First off, how is it July already?!? 

I feel like time somehow manages to continually slip away or maybe that is because the last few months have been insane for me. So where to start - I am now writing this post from the West Coast of the US - where my current home is now Portland, Oregon. 



I moved away from the place that I called home for the last 3.5 years after a disappointing visa denial - thanks to the current UK Tier 2 visa system! Although I must say its somewhat refreshing to be back stateside, closer to my family and in a place that has actual seasons (and sunshine)!

I am now settled after spending the last two months closing out my life in Scotland, moving back to the States, including a week-long visit back in home in North Carolina, a week in Ohio and our week-long drive across country. While I loved the three weeks of floating around the country, we finally arrived in Portland to our temporary home and welcomed my (minor) freakouts of where would actually call home. Over the next three weeks, we ventured to Seattle (absolute waste of a trip), I headed over to Boston for a post-doc interview and again headed back to Seattle to welcome my little brother home from his time under-way (he is a navy sub guy). Finally, we found our new home in a lovely studio with a patio- best of all located near a fantastic doughnut, ice-cream and margarita shop (not all together but all so close)! 

To say the last few months have been a bit crazy would be an understatement. Now that I am (semi) settled in our new home - its back to reality or rather a harsh reality of the PhD life writing struggles. I now sit here in my new home with no distractions from the task at hand however incredible that sounds,  the struggle is real and writing can get depressing.

With a new city and a new desk to write out ( and a surprising amount of local coffee shops to try out) its time to set my mid-year goals and focus on accomplishing them. Its time to write and finish my PhD, its time to get back into getting fit, and its time to start figuring out what's next - and of course exploring my new city!

So here's to the last half of the year, a new city and new adventures that are on my horizon!