what we have now-- more than ever-- is perspective, an opportunity to prioritize and, paradoxically enough, maybe to simplify our lives.

i'm back. safe and sound...that overwhelming high of a fabulous vacation leaving a nasty real life hangover. head down wondering what will become of me...it was wonderful. i will likely just throw around some stories from the trip in the next few days. but, ron, that is exactly what this trip gave me. experiencing the pure joy of just living, loving, enjoying, savoring, and appreciating. so content. so happy. it's been a long time coming...ten blissful days. i am a fortunate person, having friends and family who care so much, and will open their lives to me, welcome me. flying home i just thought. trying to remember those details that made the experiences leave a lasting imprint. jumped into a crazy time in the world and used it to examine where i am going, while looking back at where i have been. to prioritize what is important, simplify a complicated lifestyle, and gain a new perspective on what is important to me. more to come, but a highlight tour:

flight there.
'are you planning on committing any violent acts on the plane?' not unless i sit next to one of those people who try to engage in conversation when i am trying to sleep...yes, they really DID ask me this. it took great will to not laugh. first test of new 'security' system at airport. they searched random bags, just sorting through them, but not mine. my bag was so overstuffed i was thankful i wasn't one of the lucky ones who had to unpack and repack their bags at the airport. these 'safety measures' did not make me feel any safer. searching RANDOM bags? what about the unrandom ones? my own row on the redeye flight. go plane karma. touched down at jfk 20 minutes early. a good start.

new york.
successful navigation of the subway to karin's, on 14th street. smugly proud of this, being a suburban kid with little public transportation experience. and you can go anywhere for $1.50. not too shabby. had a picnic in central park with some of karin's classmates (she's a grad student at NYU). i was a relief to see new yorkers still living their lives, moving on - people walking their dogs, playing frisbee. many still had an uncertain shadow cast on their faces, though, and there were missing person signs everywhere. pictures of these people, their lives stolen. met katie, a close friend i haven't seen in 7 years, for sushi. karin and katie are those comfortable old friends, that you may not see them or talk to them for awhile, but as soon as you do, it was like that gap was never there. it was enlightening to hear their perspectives, as they are both single, living in the city, being so deliciously independent. i was jealous, i must admit.

sunday i picked up my rental car. ford ranger. hee. me, a truck chick. the funny thing? it had california license plates. how appropriate. and when i drive too fast, other drivers can say 'those damn californians. think they own the road.' :) and! it had a cd player. music for the drive to saratoga? blue luther college.

saratoga.
hi wes! on the drive there, i noticed that the exists on the ny thruway going north were all 17 miles apart. wondered if this was planned...hmmm. stopped at a carvel and got a vanilla cone with sprinkles. rainbow sprinkles. we don't have carvel here. damn, i was happy with that ice cream...in the car on the way there, i managed to spill coffee, juice, and ice cream on me. geez. next time i should bring those handi-wipe thingys. saratoga had that college town feel...and even though some of the streets didn't have street signs, i found wes's. hung out with him, sara and roxy the puppy. discovered that in saratoga fried cheese sticks are served with raspberry jam. watch old dave-in-pj-pants videos and got ridiculously high. it was fun. picked up a samples cd at borders on my way out the next morning. dug it. didn't leave the cd player for days...and headed out to pennsylvania to see the family. stopped in new paltz on the way....

pennsylvania.
love my grandparents. at almost 80, they are still going strong. live in a house my grandfather built in the country. it was interesting to go to my 'hometown' (i lived in the allentown area until i was 8) from an adult (well, i am at least trying to be an adult) perspective. visited my old library, my school, my house, ate a yocco's hot dog. thought about where i came from and how that shaped who i am today, pulling memories out of unexpected places. drove by the duck pond where my mom and i would feed them loaves of stale wonderbread. i felt my mom's presence in so many places. it was comforting, but sometimes eerie. the relative sameness that occurs in allentown (the changes since i have left are few) is somehow nourishing, to know that not all things have to change. decided with a 2+ hour drive to the airport, and the new 3 hour before your flight rule, driving the 4 hours to rochester was much more logical than flying. arranged to drop the truck in rochester (no fee to change! whoo hoo) and cancelled my ticket. on the road again to upstate....

highlights. ha. like i could ever be that concise. more later, the rochester chronicles. :)