I. Intro what this blog is about:

I'm usually not a big journal writer.  I have attempted this healthy habit many times before and am only left with several journal books with cute covers and blank pages after the first 2 or 3 pages.  But now thanks to modern technology and cool Yahoo free software and services I will begin my first blog.  There are several reasons to why I feel I will be "more" successful in maintaining a journal of my life. I am beginning to enter a new segment of my life.  The path I'm about to take will be (or hopefully) be the most exicting (or frightening) time of my life.  Check out MySpace site at www.myspace.com/coolabcgirl.  1)  Earlier I quit my job as an accountant to persue a degree relating to my life passion, art.  I have been unemployed, with the encouragement of my husband, during my educational career.  Keeping the future in mind, I have been looking for a legitimate job since January 2007, as of today still no luck.  This was the time when my husband quit his engineering job at Garmin and began his Ph.D in computer engineering (at the great persistance of his advisor to start early).  It has been about 2 months and we both are now unemployed.  This then leads us to the next factor leading to my life changing path.  2)With no certain income forcasted in the near future, I have decided to sell my home of 5 years.  There was a lot of mixed feelings about this, but I have come to terms and decided the home is great but its time for me to move on.   The ongoing home market slup does nothing for my spirits, however, with an optimistic real estate agent, I have packed up the house and am ready to move at a drop of a dime.  I could of course pick any accounting job and easily support my home, but that would only defeat the whole purpose of me going back to school for Art History.  I certainly will ,at all cost, avoid going back to the slump I was at prior to the schooling.  3) My husband and I have considered me moving to Rolla, Missouri, where he is now residing.  After long consideration, WE agreed that there is nothing for me in Rolla.  No job possiblies, and no educational advancement related to my field of interest.  Univeristy of Missouri-Rolla consists of nothing but engineeners.  Husband's advisor suggested majority wifes of local instructors and students passed their time as...librarians.  Count me out.  Husband's degree program will take 3 years.  Also I have not completed my Masters degree in Kansas City.  I am finishing up my last required course for the degree this semester and I will be on my own to complete my thesis from here on out.  

II. Factors setting my next course:

In summary, I will be free from  mortage, family, and job and a bit of money in the bank. I'm free.  I'm in no hurry to be anywhere.  What's next for me?  Not everyone gets this opportunity, I feel the possiblities are endless.  From here on out I will keep a blog to update you and my many supporting friends and family of how I will utilize my new found freedom.  First and foremost, these new opportunities I am considering would not have been possible if it were not for my husband, who worked hard to build my self-esteem, cheered me on through college, and now trusting and allowing me to explore adventures, some could only dream of.  I want the world to know, I love my husband and am truely greatful of him putting up with me.  Without him, I would have never known experiences of a 'spoiled wife' nor the open opportunities waiting ahead for me.  Granted my husband and I love spending time together, we constantly challenge ourselves which in one case resulted in creating www.gurulib.com. Rana Basheer has literally given me the world. 

III. The plan and course plotted:

All these plans will of course be dependent on the sale of my home.  My plans have slowly emerged overtime as I explored and asked myself questions to discover what will make me happy.  I started looking into simply finding a job in a warmer location.  I have been submitting resumes all over the country, but nothing bit.  What am I going to to while I'm still job searching?  Then it hit me, why not travel overseas.  Since I'm unemployed I will not be restricted to 3-5 day vacation that employers so graciously offer.  I can take a 2 week trip or a month.  It will be up to me, not my job.  The proceeds from the sale of the home  will fund me through my ventures.  Part of Husband's stipen will also provide a modest steady income.  I intially considered traveling to a place relevant to my thesis topic, but that didn't stop there.  My youngest sister will be traveling with her school to Europe during the summer, and I constantly wished I could go with her.  Then a light bulb came on, .. you guessed it.  Why not?  I have always said I wanted to bike through Europe, pay homage to sites  where the world's greatest art history took place.  To spare you the menial details of my brainstorm process, my plans now goes as follows:

1. Fly to Switzerland (ZRH) and bike the Swiss alps for 4 days into Bazel, a town boardering Germany, France, and Switzerland.   http://www.tripsite.com/tours/daytoday.cfm?id=1141&cat_id=101

2. Take a train from Bazel north to Strasburg, Germany to visit the birthplace of Mozart and setting of "The Sound of Music". 

3.Then after all that needs to be visited is visited, I would train into Paris for the famous Lourve and Varsialle.  Thanks to Art History classes, I have indept knowledge of these places.  For example, if and when I reach Italy, I will be looking for the painting of a man and 'his' snake in the Sistine Chapel wall near the Pope's entry and exit doorway.  All you art historians out there understand the running joke pertaining to that particular image by Michelangelo.

4.  I want to take my time in each place so I will not pressure myself to see Europe (or France) all at once.  If all goes well, I will leave from Paris and perhaps visit my family in China.  I will not have to worry too much about expenses since the chinese are great in spoiling their guests, especailly ones from America. :). 

5. This is far reach and is still on the drawing boards, I may leave from China to India where my husband would also fly in from America.  We had purchased a home in Karala, which is surrounded by coconut trees, scenic backwaters, with nearby ocean view!  The house on the property is old and we will consider a plan in rebuilding the house.  But this is a bit much.  So after China (hopfully with a completed thesis) I will return home.

This may seem much but as I said before, the itenary will be up to me, not school, job, or unfed plants.  I also don't want to leave my freinds hanging so I look forward to keeping in touch with all of them.  I hope this provides a good background in setting the plot of this blog.  As always, I greatly encourage all you readers help  provide me ideas, suggestions, or encouragement throughout my journey.  Thank you for support.

Yours truly, Chris