I'm leaving New York tomorrow - going home. Less than eighteen hours till I am no longer here.
It's been a far different summer from anything I could have imagined. Far better, I think, overall. I've completely ignored lots of things I said I would do. I've treated plenty of things I said I'd never do in a similar fashion.
I've ticked waitress off my list(of professions to try). As well as seeing dawn from Central Park. Smoking on a fire escape is gone.
I've responded to 'Nice jacket!' with 'Thanks, I got it at a thrift store in Williamsburg'. I've gone on errands in the garment district. I've gotten drunk on martinis (and Jameson and free wine and 'Hennessy and Cokes Tall No Ice'). Learned to understand baseball, more or less.
I've started to write again, modestly. Decisions have been made about the future direction of things. It's been fun and enlightening. At times, there was far too much space inside my brain - I got lost in the caverns of it once or twice. I've developed a taste for pancakes I didn't think I was capable of sustaining.
I've gotten unfit. I've learned to appreciate both the Irish mentality and the quality of Irish food. I've been homesick and I've been delighted to be here, mostly the latter.
I've been inspired most every day. I've learned things about things and about people, mostly about myself.
I am happy to have been here. To have met the people I did. To have experienced all that I have. I am happy to have been here, and yet I am happy to be leaving. Leaving my New York home for my real home.
Home home. Where places have meanings stacked up like building blocks on top of them. Memories sewed like lining into their very fabric. Where almost nothing is new or unfamiliar.
I am excited to see my people again. I have longed for them often - precise moments where they would have been the ideal companions came up regularly. These experiences weren't lessened for lack of them, but I am happy to go home so I can tell them all about it. That I have them to tell all about it.
Mostly I am glad that this happened, that I am here right now having done this, going home. Home home. T - 25 hours.
xb