Bonjour mes amis! I started work in September and I wouldn’t say I’m coming up for air, but I am prioritizing writing today.

My post-election workout vibe has been vengeance cardio, but my post-election writing vibe is: I’M SO EXCITED TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY NEW JOB!

Toddler Jessica promised to be a hair dresser. Girlhood Jessica swore she was going to be a prima ballerina. Teenage Jessica realized that was not to be and floundered for new ideas.

College Jessica zeroed in on writing. Post-college Jessica realized she could write AND travel. Writing, traveling Jessica realized working on a yacht was not for the faint of heart and recommitted to bartending to fund her writing/traveling habit.

Writing/traveling/bartending Jessica met Captain. Thirty-year-old Jessica rediscovered how she’d rather die than be in an office.

Then I got knocked up.

The idea to stay home with our kids was always grounded in the idea that someday, I would also do something else. TBD.

I spent all of last year thinking about what TBD might be. In a pinch I’d go back to bartending, but I wracked my brain for other ideas.

I figured I might as well define what my dream job would be. That didn’t really get me anywhere. So then I defined the qualities that my dream job would have: work from home and flexible hours.

My morning yoga and zumba classes feel non-negotiable. For me they are the equivalent to going to therapy.

RB requires drop-off and pick-up this year and both kids need an afternoon chauffeur, which I’d like to be here for. We have a secondary chauffeur, but he’s not as flexible.

Travel agent was something that kept popping into my head. I’ve thought about it on and off for years. I wrote it off as a dying industry.

Turns out people still use them. Captain pointed out,

“Our neighbors are all very capable of mowing their lawns, but they don’t want to.”

So that’s it. People are busy, but they want to take trips. I can help.

I started to reconsider it a year ago. Didn’t see a solid way forward. I was still all talk.

And so I talked on the beach to my dear friend. Who said,

“My friend has her own travel agency.”

Hmmm? Tell me more. Can I talk to her? So it began.

And I know what you’re thinking,

“Aha! Jess is a travel agent.”

Nope. I’m a luxury travel advisor. Advisor is the new agent. And just yesterday I was introduced as a Travel Designer. So there’s that too. As well as Travel Consultant.

Agent/Advisor/Designer/Consultant/woman for hire, they all have one thing in common: TRAVEL! Which I love, which I’m good at and which, I’m somewhat surprised to find out, I LOVE planning for other people.

I’ve been dreaming about Mexico, Scandinavia, Greece, PARIS! All the places my clients are bound for. I’m so EXCITED for them.

That part of it has really been a surprise. I had no idea I’d like planning other people’s trips as much as I do.

PLUS I’m doing it all from my couch, in my jammies, with my coffee, still going to exercise classes, still dragging my kiddos around. Feels somewhat miraculous.

Never mind the subsidized trips I’m eligible for. Which may be worth it all on their own. The work trips would be solo travel, which is how this journey all began. So I’ll be getting back to my roots, minus the overstuffed backpack full of varying degrees of unwashed laundry.