surprise!

Surprise! We missed you!

What? You still remember who I am? I can't believe it. It's been great to be back, but I am still a little shocked that you actually wanted to see me. Somehow, I always thought I was the totally forgettable type. The girl who sat in a corner and didn't want to ____. But, whatever, that's a long time ago. It's awesome that we can still hang out and laugh about the same things.

Goodbyes always feel easier when there's hope in the future. Then you get to where you're going and erase erase erase all memories of that place you once belonged. But that's not healthy, and it definitely doesn't work.

Seattle, the city, is AMAZING. Mill Creek? Not so much.

We all have our problems, and I know I probably talk about mine a little too much. But right now, it is almost 2 in the morning Pacific time, and I am totally happy. And super tired.

If I had one of those kinda nerdy cartoon Ts with the "Life is Good" logo, I'd be wearing it right now.

compare&contrast

So, I'm in the lovely little town of Mill Creek right now, and North Carolina is not bad at all. However, there are some things that Washington has that are just "better." Here's the list of things I see over the next week or so.

Reasons Why Washington Rules
You don't need sunglasses all the time
Taco Time is the best fast food ever
Got trees?
Fred Meyer. The best thing since sliced bread.
"Going Green" is a way of life
Puget Sound, the most beautiful place on earth
No one would ever ask "what church do you go to" without prompting
There are no cicadas. Or cicada killer bees.
The mountains are real. They blow up.
Hurricanes and tornadoes? What are those?
The music scene is truly unstoppable.

Reasons Why North Carolina Rules
Bank of America ... the ATMs don't need envelopes.
Harris Teeter, where they unload your cart for you and are super clean and super nice and have 30 different types of cheese
The chicken is real at Chick-fil-A
The Evening Muse. GO THERE.
Minimal clothing required, it's always 80 degrees+
Volcanoes and earthquakes? What are those?
The world is shrinking, so it doesn't really matter where you are.


more to come ... but probably not.

less than three

It's been less than three years since I made the move. I cannot believe how much Charlotte feels like "home" now, whatever that means. Somehow I think feeling totally comfortable in Mill Creek is not going to come easy.

I can't decide if I want to open those doors again. Nope, I haven't told everyone I am coming back, and I think that's ok. Sometimes absolutes are a good thing. Once you say goodbye to each other and hug and tear up and whatever, that's it. Forgetting someone is very unlikely, but I'd rather not try and revive something that woulda-coulda-shoulda been. Having an awkward lunch and having to repeat the goodbyes is not my idea of fun.

But there are the surprises. The people I thought I would never see or talk to again who somehow manage to appear again. We're all different people now, but we still have the good times in common and maybe that's enough to find some peace and closure.

In other news, I've been watching way too much Sex and the City lately. Haven't seen the movie, but the show is delightful. I also am starting to come down with a cold maybe, right before I get on a plane, go to my hometown, see a few old friends, and want to look and feel by best. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Don't worry, I'll get better at this whole blog thing as time goes on. Who reads this junk anyway?

Glad we got the chance to talk.

contacts, the soft kind.

I got contacts this week.

The doctor was quite friendly and explained what my eyes were doing; both have astigmatism, and one is slightly caddywhompus. I'm getting used to pulling my eye apart and putting a piece of plastic over the colored part, it's not as uncomfortable as I thought.

Doctors' offices are always interesting and awkward. I arrived early for my appointment, and people-watched for a little bit. The office is in the corporate center uptown, and I love that atmosphere. I like busy people that have somewhere to be, ladies that are classy and well-dressed, gentlemen that stand up straight and look you in the eye.

I want to be part of that world. I want to grow up and be a businesswoman, unstoppable. I want that on-the-go lifestyle, working with bright people in a beautiful city.

Can I get there from here? A music major at Winthrop?

We'll see.

1

Finally.

It's 2:30 AM. I have to be up in three hours.

But I have started something new.

Whoopieee!