WOW.
Thanks everyone... ( steadily wiping tears off my laptop keypad... ) The kind words expressed here have affected me very deeply and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Tracy... I have been seperated from my spiritual side and beliefs for a very long time. For the past 5 months, I have spent the majority of my time alone, with my thoughts, and have become increasingly close to the realization that nothing ever happens by chance. Prayer has been a long ago routine that only recently has become a habit. Thank you.
While sitting at the dinner table last week at a casual cafe with my immediate family and my out of state family ( 11 total ) I talked alot about my 17 years in the hospitality industry, training, running shifts, leadership, salesmanship, etc. ) I spoke of a woman whom I trained 2 years ago who had no serving experience but was molded into the best damned server you could ever want and moved to Las Vegas. She works on the strip, and she makes 3 grand a week. My uncle said, " why don't you go there, with all the experience you have??! My asnwer was I'd thought about it but I was fixing to commit to a 13 month lease. That commitment DID NOT HAPPEN... and that conversation with my uncle is running circles through my mental files.
I am making tentative plans while I await for my inner voice to tell me what the right decision is here. If I do move to Vegas, I will give myself 3 full months to plan, save, save, save, plan, and save. I won't post retirement, because, hell, the hobby may have to be a backup from time to time. Anyway... sorry for the long winded sonnet. Like I said, I spend the majority of my time alone. So this is my version of having a conversation with a friend I guess.
Have a great day everyone, and thanks again.