The other night we caught one episode of the new Ken Burns documentary on national parks.  I loved it...I seriously started crying in certain parts - I loved the personal stories people told about visiting parks and the impact it made on them.  While I didn't visit parks as a kid, I've certainly made up for it in the as an adult.  I was struck by how many of the scenes I personally recognized.  I've been so many places!  I realize how lucky I am to have traveled to so many beautiful places in our country.  It also got me thinking about how fortunate I am to have had this last year and half "off".   I left my biotech job in June 2008 and I've done so much since then, it's hard to believe.  I'll have to count all the places I've been since then - there's the drive up to Alaska, touring the southeast, DC, NYC, new england, all over the west, Minnesota... It's been absolutely wonderful.  Even the 8 month we were at home and I was working was nice because of the two low stress part time jobs I had.  It's been fantastic.  I feel so refreshed.  It does feel strange to know if less than three weeks I'll be back to the long hours of a demanding job, but I suppose in a way I'm ready for it.  It's been a long break.  I know before I was really unhappy at that position, so I'm going to consciously make an effort not to get that point again.  I'll have to keep in mind all the stuff I've done and that my coworkers were there working the entire time.