Why Do I Live Here?

_Jon asked why we live where we live and I thought this was a pretty interesting meme to answer.

You can just skim this next section...it's just to give you an idea of the professional moving experience I have had.

1981 - 29 Palms, CA
1982 - Camp Lejeune, NC (Jacksonville)
1984 - Yuma, AZ
1986 - Okinawa, Japan
1988 - Ft. Gordon, GA (Augusta)
1990 - Rolla, MO
1991 - Camp Lejeune, NC (Jacksonville)
1992 - Rolla, MO
1993 - Camp Lejeune, NC (Jacksonville)
1994 - Henderson Hall, VA (Sterling)
1995 - Camp Lejeune, NC (Jacksonville)
1998 - 29 Palms, CA
1999 - Columba, Missouri (College)
2000 - 29 Palms, CA
2002 - Yuma, AZ
2003 - New Bern, NC
2004 - Wilmington, NC
2004 - Columbia, SC

So how did I get here?

When I lived in Yuma, I was the Asst. Manager of a *insert name of company here* store. These stores are owned by different companies in different regions. I was bored, ready for something different and exciting. I wanted to be near the water and trees! So...I faxed my resume' to every *name of company* store on the east coast. Well, one of these stores needed a manager, I did a phone interview, and was offered a position. I sold the little furniture I had, loaded everything I owned into my Explorer, and Kiki and I drove across country to North Carolina in about 2 1/2 days.

People started to get more polite and friendly the further east I got. I remember stopping for gas in Louisiana and they had the old fashioned pumps with the turning numbers. I went inside to give them my credit card to "prepay" and the lady looked at me like I was an alien. Well, I guess in the south, they trust you and you don't have to prepay.

I left Arizona June 1st and started work at the new store on June 5th. 13 months later, I received a promotion and they moved me 90 miles to Wilmington, NC. 3 months later, they decided they wanted me somewhere different and moved me 220 miles south to Columbia, SC.

And that is how I arrived here!

Next on my list is looking like Albuquerque, NM or El Paso, TX. We'll see this summer!