Koo Here

So, like Boo said, we've been at this long distance thing for a while now and to be honest, it hasn't been easy. It's hard enough to try and make a relationship work when you live in the same general area but when you're an 8-plus-hour drive away and you need solace or something and it can't physically be given, yeah, that's tough.

But before you go thinking that this is more of an emotional pull to move up there, let me explain why the move is even happening.

1. School up there that can get me not only to finish my bachelor's degree, but also score me a teaching credential under one roof in the exact discipline I want without giving me a runaround or making me jump through hoops in fields I don't need to be jumping in? Give it to me.

2. My job as a CSA for a theatrical effects company has not been as fulfilling as I had hoped. There had been and has always been talk of moving me into sales; never amounted to anything. I speak two languages fluently, work with our German and Italian/Spanish distributors (and am the only one who can!), and it still gets me $12/hour. I take on tasks in our warehouse (I'd started there as a 1099 contractor) and now can handle shipping our products as well as building some of them (yes, I'm a girl who can solder) and what does it garner me: still $12/hour. I recently said that I love my job because I have it and in this economy, that's not saying much.

3. I wouldn't be lying if I didn't say that being near her would be a bonus. But she and I discussed the possibilities and we came to a "what better time than now?" opinion.

She and I have very different ideas on how to handle and discuss money. Being willing to share this much is going to be a challenge. Money was never discussed at home: Dad made it, Mom made it, and they both paid bills and groceries with it. Which isn't to say that it was plentiful; bellies went hungry in our home on occasion. We learned to stretch top ramen like no one's business and to this day, I consider having a loaf of bread and a jar of mayo a very big luxury.

Still, as my mom would say, sin pelos en la lengua.