PA–>California. Palm Springs. Joshua Tree. Pasadena. Palm Desert. That was my Labor Day weekend, bookended by two full days of travel. In between, I experienced a street festival, a concert in the desert, caught up with a friend, and visited a zoo (that is one of the best I have ever seen).

It’s no secret I love to travel. For the last three years, I’ve been working at a job that requires me to travel for 4-6 months out of the year. Over the last twelve months, I’ve taken it up a notch with a lot of personal travel. Belize. Utah. Concerts. A cruise. I love exploring new areas, whether it’s three hours from me or across the country (or a different country altogether!). I usually do most of my travel solo. I find it to be very peaceful and cathartic. And while sometimes it would be nice to have a traveling companion, I’m pretty content with exploring solo. It gives me a chance to really reflect on my life while helping me figure out what I like doing and what makes me happy. It also helps me figure out exactly what I can do as well. When I was in Joshua Tree National Park for the concert, I put up my four-person tent all by myself. No mean feat for a camping junkie I’m sure, but for me, who’s never gone camping, let alone put up a tent before (never made it that far in the Boy Scouts), I was really proud of myself. It would’ve been a lot easier with two people for sure, but it’s not impossible for one to do it, and I did it.

This trip was a lot different from my previous venture to the Golden State. That trip was to San Francisco and I was there for a conference, which meant I had limited time for exploring (though I still managed quite a bit). This time around, my only engagement was the concert. Every other second I had was free for exploring, which I did a lot of. And in doing so, I discovered a lot. Mainly that the West Coast is where I belong.

I’ve always loved the West Coast, ever since I started following the Cubs and would watch them in spring training in Mesa, Arizona. And also because I really love the heat. Like, a lot. Then I got to experience it firsthand when I decided to attend college in Arizona. I only stayed for a year (school was too expensive), but I absolutely loved it and met a ton of great people, some of whom I am still friends with to this day. But eight/nine years later and I had forgotten what it felt like to be out there and how much I loved it. I walked off the plane in Palm Springs and was enveloped by the heat. I wasn’t hot so much as it felt like every single cell and pore was filled with warmth. There wasn’t an inch of cold anyway on my body, and that feeling is incredible. I want that feeling all the time. I want summer all year round, with just a little bit of spring and fall sprinkled in throughout.

I’ve been on the East Coast for 28 years and I feel like it is time for a change. No, I know it is time for a change. So I’m moving to California. Southern California specifically. I’ve already started applying for jobs out there and my goal is to move by the middle of 2018 at the latest. It is a big move and will be a huge change in lifestyle, but I’m ready for it. Honestly, I should’ve made this move years ago. I don’t feel like there is anything left for me here and I am just so ready for a change.

For all of my friends and family… of course you can come visit! Seriously, the more people who come out and visit, the better. I’ll be exploring everything that the West Coast has to offer and will show you all as well.

Like always, thank you all for reading. I do appreciate the time you guys take out of your busy days to read my random thoughts. Until next time, may the force be with you.

The lyrics to this post’s title came from Childish Gambino’s California