The big move

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Most of you know I've wanted out of Ohio for well... as long as I can remember. Toledo was a great time. As great a college experience as you can ask for. Lots of ups... a few downs... but all in all a great time and a decent town (for four years.) But anyone who has ever spent a winter there knows that it can get just a little depressing at time. Anyway I hate the cold and I wanted out. I just needed someplace warm to go.

I'm getting a little ahead of myself. After graduating my best roommate ever, Faye and I moved to a high-rise apartment in downtown Toledo. The landlady happened to forget to mention that they were building a new hockey arena next door and we would be plagued with construction for months but we forgave her. Eventually. One day last July while visiting her parents Faye introduced me to her childhood friend Justin. He was a teacher who lived in Naples and spent his summers in Ohio with his family so that how we happened to meet. To make a long story short, we began dating and continued a long distance relationship when he left for the school year. By February I'd had enough of the long flights, short weekends, trying to make a relationship over the phone, the cold weather in Toledo and my miserable job. I applied for a transfer, packed up everything that could fit in my car (including my cat who was wonderful on the trip.) I said goodbye to friends, my Faye - who I still can't believe I don't see everyday :( and jumped in I-75 for about 22 hours. I'll never forget that tri p. Several people had kindly offered to make the drive with me but it was something I needed to do alone. It was a big step. This was real life, venturing out on my own for good, and I needed to do some thinking on the way. I barely slept the night before and hit the road about 5:40. Right away the highway was scary. The winds were gusting at 15-25 miles and hour and they were blowing snow and my car all over the road. After a while it cleared up and I was so happy to see dawn break. It was an easy drive, just follow the same highway. I passed town after town, places in Ohio that I'd heard of but never knew where they were. And now that I knew, I'd probably never see them again. I drove and drove, just waiting for the weather to warm up. I listened to my ipod , then the radio, the ipod again. Exhaust a tank of gas, fill up, drive some more, do it again. I'm lucky gas was only $3.09 back in February. I remember getting hung up in rush hour traffic in Atlanta. So stressful - I could never live through that day in and day out. Once I got through the city I pressed on trying to make up for lost time but Soco (my cat) called an end to that. A little outside Atlanta she started meowing and yammering away so I stopped in Forsyth , GA for the night. The next day I got up and hit the road early again. Once I hit Florida I was very excited but I still had about 6 hours to go. I reached Naples around 2 in the afternoon. Finally, I was here :)