Inspired to Get Going Again
Watching House Hunters International inspires me to get back to my websites and adding content etc. I want the freedom to travel and even move to a different country if we want. An online business is the very best way to do this. It is much more practical to move if you work for yourself than to find good jobs that you qualify for, can get hired for and want to do (what if you had to learn a new language?) in another country. It would be that much harder for a couple to find two good jobs or one that paid for everything. My husband and I have always loved to travel and wish we could lately. The job market is so tight that I have never felt comfortable leaving my good job. It just seems risky right now. If I was my own boss with the strong foundation of my WA training here I would feel comfortable doing that! We may just move back to a more remote part of Alaska where we can afford to have a home we like in a great setting.
I have felt overwhelmed and just didn't have time to focus online lately. It seems every weekend we have some obligation, we are both busy at our jobs and I have had health issues for the last few months. I am making great progress figuring them out though! I have figured out that allergies are causing my immune system to activate (over-activate) and exacerbating my arthritis and inflammation. I knew I had food allergies which trigger inflammation due to bursitis but I had not figured out until this week that seasonal allergies (pollen) are acting similarly on my ankle and arthritis. So, if I treat the allergies it helps the rest! I also figured out I really need to take lysine to keep Epstein Barr at bay. I was so focused on the allergies and arthritis I slacked on that and paid the price.
So, with some solutions in place I feel like I might be able to get back on track here.
Onward and Upwards!
Jessica
Recent Comments
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Good Morning Jessica,
Just wanted to say that you are part of the the change you want to see by your very actions here.
Though I know you struggle in your defined state of Illness, I see a person with a huge heart and determination... no doubt you will move in a positive course .
As many I am encouraged by bravery in the face of struggle,inspired by resolve and feel excited by seeing you
make good on your intentions.... Shine On Brilliant, my friend!
Respectfully, David R.
Thank you so much David. As long as I can see some foreward progress (even if that is identifying something I have and then finding a way to deal with it) I am ok. It is the struggle having mysterious illnesses that are not identified that is hard. You can't deal with something if you don't know what it is.
Hi Jessica,
Epstein Barr in your post struck me because I have read about it a lot, in Medical Medium's books. May I ask, how do you know you have that virus? I have always wondered about it, for my kids.
Glad that you figured out about the pollen allergies!
My Naturopathic doctor ordered a blood test for it. It actually shows in the blood if it has been active. Thank goodness. It is one of few conditions I have that a simple test can show. It is nice to have a clear diagnosis of something!
Thanks!
Jessica
Thanks, I didn't know there is a blood test for this virus. So this can be one option for us as well.
Hi, Jessica,
No problem at all. Summer apparently is always slow and not too many people are buying. So, it's a good time to take a break and watch House Hunters International, lol.
Man, do you ever look like your poppa.
Regards,
Becky
Hi Jessica,
I'm happy to hear you are feeling better and have solutions in place. Is warm weather better for your arthritis? The names of places you mentioned below sound awesome.
You are on track and I look forward to hearing all about your progress on your online business.
Stay well!!
Monica
Hi Monica,
Warm weather is probably better for arthritis but most of the time it is bursitis that is worse for me. That is worse in heat and most of my inflammation is worse in heat. So...a nice, mild temperate climate would be best. Even sunlight on my hips and knees irritates them due to the heat.
Thanks! I am excited to see where I can end up.
Jessica
Yes, I do like parts Canada! I might as well just stay here though...I really love Alaska! Our weather is changing dramatically. It doesn't get nearly as cold now and the winters are much shorter than they used to be.
Yes, it is. I love the diversity of environments here since the state is so large. There are whole ecosystems in the state I have not seen yet myself and I have lived here my whole life! I have seen the temperate rainforest along the coast (gorgeous), the tall mountains with glaciers and deep river valleys where I grew up (breathtaking!) and more but I have not seen the Arctic or the grasslands of the Aleutian Islands where millions of birds nest, or the volcanic landscapes.
Let me know if you want any suggestions! I love my state and would love to share it with you. That is part of why I work for the State of Alaska in state government.
Wow, Jessica! Sounds like you have an awesome job working for the State of Alaska. What kind of work do you do there?
Thank you, I will definitely let you know ... as soon as I sell my house in the Caribbean... onward and forward. I really want to go to Alaska. I heard a lot about it.
Hi Monica,
I am a Natural Resource Specialist III. This is a broad category which includes many different jobs. I have been a Natural Resource Specialist I doing mapping of state lands using electronic mapping software (Geographic Information Systems) for the creation of state land use plans. I eventually moved up to an NRS II doing land use planning and then became an NRS III adjudicating water use by all the oil and gas companies in the state. There are several dozen such companies. It is like permitting but what we do is laid out in the State Constitution since all water is managed by the state. Therefore we have final say in how water is used. We manage the quantity of water that can be used, when it can be used, how it can be used etc. I authorize water use from wells, lakes, rivers and even near shore seawater.
I had worked as a contractor for ConocoPhilips, as a mapper for a natural gas utility company and as a subcontractor for the Army Corp of Engineers doing Storm Water Pollution Prevention inspections and training prior to working for the state. I also went to graduate school for Ocean and Coastal Studies so I had a lot of related experience.
Do you live in the Caribbean or is that a rental house?
Wow... you really have an interesting and exciting job. You definitely have great knowledge in your profession. I would love to have done Ocean and Coastal Studies.
I lived in Turks & Caicos Islands for 4 1/2 years. Worked for a dive shop and did over 800 dives in Grand Turk, the capital. I purchased the historical house, over 147 years old... after I bought it, I hired a professional house builder friend who lives in Salem, Oregon ... totally gutted the inside and now it has new plumbing, wiring, ceiling, hard wood floors, another bedroom, etc.
I have it listed for sale with Remax... I want to dive all over the world and so I need to free the beautiful house.
I'm just getting some new photos on my 'Sunnyside' house. I'll let you know when I get them if you like.
Yes! My Mom needs to identify a investment property in the next few weeks. I don't know if international is an option but I would be curious to see your house!
Oh, wow! I just found it on Remax even before I saw it is named Sunnyside here in your reply!!
Nice... thank you for taking the time to look it up on Remax. The house size is around 2200 sqft.
The pictures are not current... there is a brand new black gate railing in front of the house. New paint on the exterior, instead of the beige, it is now all white and the trimmings are all painted in turquoise very similar to the Caribbean ocean colour.
The outside of the house is all zinc and so it's solid... a fortress, so I've been told. There is also a huge cistern in the back. An exterior staircase leading up to the attic which can easily be a 1 bedroom suite and also an undeveloped full basement which is accessible from the outside. I honestly don't know of any houses that has a basement on the island.
In front of the house, across the road, there is a little vacant lot and that is part of the price. I purchased that so no one else can build and obstruct the ocean view. The Museum is next to Sunnyside, one lot to the vacant lot.
The main industry for Turks and Caicos Islands is of course, tourism. Grand Turk Island is the capital and is among the top 10 rated for wall diving. The wall drops to about 7000 ft. The boat ride to the dive sites is about an 8-10 minute ride so not far at all.
Humpback whales migrate thru from January to March and quite often I could see them underwater and even from Sunnyside. I can also hear their whale songs underwater when diving. People come from all over the world to scuba dive and snorkel... long beautiful white sandy beaches.
It sounds lovely Monica! I heard humpbacks underwater in Hawaii and saw them in Hawaii and Mexico.
I think the white with turquoise trim sounds pretty! Very interesting description too! Let me know when you have the new pictures.
Will too... thank yu Jessica!
My realtor is going to do the drone shot and take photos next week.
I'll let you know when they're available.
I hope you and your husband are having a wonderfully Blessed day!
Monica
Hi, Jessica sounds like you are getting on top of your health issues, hope that all goes well. Summer seems to be that really busy time with so much going on, you will be pleased that you feel like getting into it once again, that " life overwhelm ", can strike us all.
It is partially due to my choice to take advantage of the Alaskan summer too. I just can't pass that up! I need the outdoor time after the Looong cold, dark winter.
Thanks Alex!
I can relate to that one nothing like the outdoors sun and fun makes for an exciting marketer, best wishes Jessica.
Glad you're feeling better, Jessica and feeling up to get back in the groove. Where would you like to live if you did go to another country? I used to take International Living, and some of the places they talked about sounded like paradise! Carol
I am not sure about the living part. That is always hard for me to imagine. There are so many places we want to travel though and perhaps live for a short time, maybe not forever.
Costa Rica,
Italy,
Uruguay,
maybe Panama, Belize, Argentina, Brazil...so many!
Oh, and Greece, Portugal, Ireland...it goes on and on and on.
And places like Hawaii in the U.S. too. Hawaii is always near and dear to me...direct flights from Alaska so I have been there many times.
I've never been to any of those places, including AK and HI. Both are on my bucket list, though. The only foreign countries I've been to are Mexico and Canada.
I have been to Mexico, Canada, Ireland and Karibati in the South Pacific as well as Hawaii, Washington, California, Oregon, Arizona and upstate New York. I am not counting states where I was only at the airport!
I'll have to count up the states I've been in. Did fulltime RVing for about 5 years. We had a map of the US on the side of our motorhome, and filled in each state with a sticker sort of like doing a jigsaw puzzle. Not sure how many states we had when we finally had to retire the poor old rig. It was literally falling apart.
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Hello Jessica! I hope things are going well with you. I feel that arthritis and bursitis occasionally, and it can be very antagonizing.
and the seasonal and food allergy can be annoying.
Glad things are getting for you!
Louisa B
Thanks Louisa.