Only God knows where I've been

And now..after a two month hiatus...on with my life story.

 You can stop holding your breath in anticipation.

 (if you are still alive after holding your breath for two months!)

So, I finished graduate school at age 27 and did what every Masters Educated 27 year old does.

I moved home. 

(my life story is so badass, amirite?)

It took me about a month to find a job and in that month I read every single poem ever written by Emily Dickinson and crossed that off my Bucket List.

 (if you ever want to read about nature and death...look no further)

Nature and Death...and more Nature and Death. 

I started work as a "program specialist" at BARC.

 Which used to stand for "Bucks County Association for Retarded Citizens" before 'retarded' became no longer politically correct. 

I have no idea what it stands for now

I was basically a case manager at a day program for adults with intellectual disabilities. 

Because, as we see throughout my life, I had no plan and just flailed along until I found a job.

This job was interesting, tough, and not what I thought I would be doing. 

I was passing out meds, occasionally helping people in the bathroom, doing a lot of mindless paperwork, holding meeting that served no purpose, working part time in a group home at night, and wondering why I had just gone into so much debt to do this.

I did get to meet one amazing girl though.

 Her name is (or was before she got married) Karen Pepper.

 She later got her doctorate.

 Making her officially Dr. Pepper.

 Coolest thing ever. 

I stole this from her facebook. Like a stalker. 

She only lasted at BARC about a month. It's kind of an intense job.

 My CNA training was the only thing that kept me there for 9 months. 

I was used to the craziness and unrealistic job expectations.

 I am much more uncomfortable in a professional setting than I am in a high stress, running around kind of job.

Anyway, I mention Karen because she is one of the 3 people I have met in my life who REALLY got me.

(yes, I have a list of people. Besides my sisters- who are truly the ONLY people on Earth who completely get me)

She challenged me and made me feel like I was sharpening my brain and my sense of humor with every interaction. 

One thing I do almost every day is feel like I am 'dumbing myself down' or playing a role. I have no idea why.

Maybe because people don't really get me.

 But she did. 

She and I used to talk only in Guns and Roses song lyric quotes around other employees.

They must have thought we were insane. 

Anyway, by this point Danielle and Jack had moved to North Carolina and they had 3 kids.

(this was before the arrival of the infamous Katherine the Great)

I visited them a few times and I missed my niece and nephews so much. 

So, I decided to move down to the South. 

Without a job.

Without a plan. 

With just enough money to last a month or two. 

Other than my mission, it was the best decision I ever made for my life. 

That, though, is the next chapter in this life story.

Lori Ann