Weekend Festivities

This weekend was pretty great. Scientist's defense went smashingly well: his presentation was very good, and his committee passed him without any trouble. Now, he just has to add/change some things to his thesis and he is totally done with that fucking thing (I feel some animosity towards Scientist's thesis, considering how much of a HUGE pain in the ass writing it has been over the last, oh, six years for him). All corrections should be finished up this week in the midst of packing and cleaning our retched apartment.

On Saturday night we had a fantastic little party at a local bar in town. I was actually really surprised at the number of people who showed up. Of course, not everyone who said they would did, but still, it felt like a real going away party. Thanks to everyone who made an appearance! I will miss get togethers like this one once we move.

I'm starting to get really nostalgic and sentimental about leaving Iowa City. I shouldn't be surprised: I knew this would happen. As a lot of you know, I've traveled and lived all over the world, but no matter what I've always come back to the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. I know everything here, and even if I don't feel like I've made a bunch of friends since I came back to IC from Ukraine (after I alienated a group of "friends" I had made the previous two years), I know a lot of people.

Nevertheless, at first I was a little apprehensive about leaving IC. Then, I wanted to get the fuck outta here as soon as possible. Now, I don't know. Honestly, the thing I think I'll miss the most about this area is my mom. She's my rock. I love her to pieces. I also worry she'll get lonely and bored without me; we spend a lot of time just hanging out and doing stuff together. Who is she going to do that stuff with once I'm gone?

Other than missing my mom and a handful of other people/things,ultimately, I'm ready to go. I've lived here far longer than I ever hoped and I think there are much better opportunities waiting for both of us. This is our new start together.

One of my friends kept saying what we were doing was so "romantic". I'm not looking for romance as much as I am stability; I'm not at the point in my life where adventure and constantly moving is something that appeals. It isn't that I want to settle down, get married, buy a house and grow fat and old in the hills of West Virginia, but having something other than some clothes, a bike and a bunch of public health textbooks would be nice. I would like a desk and a car that runs. I would like to continue working on my degree. I would like to be in a public health program that is not totally disorganized and does not seriously suck in some ways. These are all reasonable things to want when one is about to turn 31. Don't you think?