My next adventures...

Just a heads up, this post has nothing to do with my latest efforts in the kitchen such as the King Ranch Casserole that went horribly awry this past weekend (note to self: you can *not* substitute chipotle chile powder for regular chile powder) or the Texas Sheet Cake I was tempted to eat by myself in one sitting two weekends ago.

However, I think this will help explain why there’ve been so few posts lately especially because I’ve been focusing on figuring out some of the details for pursuing my next adventures…

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Five years ago, I moved to Omaha to join the communication team at ConAgra Foods. Having worked in D.C. for several years within the food industry, I knew just how hard it could be to get a job with a corporate communications team at a food company on the Fortune 500.

The job offered to me with ConAgra Foods was the kind of professional opportunity I couldn’t say no to, but it was also a professional opportunity that came with some known personal sacrifices. Pursuing this opportunity meant moving to a town and a state where I knew no one and had no ties or connections beyond the job I was accepting. It was the kind of leap I was willing to take because I knew I would have the support of my family in Texas and my family of friends in D.C. – albeit a long-distance support network.

Since making the leap, I’ve had some unbelievable professional experiences that have changed me and helped me grow. For example, no one in their right mind would ever have pegged me as being a do-gooder who would not only write a check for a charity, but a do-gooder who volunteers and is an advocate in the fight against child hunger. Considering the fact that I would describe myself as being more the type to enjoy the PR challenge of putting the pin back in a grenade, the emergence of my hidden do-gooder skills was a bit of a surprise and a good one at that.

Over the past few months though, the need to be closer to family and friends has taken precedence; and I’m ready to move to be closer to the people who matter most to me. I’ve made some amazing friends while living here in Omaha, but Omaha is not where my heart is.

So it’s time to Dream Big and Leap, as Penny De Los Santos would say.

It was officially announced today that I’m leaving ConAgra Foods so that I can pursue my next adventures in a land where the Huskers aren’t the biggest deal in sports.

I’ve got my eyes on Austin and D.C., in particular, because they’re close to family and my family of friends. But if the next thing you hear is that I’ve run away to Italy, don’t be surprised. I mean, really, how much fun would that be? Even if I only speak about 10 words of Italian. =)

My last day with ConAgra Foods will be Oct. 21. But what exactly does the future hold for me after that? Good question – and one that I can’t wait to explore and share with y’all.

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