It's just different

Zemanta suggested the photo, so I included it. (Photo credit: Amanda M Hatfield)

I've moved several times in my life. Some might even call me a bit of a gypsy, and that's fine by me. I like that one day I'll be able to tell stories of life in Slave Lake, Toronto, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, New York City, Vancouver and soon, Dubai.

If you ask me, it makes me colourful.

This move, however, feels bigger. Each emotion feels heightened, each moment feels more significant.

I don't know if it's because I'll be leaving behind a man I've been waiting a very long time for, or if it's the considerable distance and cultural differences that await me on January 14th.

Regardless, this move feels bigger.

As excited as I am, I get a pit in my stomach when I think about not seeing my friends, family and the boy I love for many months. I can't say two words about how much I'm going to miss everyone and everything without breaking into tears.

Now, this doesn't mean I'm questioning my decision - you don't say no to your dream - but it does mean that this move comes with more sadness than I originally expected. And I think we're all aware of how bad I am at emotions.

I'm becoming a bit of a mess.

14 days and counting.

Moving on up!

For the past four years I have lived in a huge garden suite in Kitsilano. I love the size of my apartment, but hate how little sun it gets. Also, I actually dislike Kits as a neighborhood, though I really enjoy how quiet it is. I have never really spent much time in my neighborhood, often living my life in downtown.

While I was being all flakey over the summer, I decided that come what may, the new year would mean a move--either to another city or a different apartment. I knew I wanted out.

So come January 1 I began looking. A couple of days into the apartment search process, I stumbled upon the unimaginable: an unobstructed view of the ocean!

You read that right.

It's the size of a shoebox, but within my budget, and it gets a ridiculous amount of sun. I sign my lease papers later this month and then start the moving process. I'm sofa king excited it's silly.

Listen, I can move to any city in the world, into any building in the world and look into another apartment -- that is likely my future -- but I can only live in one city in the world and have a view like that.

How excited am I? I voluntarily sacrificed (a lot of) closet space. That means there is going to be some serious consigning going on.

No seriously, anyone looking for a dining table? It's really nice.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Changes are afoot.

For the first time in four years, I will have a new job. It's a weird, scary thought - meeting new people, trying to win them over, learning new systems and processes, not having the comforts of the job that I've loved for so many years.

Yikes.

But at the end of the day, change is supposed to be good for the soul - or something like that.

Right?! RIGHT?!?

New job starts September 6, and before I begin, I'm running away. Amsterdam & Berlin, here I come!

I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm all atwitter. Hopefully I don't ruin everything.

REPEAT: Change is good. Change is good. Change is good.