Monday, January 28, 2013

The three year itch

Outside of the city I grew up in, three years is the average duration of time I've spent living in a location. 3 years in college town, 3 years in post college town, and now 3 years here.
This past fall when I officially hit my three year mark I thought about having a celebration. I had set down roots and had broken a record.
Now at three years and three months, I am starting to get the itch. The time for change, do something drastic, move to LA itch.
Every other time it was easy. I had graduated college and most of my friends has left town. I wasn't going where I dreamed career wise and hadn't really put down roots, just some temp posts to keep me from blowing over.
But here, here I have a home. I have a church that I love and that loves me. I have friendships that aren't just out of habit or because we live in the same space, but because we desire to be in each others lives and know each other and be known.  I have roots and they are intertwined with the city and the people who live here.
But I still have the itch. The desire for change, for something new.
How easy it would be for me to move cities, for me to crash on a friend's couch for a couple months and get my barrings. (One of the perks of having friends spread out all over the country.)  But I think about my life here and my friends here. No, moving cities for the sake of moving is no longer an option.
And I think about my job, and just up and quiting.  But I wouldn't do that. I am the two weeks notice, responsible type of girl.  Plus we are still in a recession and jobs aren't just growing on trees.
So what do I do? Previously when I have had an itch I couldn't scratch,  I have chopped off my hair, chemically straighten it, and dyed it. The first two aren't happening, I love my long curls. The third is always a possibility.  I have also gotten tattooed,  I have bought a new car, I have painted my apartment,  I have done massive purges of most everything I own. Just got a tattoo,  rearranged my apartment and did a minor purge.
Just enough to make the itch worse, to acknowledge that it is actually there.
Maybe tomorrow I will dye my hair, but if I am not careful I might end up unemployed by the end of the week.