close to co-workers. There is a reason they are just co-workers. They aren’t best friends. You shouldn’t share your life secrets with them. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to make friends. I have a few that I do consider ‘true’ friends. But while one spends 8 hours (or more) with co-workers that also doesn’t mean they should know details about your personal life.
Political and religious talk shouldn’t be discussed around the water cooler. That is a lesson I learned early on. But it seems some don’t understand that notion. I don’t care how much you hate Barack Obama or how much you despise gay marriage because it is the devil. Guess what? I doubt you care that I voted for Barack Obama or that I love the idea of gay marriage (since, you know, I’m gay).
Don’t be afraid to just be who you are. A lot of people don’t know that I am gay at the job. I came out after I started there and just never go around to coming out to co-workers. I find letting them know is probably for the best. It stops the gay marriage debate, at least around me. A co-worker didn’t know I was gay. He made an anti-gay remark. I came out to him in anger. I don’t want to have to do that.
But besides all this, besides the lessons I’ve learned recently, the ups and downs of life I have to say. I have the best life. I am 30 years old, in school for a degree that requires very little studying thanks to working in the field for so long. I have a good job even if it is a job that I wasn’t a big fan of. I make good money, I have insurance, I have life insurance. I have a wonderful, amazing, incredibly patient fiance. The 20th is our anniversary. 3 years. I can’t believe I found somebody as great as her. I have an amazing family. A family that I have grown even closer to after my step-dads death. I have two cats I love to death. Some will scoff but those two furballs are my babies. I dare you to say otherwise!
I have had incredible opportunities in my short life. At 30 years old I have traveled more than anyone I (personally) know. During my road trip through Europe last year I posted this list on Facebook. It was my lessons for road-tripping through Europe.
1) Wear sunscreen even if you are in the car most of the time. I now have severe sunburn on my arms.
2) The French countryside is stunning.
3) I want to retire in Switzerland.
4) Europe needs to put street signs on their roads.
5) Lilly is very patient for a 3 year old.
6) Mont Blanc is beautiful.
7) Don’t eat pizza then get into a hot car. Hello carsickness.
8) I have experienced more than most people and I know how lucky I am.
I worried I came across as ‘uppity’ in that post but it’s true. I’ve had amazing opportunities to see the world. And I’m only just getting started. I worry sometimes that I annoy people on social media in regards to my travel updates. But I’m to the point where I don’t care. Why should I? I work hard to take these trips. I spend a lot of time planning. I spend too much money on guide books that I don’t often spend much time reading. (Don’t tell my fiance that).
I can’t let life bring me down. So I can’t travel the world 365 days a year. I have responsibilities here. It should be enough that I travel at the very least once a year. It should be enough that I have seen more of the world than most people I know. Every day I am yearning to see another place. Or hell, go back to a country I’ve been to just so I can experience it again. I need to try to remember to look on the bright side of things. Is immersing myself in all things travel a good or bad thing? I’m going to go with it being a great thing! Why not, right?
Until next time…
My new motto.
Trip with Brit 