...

a person who learns to laugh at themself will never cease to be amused

in only a year's time

So it's official, I'm a city gal. Going from Sydney to San Fran to NYC leaves me with no doubts that I want to live in a city after graduation. My sister's new apt is in the upper west side of NYC and even though I've never been very familiar with this area, it's captured my heart only within a few days. This area, compared to Midtown or Downtown is more neighborly. Tree lined streets and almost no tourists are key. Central Park is a block away and even though my trips there have led me to wonder why almost every person in NY owns an ugly dog, the location is wonderful and the best this city has to offer. So it's been decided .... a city (and I do have a list of potentials) is where I want to be. Now I wonder, am I asking too much? I'm a senior in undergrad that doesn't even have anything lined up and I'm already making demands. This upcoming job search will prove to be an interesting one.

The Breath I Breathe

I stepped out of the JFK airport and was overcome with everything, everything I saw in front of me and everything I've seen in the past 6 months swirling in my head. I don't really know how to explain it or if it would even make sense but I feel like I've been running since February .... almost everything in my life was temporary, floating aimlessly until the next temporary event. For this reason (as well as seeing family and friends again) am I happy to be home.

A conversation with a friend about home got me thinking. What is home? Where is home? Such simple questions, anyone would say duh ... it's where you grew up ... for me its Birmingham, Alabama or Evansville, Indiana (poor soul....jk) ... or Whitehall, PA ..... whereever. But the point I'm getting at is that my trip to San Francisco and stopping in NY to see my sis made me realize that "home" can be so much more. Home can be a familiar face you haven't seen in months ... a familiar laugh you haven't heard in a while ... a feeling you get when you're talking to someone or just sitting on the same couch with them. It feels good to be home.

At the same time, I haven't been by myself since February. I'm spending a few days in NY right now w/ my sis but when she's at work, it's just me ... in the Big Apple. As much as I love the city, I've never felt so small in it.

I may not have done the best job of keeping this blog up and running, and I don't really know where it goes from here ... or who will continue to read it, but I'm going to keep it ... if not for the original purpose (to stay in touch with friends) then just someplace where I can talk ... bc we all know Nadine is good at one-sided convos :oP

Anyway, I should be back in PA by the weekend!