It's been chilly and a bit rainy here in Minneapolis this week, and I've taken several morning walks around my neighborhood in yoga pants and my favorite hoodie--an old thing from J.Crew that's light blue and super thin. I must have spilled coffee or something on it at some point and never noticed, because for as long as I can remember it's had a faint little stain on the pocket that won't come out, but I don't care enough to get rid of the thing.

I've been packing this week. It's funny, what you find when you pick up and move--I haven't even been here for a year yet, but there are plenty of things to discard from last August. And yet, as usual, there are more, and better things to hold on to.

We got an apartment in Charlotte this week, and two nights ago I filled in my part of the lease online. It was the first time I labeled myself as "self-employed" on anything official. It was exciting but also a little scary--as I entered my estimated monthly income and it became really apparent that this thing I'm doing here isn't really a hobby anymore. I love it just as much (if not more) than I did when I first started out, and the goal was to blog as though it were my job during my time in Minneapolis. As much as I wanted to succeed, there was always (and is always) a part of me that kind of expects to fail.

I remember the discussion Rob and I had about me joining him in Minnesota. I was still working for a software company in Roanoke, and while it wasn't exactly what I had dreamed of doing with my life, I realized that at 24, I had a pretty good deal going (and plenty of time to make changes). My family's dog was old and I wasn't ready to leave him yet, but I also felt overwhelmed at the thought of quitting my job to live somewhere else for only a year. What would I do? I had student loans and felt fairly certain that no one would hire me to work somewhere for less than twelve months. I had always wanted to put more time and effort into my blog, but it didn't seem like a responsible decision yet. I am so thankful for Rob's support and encouragement to just give it a chance. So I gave my notice, packed my things, and kept blogging.

And here we are, almost a year later, packing up for a new city that we will, with any luck, call home for the next several years. Maybe I'll find my dream job in Charlotte. Maybe I'll continue doing what I'm doing and eventually accept the possibility that my dream is already here. I don't know what's next for me yet, but I do know that I wouldn't be where I am without the constant love and support I have had the blessing of knowing.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Disclosure: Compensation was provided by State Farm via Mode Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of State Farm.

I have to be honest and tell you that ground chicken is not something that I would normally buy. If I'm going to make burgers, you can bet that they're going to be made of beef; but the other day ground chicken was ridiculously cheap at the grocery store, so I bought two pounds and stuck it in the freezer. I said, "I'm going to make Buffalo chicken burgers out of this!" and that's exactly what I did last night.

Ingredients:

• One pound of ground chicken
• 1/4 cups Frank's Hot Sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1-2 tablespoons of butter
• Lettuce for wrapping the burger (Iceburg or Bibb works really well)
• Toppings: mayo, tomato, onion, chopped celery

Instructions:

1. Mix ground chicken together with hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Separate meat into four sections and make a patty out of each one with your hands.
2. In a medium to large pan, heat the butter over medium heat. Place burgers in pan.
3. Cook about eight minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked throughout.
4. Serve with lettuce, tomato, onion,  chopped celery, and a dollop of mayo if you're into it. Also, a sprinkle of celery seeds makes a nice touch. 

Doing as much packing as I can handle. Everyone else hates moving and packing, right? It's simultaneously boring and exhausting in some way. Today I'm determined to go through the bathroom and get rid of lotion, hair products, etc. that I've had forever and just don't use, and I'm packing a huge bag to take with me to Charlotte this week and just leave it there. Rob's been bringing a bunch of clothes each time, which has significantly reduced the size of our closet so far, so that's something.

Thinking about this move, and blogging, and possibly (hopefully!) living in a place for longer than a year. Lately I've been feeling a little uninspired, which makes for a weird blog. Yesterday I went out for a few drinks with some friends in Minneapolis, which always makes me a little sad to leave. I've met some wonderful people in my time here, so it'll be sad to say goodbye. But Charlotte is just a quick direct flight from Minneapolis, so I'm hoping to visit a couple times a year.

Listening to lots of Regina Spektor. I love her all year, but she's sort of my wistful fall go-to, even in July (which is when I start daydreaming about autumn). I'm also totally loving Chvrches lately.

Watching so much Gossip Girl. I don't know what's happening. I started it randomly in March and didn't really watch much of it, but since Rob's been traveling for work, my nights have been all Gossip Girl, all the time. It's so bad but it's so good!

Trying to make the most of this weird transitional time. I really don't like living alone and tend to get kind of anxious when it's time to go to bed in an empty apartment, but I've done fine and as silly as it sounds, I'm kind of proud of myself. It was really nice having Rob home for the weekend, though, and I'm looking forward to spending a few days in Charlotte with him this week.

What about you? I want to know what you're up to currently!

As always, thanks to my friend Dani for the post inspiration! 

(Photo by Brook Alexandra Photography.)