I love getting outside. I love going to places I’ve never been, challenging myself with hikes I’ve never done, and taking in views I’ve never seen. Like so many people out there, I wish I had more time to venture farther and stay away longer without the need to ration vacation days.

But that’s how it goes, right? When you have the money to travel, you don’t have the time. And when you have the time, you don’t have the money. But, what if you were put in a situation where you could have both?

I recently lost a job, which, if you followed my previous blog, might not come as a surprise. The job market and I have had our ups and downs… mostly downs. The fact that I’ve only been in the working world for five years and have now been part of a department layoff twice gives some indication of my luck as a working adult.

My other job breakups were alright. One I wasn’t really into anyway, one was long distance, others I knew were short-term from the start. But this one. This one stung a little. It was the first job I ever loved. I could see us together for the long-haul. But, it wasn’t meant to be.

The bright side of this split? I get to keep some of the furniture. In less cryptic terms, there’s a severance package involved. So for a limited time, I get both time AND money.

While the financially responsible would use this opportunity to jump into another job and double down on earnings, I’m choosing to take a break from the world of resumes and interviews. At least for a little bit.

The job split will be finalized in July. And in August, I’m taking to the John Muir Trail for a few weeks of mountain therapy. From there? Who knows.

As Semisonic once said, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

Welcome to my new beginning.