"Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality"

With the Cheshire Cat's words in mind, as 2016 comes to a close, I can only hope my imagination does not fail me now.

Let's not even dive into US or British politics. This was the year I finally escaped academia after more than a decade in its embrace/clutches. I hopped continents in preparation for my big move to the UK, and even squeezed in a quick trip to country #39, Iceland. (Whether Scotland and England should count as separate countries, making Iceland my country #40, has yet to be resolved.) 

Iceland: my 39th (or 40th?) country!

We packed up our life and made it to England.

Road tripping from Denmark to England, our lives (and kitties!) all squeezed in a tiny car.

I allowed myself the luxury of 6 weeks in Brighton before beginning work to settle in. It was enough time to make our house a home, and to fall in love with Brighton. 

Brighton ❤

Unexpectedly, just 8 weeks later, my new career was cut short, on Christmas week no less. It was some comfort to know I was in good company: I wasn't the first new hire let go as the firm prepares to put their workforce "on the beach" while hoping to land new clients for 2017. And so I find myself on my couch, staring down my computer, trying once more to figure out just what I'm doing with my life.

Cat: Where are you going?
Alice: Which way should I go?
Cat: That depends on where you are going.
Alice: I don’t know.
Cat: Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.

-Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Hey, at least it's not just me.