Home is...where???

It amazes me how quickly things can change. Not just big things, but little things too. I spent my entire life living around Rochester. Now granted, I've never particularly liked it, nor have I ever really thought that I would stay there, but still I considered it my home. I suppose I felt something of an attachment to it. But this weekend I had some kind of epiphany.

I went home for Mikaya's 1st birthday over the weekend, and don't get me wrong, I had a great time seeing everybody. I loved spending time with my family and whatnot, and I was sad leaving them...but when I was driving back and I saw the sign for Cape Cod, it was such a relief. It was an almost overwhelming feeling of coming home after being away for a while. How is that possible??? I've only been here on the Cape for ten and a half weeks. Why do I feel so much more at home here than I do in Rochester? It's as if some void in my life has been filled, and I didn't even know it was there. Maybe it's just the combination of being near the ocean, surrounded by amazing people, and doing something I love. But then again, maybe not...I don't know. I feel somewhat guilty, as if I'm doing something wrong, but at the same time, I'm happier now than I've ever been, and I think I deserve that. Am I wrong?

I love the MBL!!!

Ohmigod!!! Today was quite possibly the best day that I've had with AmeriCorps. We spent the entire day working down at the Marine Biological Lab in Wood's Hole, basically cutting up quahogs. Technically we were preparing samples of quahog tissue to be tested for QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown), which pretty much means measuring quahogs then cutting them into pieces to be made into slides for the microscopic analysis. It was perhaps the coolest thing that I have ever done. I was somewhat skeptical at first, cause it's been a while since I've done any kind of dissection, and I don't recall loving the last experience (it was with a cat...weird), but I totally loved it!!! I know that this was only a two day day thing (we were there Friday but I didn't get to cut things up), but I definitely think that I want to go back to school for some type of environmental/marine science. Probably not next year or anything, but definitely sometime soon. :)

Change

After living on the Cape for two months, it came to my attention that I spend entirely too much money...and the majority of it seems to go toward alcohol and party supplies. I have definitely had more to drink since I got here than I did for the year and half since graduation. And here I thought living in a dry house meant that I was going to be completely sober for the year...who knew???

So anyway, in response to this realization, I have decided that November is going to be a month of change in my life. But I feel like there are more changes that I want to make in my life other than simply not drinking, sooooo I'm giving up alcohol and junk food. Pretty much all junk food. No chips, no candy, no chocolate, and no cookies (except for the ones left in the cupboard). However, I will have to make an exception on Wednesday nights for house dinner, because I wouldn't want to offend anyone cooking, now would I? ;)

So far this little experiment hasn't been as difficult as I thought it would be. Last night we went out to the Bomb Shelter in Wellfleet, and I had a marvelous time. I didn't spend any money, and I actually woke up on a Sunday morning without a hangover...sweeeeet!!! I'm feeling pretty good about the probability of success on this one...who knows? Wish me luck!!!

PS - There are only 49 days left til Christmas, YEAH!!!! :)