Long time, no see

Yes, it's been a long time. I moved to San Diego, California, in August of 2019 to work for my brother. It was supposed to be a first step to live closer to my parents (an hour north of here) by having a temporary job until I could find a full-time teaching job. Schools usually start hiring in April, and I didn't make my decision to move until July.  I brought with me only what I absolutely had to have, with the expectation that I would return 3-6 months later to get the rest or just go back home for good if I didn't like it.

So, that didn't work out. By January 2020, there was a pandemic, and nobody was going anywhere. I was stuck with only minimal belongings, my dog and cat, and an expensive tiny apartment that felt like a prison. I couldn't go back to Louisiana to visit my son and my friends and couldn't even see the rest of my family in California. It was incredibly stressful. For nearly a year, I could only Zoom or call my elderly parents due to the risk of COVID.

I could have done that from Louisiana and kept my teaching job, I thought. 

Fast forward to today. I'm still working for my brother, but I am looking for a job and an apartment in the area where my parents live. Following several different options for employment and considering starting my own business is taking up a great deal of my time right now.