Final Blog Entry

Well, I figured I'd better sign off now. I've finally found my groove being back at home and am settling in nicely to a daily routine, finding peace with my scattered, unorganized exsistance, and progressing down my never ending to do lists. I have plenty to keep me busy over the next few months and enough motivation to keep me going for much longer. Right now the plan is to stay in Sacramento through the holidays and then hopefully, move either to the Bay Area or to Portland. I guess it all depends on where I can find a job. So please, keep your eyes and ears open for me! Public health, nutrition, journalism, marketing, I'm open to just about anything. Thanks for following along during my journey to 14 countries and 3 continents. It was your encouraging words, your hilarious comments, and knowing that I had a band of supporters at home that kept me going during those tough times when all I wanted to do was book the next flight home. I've uploaded the rest of my photos, so feel free to check them out: www.picasaweb.google.com/dona.j.francis

My email address is: dona.j.francis@gmail.com and as you know, I always love to hear from you! Thanks again for the support and as always remember, Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. What the world needs is people who have come alive! -Sparrowrose Howard Thurman

Adjusting to Life at Home

I've been home for 2 weeks, and all in all, I've loved every moment of it. But today, suddenly things changed. I woke up irritated, pangs of anxiety coursed through me as I thought of everything that I have managed to pile onto my plate. Starting a non-profit, being Emily's college counselor, helping my mom with the impossible task of getting her organized and her finances on track, and of course, running errands for her. I have friends to see, need to start looking for a job, have to organize my photos into a scrapbook, and Monday I start working for Michelle as Mia's nanny. Thing after thing has gone wrong today, and despite constantly working on a project or checking things off of my to do list, I feel like I've accomplished nothing! What I wouldn't give for an 8 hour bus ride and the ability to stare off into the oblivion. I wish I could just zone out in front of the TV, but I have absolutely zero tolerance for TV these days. I get antsy watching movies and lose all concentration during TV shows, I prefer books and listening to music, but when you just feel like zoning, there's nothing better than TV. Being a type A person, one who loves structure and organization, I'm struggling with having no solid place of my own. I split my time between Michelle's and my mom's; half of my stuff still in boxes, the rest scattered between the two places. My room at Michelle's is Michaels and my room at my mom's is her office. I have no where to go that is just mine and that notion alone is what is motivating me to find a job for the new year. I don't want to live this transient lifestyle anymore, I want stability, routine, and independence.