Flickr Photo by Alaskan Dude

Goodbye, Wyoming. Montana is calling. Change is coming.

Part of moving to Montana is creating a life that is better suited to me. It might sound simple, but in reality it is hard to accomplish. The patterns, choices and behaviors we create in other places tend to follow us around, some good and some bad. 

So it's baby steps - living in a townhouse IN TOWN, starting a new career that is better suited to talents and skills that I want to develop and explore. I'm not anchored, but I'm not feeling so lost at sea in a new place. Perhaps I've moved from floating around in an inner tube to an inflatable raft with a paddle... 

So, bear with me, I just have to tell you about this job. For the last few years I have been tied to a position that complemented my education but not necessarily built on personal interests. Don't get me wrong, I like what I accomplished but I slowly developed new paths - social media, websites, digital mapping, design. I assumed there was little chance I could actually land a position doing these things considering my previous employment and the economy... but what do you know... I actually did!

I'm managing websites, social media, publications, and graphic design and involved in creating interactive content, iBooks, interpretive signs and visitor experiences (and all on a Mac, no less). I will travel to London, Germany, and New York to work with powerhouse communications and publishing firms. And, the cherry on top, I'll be working with National Geographic in D.C. to create NatGeo-branded maps, video, and other projects. Pretty much a geography nerd's dream.

I also have to throw in that I'm so encouraged by my new co-workers. Not only are they dedicated, intelligent professionals, they are genuine, thoughtful and full of integrity. That, and we floated a local river my first day with a cooler of beer. Enough said.

No more bragging, just a big hello to the Big Sky state. Even if I thought I was going to feel alone here, that hasn't been the case just yet. In fact, I ran into my cousin at Costco on Monday. I haven't seen her in 15 years so I hope she didn't think my 25lb bag of flour was weird. And if she did... I guess she's still on the right track.