I think it’s pretty obvious what excites me.

The people who know me or read my blog or tweets know what gives me a glow, spreads a unwavering grin across my face, lets me breathe a sigh of relief, and makes me straight up giddy.  Farmers Markets, seasonal cooking, great weather, the sun on my face in the morning, skies full of stars, Oregon bounty, good friends, Portland Trail Blazers, nature, and of course wine and wine country.

But there are certainly things that do not excite me: constant gray skies, working a desk job, staying up late, fast food, the state of this countries meat and agriculture industry, tardiness, being cold, flaky people, to name a few.  Another thing that steals my excitement and actually brings a heavy burden and anxiety on me is something that was in my recent past: school.

I’ve never been one to excel at academics.  I made it through high school without any major bumps or bruises (save the junior level algebra class that I barely passed 2 weeks before graduation.  any other math haters out there? woot woot!).  College was a different story all together.  5 colleges, 4 majors, and 6 years finally earned me a degree in a field that I had absolutely no interest or experience in.  I still cringe at the thought sitting in statistics and economics classes for 4 hours.  The moment I realized that I had finished editing my senior thesis,  a stream of joyful, proud, and exhausted tears rolled down my cheeks.  I rejoiced at the thought of  never having to write a paper, read a text book, do a group project, or give a Power Point presentation ever again.  I never thought I would go back to school.

Until now.

At the end of September, I’ll be a student in the Viticulture Program at Chemeketa Community College in Salem.  I’ve had plenty of experience in tasting rooms, but now I want to dabble in other areas of the wine industry.  I’m taking General Viticulture and Wine Marketing–Brand Development.  Who knows, maybe I will absolutely love the growing/vineyard side of things or find that I have a knack for making earthy, luscious Oregon Pinot Noir.  Or maybe I’m meant to be back in the tasting room or out at restaurants and grocery stores selling the wine someone else makes.  All I know is that  I can easily see myself in the wine industry for the rest of my career, so here I am pursuing it.

And I couldn’t be more excited.

It feels great to have something to look forward too and be giddy about.  I had Europe to look forward to all summer and now it’s a new season of life and I’m going to enjoy what is ahead.  And maybe I’ll be like some of the women in these photos!  Can’t you just see me in those playing in those vines??

I fell in love with this photo (to the left) the moment I saw it.  Sitting on a vineyard at sunset during harvest might be one of the most restful, peaceful, serene, magical images I could possibly imagine.  This is where my imagination goes when I need to get away.  When I  close my eyes and quiet my head and heart, this is where I end up and I could sit here for hours and hours.  Perhaps it won’t always be a dream…but a reality.

Oh PS…I’m trying to find creative ways to make money to help pay for classes.  I’d be happy to work some shifts in a tasting room, help out over Thanksgiving weekend,  help with crush, mow some lawns, weed some garden beds, housesit, dog-walk,  clean your house, ANYTHING!  If you have any odd jobs for me, I’m for hire!