It's all about the blog

Today is it! The beginning and the potential end of it all. Well at least the end of work for six months and I'm pretty dang excited about it. I've been thinking about this day for a while now - really about waking up tomorrow. I contemplate how I'm going to feel, what will the emotions be, will it set in that I'm now free from work and embarking on this journey for six months or will that not sink in until I get back from South America and get to be in San Francisco doing nothing while everyone else is working. Giving that my planning was perhaps not the greatest and I'm getting up for an 8:30AM flight tomorrow to Peru I think it will be the latter. The next three weeks will be like vacation, yet I get to for once remind myself that work is not waiting for me back here. Awesome!

People have asked me of course what I'm doing over the next few months (you're not having a baby right?!?) and then upon hearing about the travels and what not the ask to see pictures, hear stories, and just generally keep up with me. So here's my answer to that, a blog. I've always wanted to start a blog but just never had any ideas that I felt blog worthy. I can't say for sure that I'll have earth shattering things to say or comment on, but I can guarantee lots of photos and an attempt of humor along the way. When I really have some time I'll try to actually focus on getting a bit more fancy and high tech, for now it's the basics and I'm sticking with my trusty buddies at Blogger and Google. After being at Google since before Blogger even existed you'd think I might know how this tool worked but honestly this past weekend was the first time I'd ever gone to blogger.com to look at how to create one. Bad employee, I know! But that's exactly why I need to get my head out of my ass and look around, try out new things, discover the world around me - to quote one of my favorites Ferris Bueller: 'Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.' 

As I thought about the name for this to-be created blog there've been a few different iterations and ideas but for now I've settled on 'D is for Discover'. I'm going to work with it for a while and see how I feel. I may be inspired by something else soon and that'd be great. 

The story behind the name is that I have a new necklace made by a fantastic guy Chris Pan with the word Discover on it. I selected the word for myself as part of the My Intent project. Chris and his friend Ingrid started this company called MyIntent.org making bracelets and necklaces for people with a simple word or phrase selected by the individual. It's meant to trigger conversation among people but I think also make you as the wearer think hard about what the right word for you right now is, and how are you going to live up to that word or be reminded by that word each day. I love my necklace and the idea of both the community and personal aspects. I told Chris that I selected Discover because I hope that in this time away from Google, away from the free food, shuttles, schedule, and cushy-ness of the company I've been in for 11.5 years I will discover life beyond Google and a direction, purpose, and drive that I've not had before. I'd been thinking about my word for a number of months and it was only in December that I finally felt a connection to Discover and felt that I had found a word of purpose. This necklace was the first piece of the puzzle that I'm going to put together and discover over the next six months. 

I recommend thinking about what your word is. What is it right now that drives you, that you want to be reminded of, that has a special meaning? If you want a necklace or bracelet so you can keep the conversation going check it out here at myintent.org.

One last shuttle ride sitting in traffic up 101 before it begins. I can guarantee that I will not miss the shuttle and commute part of my days!

If all goes well I'll be in Cusco bright and early Friday morning and the real fun will begin!

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xoxo