No, this isn't a joke. And no, it isn't because we couldn't hack it. So you can take those "too cold for you?" comments and stick them where the sun don't shine.
Which, coincidentally, is most places in Alaska during December.
It's all because of a really good recruiter and an even better brand. I mean come on . . we wouldn't give this up for just anything.
We'd been in Alaska for a grand total of two whole months when a lovely man named Dave reached out to me on LinkedIn. Dave is a recruiter who specializes in placing people with brands in the outdoor industry. And Dave knows his stuff. Dave and I had been talking for a couple weeks when he brought me this brand spanking new opportunity that was so brand spanking new, he couldn't even tell me what company it was yet. But he knew it was a fit and told me to stay tuned.
The next week, he sent me the job description. It was for a company called BOTE based in Miramar Beach, Florida. Now, you've already had the spoiler that we're moving to Florida, so you kind of know how this goes . . . but hey, keep reading anyway.
Two phone calls, one trip down on my birthday for a 12-hour-long in-person interview, a few days of waiting, and bam. I was the newest member of Team BOTE. I married my husband after knowing him for five months, and this even felt fast by my standards. These guys don't fuck around.
But like with knowing my husband was the one or that the earth is round (sorry, Flat Earthers), it was obvious that BOTE was the place for me. A group of hard-charging, do-whatever-it-takes, passionate, crazy, inventive, outlandish, and imaginative people who say "fuck" a lot. Like, almost as much as I do. It was truly meant to be.
SO. We're moving to Florida.
Trading in white snow for white sand. Parkas for paddle boards. Moose for manatees.
We'll probably enjoy having trash picked up at the end of our driveway or being able to walk down to the mailbox. And don't even get me STARTED on having Chick-fil-a again (praise be to sweet baby Polynesian Sauce Jesus).
The moving truck comes two weeks from today. The journey begins a few days after that. 5,000 miles. Back the direction from which we just came. Braving the COVID-conscious Canadian border. With our two dogs, one cat, one toddler, and, this time, with the addition of a bearded dragon.
Because why make life easy when it can be exciting.
[Although please, please, please can we stay in one place for a while this time? We're ready to settle down for a bit. Thanks.]
HEY. Check out BOTE while you're here! We make magical paddle boards, mystical kayaks, and superior skiffs. Plus all the accouterments for life on/around/near the water.