letter to a friend

so heidi, dear. since you won't answer your phone i'm going to write you. i wish i remembered the day that people sent these things via post. i would have to wait some 2 weeks to months for your response. weren't those the days?

here are my thoughts.

i don't really care about my bachelor's. it would be lovely to study more and set up a practice of natural medicine as a nurse practitioner so i could assist people in healthier ways of healing, however, i'm not there right now. i'm not ready for that kind of responsibility/maturity. i'm happy making what i do and using it for what i have used it for (travel, donations, delicious food, and coffee). i like the idea of sticking around in lexington and building up a great community and becoming more involved...i'm just not as excited about that as i am other things. and while i feel saddened at the idea of separating myself from the friendships i have built...those precarious adventures we've discussed and i have in my head stir my heart and my imagination and... i'm ready to go after them. i want to continue on.

perhaps by signing on to continue this life of nomadism i'm equally signing my consent to be alone forever, but oh...i'd much rather live a short life of passionate adventure than a long life of knowing what's in store. i believe it is possible to have stability and consistency of heart and mind amidst instability and inconsistency of location and circumstance. i'd like to find out.

of course, of course, i'll think more of all of this. i did only talk to you last night and tell you of my plans to continue studying..... we'll see we'll see.

in the meantime: here are my sketched out plans.

my contract is up in september. i'll save as much money as possible til then.
i have two options.
either i take 2 weeks off from work and we travel the west coast, or i quit altogether, we do a month trip somewhere like Chile, and then upon return we travel nurse until february, preferably Oregon or Cali. i'll be applying to the February term of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Tropical Nursing Diploma Program this week. No matter what, I believe I'm going to go do that at least.
And, Alaska next summer. :)

Also, in December is a family reunion on Oregon. I'd like to attend.

Questions:
*Do you think the economy will be sucky still this fall? If so, Cali may be a better travel nursing option than Oregon.

If you have any ideas/advice, let me know. I'm completely willing to work with you on this.


P.S.
Doesn't this sound so much more exciting than studying for a degree i'm not sure i care about in a place i love but am not entirely eager to remain in?
I think so.


[i feel like i'm reading an excerpt of a modern "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac....except it's my life, and i'm writing it]