3 year anniversary

Three years ago last week I left California and moved to New England. I cannot believe it's been three years already. It's been a wild three years; if I sat down and thought about all that's happened I'd probably miss something. In a weird and spectacular way, I've made a home for myself here and it feels pretty good.

There are things I really really miss about California. When winter in New England hits, I pine for California winters. I miss the diversity of California. I miss the food. I miss all of my friends. I miss the frenetic energy of everyone thinking, talking, creating and doing. And strange as this sounds, I miss the responsibility I had in my job and feeling like what I was doing made a difference. There are things, of course, that I don't miss. I don't miss planning my life around the traffic and the freeways. I don't miss feeling like I can never be lazy on a sunny day. And I really don't miss ant season (April - November). Most of all, I don't miss myself, the person that I was in California.

When I lived in California I used to say that I liked myself better when I was visiting home. I was worried when I first moved here that that was because I was on vacation and everyone is more relaxed on vacation. Turns out that there was something in the water that made me a little crazy in California and that craziness isn't as intense here. Whether the change is from age, geographic location, about a zillion yoga classes or finally feeling ok with where life is taking me, I am not sure; I just find that I'm a better version of myself here.

All is not a bed of roses in New England. I've put myself into the holy nightmare of business school and along with my super stressful program comes quite a few other unhappinesses. It's all temporary (less than a year to go!!!!!!!) but at times it sure doesn't feel like it. I've found it hard to make true connections here and frankly, I could not care less about Boston sports (seriously, this area is Obsessed with sports!). I grew up here so everything is familiar but even after three years, it still seems very foreign sometimes. And I swear if we have one more winter like the one we had this year, I am going to just walk out my front door and keep walking south until I find a more hospitable winter climate.

But here I am, three years later. I'm not making mad plans to leave (I do have them, they're just the thoughts of the dreamer in me, not the runner) and I think all the time how I can improve myself and my environment here. Here. Not somewhere else, but here. I miss California but I'm Here. And I'm glad I'm Here.