This post was going to be about Star Trek. Moh well.

I just love olfactory recognition. Today, while at work, I tripped down memory lane when I used some old scented lotion we have in the back. We don't use it very often. One person in particular doesn't like the smell of it (eucalyptus spearmint, a rather masculine scent for women's lotion actually), but a previous coworker used to use it so much that I thought it was her scent. And it was this coworker I thought of when I used the lotion. She was pretty cool. My strongest recollection of her was that she really liked Portland, Oregon and wanted to move there, which got me thinking about moving to another city for a while.

It's strange to think that over a year ago, I was thinking I wanted to move to New Mexico or Oregon for a while. And now, thinking about moving to another city in the U.S. seems like a daunting step, when in reality I will be moving to another country soon, and I am completely okay with this. Well, I'm still excited in a nervous way, but I'm looking forward to it. I think right now, I would never be able to just decide to pick up my life and begin anew in Albuquerque. For instance. Is that crazy?

I think part of this . . . double standard? . . . comes from the fact that I am looking at going to Korea as a new experience that doesn't have to be permanent, but is still full of possibilities. I don't know if I will stay for more than a year, but I could, and that possibility makes me excited. Like, if I do stay for another year, it will be because I'm happy there. On the other hand, if I moved somewhere in the U.S. right now just to change locations, and I end up not being happy there, it would feel like a waste of time. I don't feel like Korea will be a waste of time, even if it doesn't end up being awesome. And if I only stay for a year, it would be a year where I got valuable work and life experience.

And this is what I thought about when I smelled that lotion.