1 Year

Today marks exactly one year from the day I started working in this company, and it's been one doozy of a year.

I remember leaving Boston and flying to Houston the day before. I was excited to be starting my new job, but inexpressibly sad at what was the inevitable end of the recent era in my life. I remember arriving at the hotel in Houston the night before orientation began, unpacking my suitcases, and ordering Greek food for dinner. As I waited for my food to arrive, I sat down on the sofa and curled up in a ball and stared into space. I was terrified. I was finally out on my own, and I was more scared than I could ever remember being. But after a few self-indulgent minutes in the fetal position, I gave myself a mental shake and pep talk. One day at a time. I can handle it.

It's now been 366 days (it was a leap year!), and I've come a long way. I'm still scared a lot of the time because this job likes to throw a lot of curve balls my way, but at least I now know what to expect. Let's revisit a few of the highlights from my year:

For work was sent to 3 states I had never been to before, bringing my total up to 23, so I can no longer say that I've been to more countries than I have US States (I've been to 22 countries). I was drenched by a stunning waterfall in the Ozarks, saw Old Faithful erupt in Yellowstone, and I went skydiving over the fields of Texas.

I spent the 4th of July kayaking through the bayous of Louisiana. I spent my birthday exploring Little Rock, Arkansas. I spent Labor Day on the beach in Duxbury, MA. I went to my office in Lafayette on Halloween dressed in a costume I had made and won a prize. I ate deep-fried Turkey on a rig in Wyoming on Thanksgiving. I spent Christmas in Pennsylvania with my family, and I went to bed at 7pm on New Year's Eve so I could be up for the start of my shift on an offshore rig at 6am the next day.

I certainly look forward to sitting down next year to write about all the interesting things I've done. With any luck the list will be twice as long and ten times as interesting!