Making a change

[scarlettina]

So I was in Portland this weekend, as many of you know. I was there for a National Geographic photography seminar. Excellent day, excellent weekend, really.

But what most of you don't know is that it's the start of a much larger process. And it's not something I've really talked about because it's such a big project that it could have fallen through at any point. But enough elements are in place now that I can finally share what's going on.

I came back from Africa, and it was really a big deal, that whole trip. Many of you have seen the pictures. It really changed my life. I've been talking, quietly, with Earthwatch, and now I can announce the plans.

Over the next two months, I'm going to be packing things up here in Seattle, putting most of it into storage, renting my condo and heading back to Africa, probably for an extended period of time. I'll be there covering Earthwatch's African operations for their newsletter and Web site, writing articles, taking pictures (hence the seminar), and getting to participate in a number of their expeditions. They've been looking for someone for a while now who has experience something like mine--Web work, editing, writing, photography--but because they're a nonprofit, their budget isn't huge. I really had to think hard about this because the pay is practically entry-level . . . but in the end, I decided the experience is going to be pretty damn amazing and I just can't pass it up.

My brother will be taking care of Spanky and Merlin while I'm on the road. I hate to abandon them this late in their lives, especially leaving them with someone who has a big dog and some pretty serious cat allergies. But the Big Cats are calling, and elephants and giraffes and baboons and wildebeest. . . .

So . . . at the end of my current Microsoft contract (that's end of July), I'm outta here, kids.


Of course, when you're reading on Live Journal today of all days, you really should pay attention to the date stamp....

Comments

[lagilman]

alas, as I was reading this, all I could think was "pity today's April 1st, 'cause this sounds like a lot of fun..." ;-)

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

See, I figured you'd be on to it only a sentence in. You're just too sharp, girl. ;-)

[herself_nyc]

Cruel!
I was so happy for you, too.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Awww. First April Fool's joke I've ever played...

[sleightgirl.livejournal.com]

Oh man! You had me until I looked under the cut...good one!

[gaelfarce.livejournal.com]

Y'know...this really shouldn't be a joke. It's too good of an idea.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

You know, even as I was writing it, I found myself thinking that it really wasn't a bad idea....

[markbourne.livejournal.com]

You fooled me. (Of course, that's no difficult trick.)

[ramblin-phyl.livejournal.com]

Wow!

We'll miss you. Glad you got your 3rd pro sale before you leave. I'm thinking some amazing ideas are going to come out of this.

Good luck, and good for you.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Um...Phyl? I appreciate the thought but... you do know what day it is, right? ;-)

got me

[wanton-heat-jet.livejournal.com]

good

Re: got me

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

As if I wouldn't share this plan with you before announcing it here. Gee, ye of little faith....

[ramblin-phyl.livejournal.com]

You got me.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Right. Heh.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Perfect April fish! It's absolutely plausible, with just enough room for doubt that it's possible to catch it.

I bought it, though I had niggling doubts.

And yes, it really is a good idea.

[ghilledhu.livejournal.com]

D'OH!

Got me!

[oldmangrumpus.livejournal.com]

Gee, spank you very much. Nothing like a minor cardiac infarction to top off serious chest congestion.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Awwww... I'm sorry. Didn't mean to cause heart failure, really.

Really!

[irrationalrobot.livejournal.com]

WAAAH!

Oh well, time is long, aand Seattle isn't going anywhere, and...

Oh. You little... grr

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

:: chuckle :: I'm pretty certain there's a special hell waiting for those of us who get to say "Gotcha!" on April 1.

[skidspoppe.livejournal.com]

not nice!

i was all excited and then...

you got me!

[peartreealley.livejournal.com]

I pretty much won't believe anything on 4/1. Haha.

It's a trick, get an axe.

[sinthrex.livejournal.com]

Naaasty, tricksy, false, yes precious.

Re: It's a trick, get an axe.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Heh.

[ironymaiden]

lovely. i actually had a little burst of dismay/pain/fury that you would announce something like that on livejournal without telling me first.

which is just what tipped me off :)

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

See? And that's why you're my ironymaiden. Because you would know first. I wouldn't pass "Go" or collect $200 without sharing the squee with you, really. :-)

[quarkwiz.livejournal.com]

Oooh. You had me--till I got to the part about Spanky and Merlin, and thought, no way. But ...yeah, you got me.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

We crazy cat ladies, we know each other on sight! :-)

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I'll admit, you got me. And I've been trying to stay sensitized to the date.

Maybe it's because what you came up with here was so completely believable.

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Well, I hope you were entertained.

Got your voicemail. Wish I'd been home to receive it; would love to see your big cats!

[twilight2000.livejournal.com]

Damn Damn Damn -- Hook, Line, Sinker! I was planning your going away party and thinking of folks to sublet...

Man -- I can't remember when I've been gotten like that...

[julzerator.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent April fools joke!

Sadly, I was hoping it was true cause I could totally see you doing this, and being that amazing woman who went back to live in Africa and been the crazy big cats lady.

[sara-ramirez-1.livejournal.com]

dang that is so amazing.. i totally missed out on the pics.. where do you have them posted???

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

Well, the Africa pictures are here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/64063919@N00/sets/72157602264648954/); the trip was real . . . but you got that this was an April Fools' Day hoax, right?

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

This was too good. I was so surprised you were doing that to your cats, and then....OH. Hee. :D

[scarlettina.livejournal.com]

See, the cats were the give-away, for anyone who was paying attention....

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Oh, man, you got me!

You naughty person.

[crooked-hill.livejournal.com]

Not nice - you had me, hook line and sinker

[frabjouslinz.livejournal.com]

Almost got me - I was thinking, huh, I don't *think* she'd leave her cats, even for Africa, that's so weird ... I forgot what day it was until I saw Jay's little prank under it on my flist. Then I went, oh, right, I get it now. Silly muffin.