Officially a full-time Chattanoogan again. Getting used to that will take some time.

Yesterday, I woke up at 4:30 a.m. (after 4 hours of sleep) and left Montgomery County about an hour later. Next time I make the drive to DC, I’ll have to remember to leave super early. By noon, I was already back in Tennessee and able to drive over 65 mph. (Hate Virginia’s speed limit!)

Last week, a co-worker and I were joking that packing is little more than 3-D Tetris (Hi Justin!). Ummm…packing my car with essentials was a work of art. There was literally just enough space for me to sit. When I pulled into the driveway at the Parental’s abode, they were shocked at the amount of stuff crammed in my car and raced to get the camera. I doubt that I could have squeezed a tube of toothpaste in my Accord.

It’s incredibly odd to be back in my parents’ house. I’ve been on my own for so long that it’ll be interesting. However, I’m grateful for this opportunity since I’ll be able to save for a down payment much faster. The Chattanooga housing market doesn’t even compare to DC. You can buy a condo here for under $80,000! No, I’m not missing any digits in front of that. The cheapest condos that I ever found in DC were around $200,000 for a studio. Not only is housing more affordable, but there’s no income tax in Chattanooga!!!!! Just by moving here, I got a raise.

This morning, I attended services at Lookout Mountain Pres and then headed over to Embrace. I’ve followed the church plant for so long that it was awesome to attend. I was blown away. The leadership team has done an amazing job with few resources. However, the best part is seeing the dreams of Beka and Dana come true. Count this as the first of many plugs for Embrace. If you’re looking for a new church home in Chattanooga, come by for visit. At the very least, you’ll get a free breakfast and meet GFTS.

Embrace meets at Loose Cannon Art Gallery on the Southside. Another reason I love Chattanooga–urban renewal. Why did no one mention CreateHere to me? What a great concept! It almost makes me wish I had gone to art school like I planned for most of my life instead of pursuing communications and politics. Well, maybe not. I was never that good and a steady paycheck makes me happy. The field of watercolors isn’t that profitable. (Neither is politics but at least you win some campaigns).

Tomorrow, my career transitions from social media diva to nonprofit fundraising and communications. There’s still some social media involved, but I’ll be returning more to my communication roots. I may even need to pull out my AP Styleguide! Time to change from public health policy to bleeding-heart nonprofit. Anyone willing to pull out their checkbooks?

According to the calendar, I roll out of DC one week from today.

I’ve been contemplating this move for so long that hasn’t felt real. Well, reality is starting to hit me…and I’m excited.

It’s not that I hate DC, or my life here is horrible. Quite the opposite in fact. However, I’m really excited about my new job and getting to do a lot of everything in communications. As much as I love social media, I have gotten too specialized the last few years.

I’m also excited to take part in the day-to-day existence of those that I love. It’s hard to keep up important relationships from a distance.

I’m not leaving DC forever. There’s a good chance that I’ll move back in a few years to pursue my PhD. In fact, moving back to Chattanooga will help me accomplish that. If I end up not moving back, DC is always a great place for vacations. I promise to be a model tourist and not stand on the left side of Metro escalators.

It is getting harder to say goodbye to friends. Last week, Pastor Chris at NCC prayed for me, and I just wanted to cry. Leaving my church family is the hardest thing about leaving DC. NCC has been an incredible experience.

The best part of this move is that I know 110 percent that this is what I’m supposed to do. That’s an awesome feeling.

I’m sure that after the reality of (temporarily) moving back into my parents’ house and the realization hits that everyone in Chattanooga over the age of 23 is married or engaged, I’ll have a few more things to say. As of right now, I’m excited for a new adventure in my old hometown.

I just realized today that I move in exactly three weeks. 21 days and counting.

It overwhelms me to think about everything that needs to get done before I leave. I’m taking week-by-week, or a freak out will ensue. Hopefully, I’ve learned something about stress management over the past two years.

*The movers are booked and final schedules set. It ended up being far cheaper to go with U-Pack than renting a truck and driving home. The truck rental was the same cost as the pod-type moving companies, but it cost extra to include the trailer to haul my good Honda home and gas. With gas at $3.50 a gallon, that’s a few extra hundred bucks. I’ll make a full report on using U-Pack. The concept is great–the drop off the “ReloCubes” and give you a few days to pack them. Then they pick them up and deliver them to your address. So much easier than U-Hauling, especially after my previous experiences.

*Hopefully, I’ve told everyone that I need to tell. I hate that a few people found out through Facebook. I’m sorry if you found out that way.

*The DC Roomie is throwing a going away part for me on March 29. Contact me if you should be invited, but haven’t been. I tried to get everyone in the DC area.

*Oddly enough, I think I sold my car. A coworker is interested in buying. The IKEA chairs on the other hand–no buyers! Oh well, it’s just more furniture to lug around. IKEA will likely follow me for a while. They’re great chairs, and Maven Mom can be bribed to make slipcovers for me.

*Last week, the Roomie forced me to start throwing stuff away. I fully confess to being a pack rat, so I needed de-junking counseling. I literally hauled box after box into the living room, and she helped me sort through it. Thus far, I’ve donated two car loads of stuff to Goodwill. When the Roomie hasn’t been around, I’ve asked myself, “Would Mrs. M keep it?” 9 times out of 10, I toss it. Thank God for friends who don’t have clutter addictions.

*I went through my box of miscellaneous papers and found parking tickets from UT and bills dating back to 2000. Did I mention that I was a pack rat? Shredding those UT parking tickets felt like sticking it to the Big Orange Screw. I’m four years out of college and still relish getting back at UT. Does that feeling ever go away?

*My last week in DC is pretty crazy, so I’ve started packing. The apartment will look sad for the party, but it’s the only time that I can do it. I actually developed a packing strategy. Apparently when you go to grad school for a degree in strategic communications, you approach everything by developing a plan. It’s second nature now.

*Right now, my prayer is that this doesn’t happen the day that I move.

One of the things that I’m going to miss the most about DC is Trader Joe’s. The grocery store is really that awesome. Organic and healthy food at cheap prices with witty signs and labels. Who can beat that?

Trader Joe’s also has a great wine selection in states that allow grocery stores to sell wine. Framboise Lambic at $9 a bottle and Two Buck Chuck. Those are things that I’ve become accustomed to buying with ease. As of now, I’m going to have to drive to Atlanta for my favorite beer, hormone-free chicken and organic pita bread.

The movement to allow grocery stores to sell wine and alcohol gives me hope that Trader Joe’s may come to the Volunteer State.

Sure the issue is fueled by special interests. Yes, there’s a stupid and rather naive debate going on about PR firms engaging in advocacy issues. But isn’t it time that we liberate our alcoholic beverages? What about our “right” to buy wine on demand? Plus the law of supply and demand would lower the prices if grocers could stock alcohol. Alcohol would be cheaper for poor people. Thus, the free market rules and poor people are helped. It’s the perfect bipartisan issue.

Basically, I’m for anything that brings Trader Joe’s to Chattanooga.

I’ve had years of cramped-up city life
Trapped like a duck in a pen
All I know is it’s a pity life
Can’t be simple again

Rocky Top you’ll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol’ Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee,
Rocky Top Tennessee

Girl from the South will soon be blogging in the South.

That’s right folks. I’m moving back to Chattanooga in a month!

Oh, come on. I know that none of you are surprised…

The official announcement went out today at work, so now I can tell people. I’ve taken a job at a nonprofit in Chattanooga. If I do my job right, those in the area should figure out where I’m working.

This decision took a long time. Truthfully, I felt God calling me back for a while, but I fought it. For about a year.

Last spring, I read about Laura’s journey back to Nashville after teaching in Indonesia for a couple of years. I kept thinking, “How does she know, absolutely know, that God is telling her to do something?” I think that I have a better idea now. The events over the last few months have been pretty incredible.

Two years ago, I moved to DC, eager to become a conservative politico with a fancy M.A. from American University. I happily traded in Wal-Mart for Whole Foods, moved to a wealthy DC neighborhood and turned my nose down at the ‘burbs and the sad, little people who go to strip malls.

Then I realized that in my heart, I was a suburbanite. I even like shopping at Wal-Mart. That fancy M.A. from American came with a hefty price tag that makes shopping at Whole Foods and living in a wealthy DC suburb nearly impossible.

This isn’t a “DC sucks” post. I still love the District. However, at this point, I’m supposed to to be in Chattanooga. Who knows, maybe I’ll be back in a few years.

Ah, thirty more days…

To be honest, I forgot about updating GFTS until Maven Mom call this afternoon and asked about it. I’m not sure why she called me about reading my blog since she could inquire about my well-being over the phone. However, it’s nice to hear from my readers, even if that reader is under parental obligations.

Thursday, I left the District for a work trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Aside from finally learning how to spell the name, I was excited to visit a new state. My great-great-grandparents homesteaded near ABQ, so I’ve always wanted to visit.

While sitting in DCA on Thursday, I heard the final boarding call for a flight to Chattanooga. A wave of homesickness washed over me. There’s something odd about Chatt. Once you live there, nothing else quite compares. The city should publish a disclaimer that the longer you’re away, the more you miss it.

My flight finally landed in ABQ late Thursday night. When I opened the curtains to my hotel room on Friday morning, I was greeted by the beautiful Sandia Mountains against a bright blue sky. Immediately, I longed to have my watercolors to paint the mountains. It’s been years since I was inspired to paint something, and watercolors are perfect for capturing the West.

I finished up the work part of my trip late Friday afternoon, so I took off for the mountains. The Sandia Tram was highly recommended, and I managed to ride the world’s longest tram right at sunset. It was amazingly gorgeous. Sadly, my camera takes horrible night shots.

(more…)

What happens to the angels that aren’t adopted from the Salvation Army or other charitable organizations?

Yesterday Maven Mom called me in tears. She and a neighbor had volunteered to hand out presents at a senior center and found out. Due to a shortage of adoptions this year, she had to tell 2/3 of them that they didn’t have any presents for Christmas. It was especially hard when most of them only asked for slippers, crock pots, socks or lip gloss.

Read Maven Mom’s editorial on Chattanoogan here. That iPod Nano on the Christmas list? It would buy a lot of Crock Pots.

There’s an Arrested Development joke in here somewhere, but I’m fascinated by the concept of a Segway tour of Downtown Chattanooga. It may be worth the $35 to see the Scenic City at a faster pace than walking but slower than a car and without the exercise benefit of a bike.

Downtown Segway tour Chattanooga Times-Free Press 12.14.07

Sadly no pictures.

H/T Maven Mom

One of the highlights of being home this weekend was watching the UT game with McGuyver Dad just like we did when I lived in-state. What a game! After sitting through four overtime periods, I’m fairly certain that God is a Vol fan. ATL here we come!

Now the difficult family rivalry emerges. GFTS is the black sheep of the family who opted to attend UT over LSU. This is the ONLY time that Maven Mom takes a passing interest in football, and McGuyver Dad is faced with the difficult decision of which team to support. But as Maven Mom put it today, “The only thing UT got from your father and I was tuition money.”

I wish we could go to the game in Atlanta. I’d even sit in the LSU section. The atmosphere would be more entertaining there. Drunk Cajuns are always funny, and the food would be good. They would probably even have jambalaya.

GEAUX VOLS!!!

Had Beka not put up a Facebook message about my trip home next week, I would have forgotten that I’m flying out of here on Tuesday.

Despite the hopes of some liberals, I haven’t fallen off the face of the planet. Work has just be supremely busy. I mean busy in an incredibly serious manner, and not my usual melodramatic exaggerations. I’m sure all my co-workers who read this blog now (thanks to Facebook or the WaPo Express), would back me up. A few days went by when I actually forgot that I had a blog.

It’s all good though. When I enjoy it, I don’t mind being a workaholic.

I’m pretty psyched to get home. It’s been about 4 months since I saw the family and Chattabuddies. Coco, the dog from the South has forgotten my existence, and I’m looking forward to a brief respite from the Beltway. The thought of shopping at Wal-mart makes me happy!

This weekend, I must have felt college nostalgia. Saturday, I wore an a Volunteer orange polo shirt with a Tennessee zip-up hoodie. Since I never get to pull out the Vol wear, I paired it with my Power T scarf, gloves and purse. (The Crocs stayed home.) Of course I ended up running into my friend Sarah from college. She’s now in an SIS grad program at American, and laughed at my Vol fever. It did look like I was leaving Neyland Stadium sans alcoholic beverage.

Sunday, John stopped by from a visit on his way home from New York. It was great to catch up with him and hang out. We ended up taking the Monument March of Death late Sunday night. My two favorite times to see DC are at night and when it snows. The WWII monument is breathtaking at night. The lighting and fountains are amazing. It’s my favorite monument.

All the college friends are so spread out now that I don’t get to see everyone very often. John, come back and visit, and Nathan–I’m expecting a visit sometime soon. Philadelphia isn’t that far from here.

Tonight, I received a fall care package from Maven Mom with special pumpkin spice soap. I wish that we could send smells over the web. This smells better than a pumpkin spice frappachino. When is she going to start selling this stuff? If I walked into Lush, this bar of soap would have cost at least $10. Maven Mom soap is the best in the world. Who else has a mother who makes organic, homemade soap?

Can you tell that I haven’t read the news or checked my email lately? All I have tonight are updates from GFTS world. At least I’m alive and checking in with the blogosphere. My next post may not be until Chattanooga…