Question: Why Did You Move To Arizona

Why did you move to Arizona? If I hear this question one more time I might start charging people for the answer, because I would possibly make next months rent if I charged. Sometimes one answer just does not seem to suffice, so I could create a two-for-one special off multiple answers.

When someone moves do not ask them why, because for a person to actually uproot themselves from the only place they called home for 28 years, more than likely the answer to this question requires a trip to Starbucks for a two hour conversation over a Skinny Vanilla Latte (or a glass of wine and some mac-a-la-truffle if a Starbucks of this class appears in your neighborhood).

Why I moved could be answered in the following ways: Live on my own, gain independence, hang with my bestie and her baby, ran away from Mr. Heartbreaker who conveniently contacted me before leaving (I say conveniently, because a giant flashing neon sign that reports “SHE IS MOVING ON FINE WITHOUT YOU”, makes him feel suddenly compelled to wonder how you are doing...typical male move), felt stuck in a rut, wanted to try something different, excited to not know what will happen next week or a month from now, complete freedom to do whatever I want, finally gaining control of my own destiny…need more, because now I might start charging.

 Along with the reasons above, moving to a completely different place requires a multitude of ways to answer, “Why did you move to Arizona?” At the beginning of the week, the millions of reasons why I did move clouded the real focus of my move to the land of the scorpions.

After attempting to register my car for Arizona license plates (that sh#$ cray…peace late Cali), I called my dad to talk about the experience. I felt homesick a little bit all week and my dad said a few short words to me about everything, “Forget about all the people and things going on out here in California. Remember you went there for a purpose to write and develop yourself. Don’t lose site of why you are there.”

Although the list of reasons I moved could fill up an entire hour interview with Oprah, I pretty quickly stopped being homesick and felt excited about the million answers to why I moved, and especially about the answer at the top of the list.

Question: Why did you move to Arizona?

Answer: So I could follow my dream to write, and not because I love 115 degree weather…just sayin’.

Overwhelming Bipolarism

The best word I would use to describe the way I felt after my new journey started this week would be, overwhelmed (For those of you just signing on I moved from California to Arizona).

All week I felt overwhelmed by my move, I remained in deep thought, full of emotions of the fear of loneliness, as I attempt to live by myself for the first time. Fear of acceptance by new coworkers, customers and people. Fear of the unknown of what tomorrow will bring. But then suddenly throughout all the fears, I started to feel extreme excitement towards the end of the week about it all. (Bipolar hormonal tendencies exist in all women).

Let me illustrate a prime example of how extremely bipolar I became this week, during my overwhelming life changing experience…

One night while conversing with my new coworkers, I discovered that a place where they house criminals resides near me. At first I didn’t think to much about it, because a place referred to as the “Farm” in Orange County practically sat in my backyard for 16 years, but since my emotions seem to be causing me to have mental issues, when I returned home from work that night I tripped harder than a hippie at Woodstock, over the fact that a police helicopter decided to hover over my apartment with its search lights on.

Being completely alone, in a completely different land equals the thing that most overwhelmed me this week. Not knowing anyone in this town scared me. Not feeling capable of completely protecting myself, if my brief thought of a jail breaker catapulting his way into my apartment became reality. I barely slept a wink that night (to feel better when I sleep at night, I might be on the road to taking part in the Arizona Law that allows me to keep a firearm next to my nightstand…just sayin’).

After a discussion with my Arizona mom, I realized towards the end of the week that I live in a safe place, I need to stop letting my mind over analyze every situation (but alas the mind of a writer takes you to some pretty craynuts places), the unknown should not be something I fear, and that I will be learning how to shoot a gun properly in the near future.

Being overwhelmed by new situations life presents, I realized happens to everyone. The key to releasing the fears and overwhelming emotions would be to stay busy and remind yourself the reasons why you chose to make the change. Also learning the art of protecting yourself when venturing into the unknown alone, just makes life a little less scary…just sayin’.

2013 Theme

Quotes, songs, people, and tricky situations all make cameos in my life for a particular purpose and this will always be something I firmly believe in. With every quote read from Marilyn Monroe, bad experience, failed attempt at love, or latest hit single by Bruno Mars or Muse, all these elements of life share a significant ability to help me learn something new about myself or take me a few steps closer to figuring out the purpose for my life.

My beginning to 2013 involved catching this awful FLU virus that plagues our nation, working full time, packing for my life change move to the desert, and spending time with people I will dearly miss, while I take my life in a new direction.  My emotions about the physical act of leaving my hometown for the past 29 years and the first few weeks of 2013 would be described as, bitter sweet.

Today on my lunch break the quote above appeared on my Facebook “News Feed” (I use quotations, because most Facebook status’s would not be described as “newsworthy” in any of my journalism classes during college…we should probably call it a Life Feed…just sayin).  For the past two weeks I shared my move with my dear customers at work, who I will miss as well, each one asked me why I decided to move, my answer now to everyone will be the quote above (most people think I might possibly be insane for leaving the beautiful land of Southern California).

As I started growing older and closer to my 30’s, I began to realize life might be a lot shorter than I anticipated. As a child I couldn’t wait to be 16 so I could drive, I wanted to be 18 so people would see me as an adult (LOL 18 shouldn’t even be close to the legal adult age in this country), or 21 so I could legally buy alcohol, but around 25 the reality of true adulthood hit after college and sh@# got real pretty fast. No one hands things to you as easily as my dad handed me his ATM card for mini-shopping sprees at Target during high school, and now I realize that constant change becomes necessary to achieve things I dreamed of providing for myself as a child (You know…the ideas we all daydream about for our adult selves).

The beginning of my 2013 enlightened me to the reasons why I decided to move, because the songs, quotes, people and situations I experienced in 2012 helped me recognize what I desired for my future (my parents provided a lot for me growing up, but they do not hold the key to my own personal success and happiness).  I no longer want to wait for other people to see my potential, and as every year passes, I no longer feel time remains on my side.

The world will continue without me one day, but as I enter the last year of my 20’s, (which excites me since I now believe I rock at life and I’m finally moving closer towards my goal of cutting my umbilical cord from my parents) I feel compelled to start my own change and spend more time working towards reaching the highest potential I am capable of achieving during my time spent on this beautiful Earth.

P.S. I look forward to 2013 and the path it holds for me, what quote or realization inspired you at the beginning of this year?