The next story. This blog started with my life and a unhealthy relationship that took me to Huntington Beach, CA. I learned a lot during those almost 5 years. I cried a lot, my health was horrible from the stress and then after trying to leave 2 previous times, I got it right the 3rd time. I moved back to Ohio for a year and then threw caution to the wind to build another relationship and I moved to Long Island, NY. I wish I could say I did it for glamorous and indulgent reasons but that is not this story. When I moved to NY I took a job at Macy’s and was working in the women’s department and got to be the expert at After 5 dresses and the Liz Claiborne collection which was fun! I even got to go into NYC to the Liz headquarters where they gave us a fashion show of the newest collection and taught us how to style each piece and we got to try on the clothes. I wanted to explore the world of becoming a buyer and this was exciting. Of course life always gives us a different course than what we idealize, or at least in my case.
I was almost a year into living on Long Island and it was late June when my mom called. She got right into the reason for the call. “Let’s go to Greece for a month in August! Everyone is going this year and airfare is cheap from this airline I have never heard of called JAT.” I replied “I would love to go but can’t afford a month long trip.” Mom replied “Hurry up and renew your passport. I will buy if you fly.” That was all this free spirit needed to hear. Now to break the news to my live-in boyfriend and my employer. Greece for a month AND the chance to spend it with my mom and my Yiayia, who we would be surprising. There are life moments that are priceless and I needed this time away to understand if I was making the right choice in this new relationship.
Macy’s wasn’t as excited as I was when I asked for my two weeks of vacation plus two weeks of unpaid time off so I gave my notice. My boyfriend just accepted that this was happening and the plan was made with mom. I knew it would be a healing and magical time so I bought a spiral notebook to journal (which I found with my recent move) and bought plenty of batteries for my walkman so I could record even more of the trip. Lucky for me that living in NY meant I could renew my passport quickly and I packed a suitcase and flew to Cleveland to join my mom for our trip that began Aug 1, 1989.
Here we come Ikaria!
This is where the next story begins…..
A Voice For Women 