A New Start

More than 1.5 years ago, I posted something about a bar in Texas that I wanted to go to. I never went, and it was the ghostly last post of this blog. My last year of graduate school was tragic and awesome, and I survived with a love for Austin, Texas that is not diminished even after more than a year being away. I'm in my second post-graduate school job now, and I'm living in Washington, DC. DC is the capital of everything and the place where nothing happens all at once.

I'm frustrated, tired, and confused about what it is exactly that I'm meant to be doing. I'm not depressed about the debt I've incurred (yet) because my experience in Austin was hugely important to me and grad school taught me leaps and bounds more than I could have expected about myself and the work I hope to do. I'm frustrated with the state of the country--I'm frustrated that so many of my well-educated peers are un-or under-employed. I'm frustrated that politics is gridlocked, that President Obama can't seem to land punches, that the GOP is allowing (and maybe encouraging) a run to the extreme.

I don't know if my work week adds to the greater good, and I can get dreary when I think about why I'm not one of those people who seems content to decidedly not effect the greater good. I don't think I was born with a specific purpose, but I do know that making and having a lot of money isn't a priority. Living a good life, a comfortable life, doing interesting work is important to me. My family and friends are important. Traveling is important. Cooking really good food is important. Making goat cheese is important. Good wine and beer is important. Running is important. So I'm going to get back to it. The blogging, and the contemplative life. I told my Dad last week that I don't think my generation will ever be able to retire. I hope that I don't want to retire so that all-too-likely reality isn't so depressing, but given the fact that the economy is seriously awful, I want to live as fully as possible now. Vacations, days off, 40 hour work weeks, hobbies, flowers, and food. Also, I'm applying for the peace corps.

The journey continues...