sweet dee rupee: "I could give all to time except, except what I myself have held."

I feel like all of my recent blog entries have had to do with time and how fast it’s running out. Well, not “out” but the cushy days of unemployment and hanging-out hardcore are dwindling, to be replaced by a host of other days that stretch endlessly. These new days will lead towards a different way of life for the next few years, one where I’ll be rather rooted and consistent, one where I probably won't be wearing t-shirts and leggings to work anymore. Perhaps, that’s just what I’m imagining, expecting, anticipating.

Each day that passes is literally passing exponentially than the day before. It's very hard for me to grasp that I've been home from India for almost three months! What??! How is that possible? India, a land where time passes so slowly, where you hardly ever have to rush to get anywhere (besides the airport!) Maybe I'm being a bit nostalgic, or I'm not nostalgic often enough. Oh, dear India!

As much fun as this past year has been, and how fun the holidays are so far being spent with friends and family, I’m looking forward to staying put for a while, once I get there (wherever "there" may be). To spend an entire month (or several, for that matter) in one location without having to change beds or hop on the Megabus every few days will be awesome. To be surrounded by my meager collection of knick-knacks and to hang my clothes in a closet with only my stuff in it; what a fantasy it seems at this point in time!

I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the holiday season and getting to spend some time with my old man (and the rest of the Harkins/Smith clan!) I’ve really missed him since we got back from our trip three weeks ago.

This past weekend I met up with Aunt Stacy and UK in St. Louis where there was much snacking, drinking and being merry going down! St. Louis seems pretty cool, I wish I would have had longer than 36 hours to explore; I got a mere taste of the city (but at least I went to City Museum). I never even ate at a proper restaurant, there were so many snacks in our hotel room, talk about being self-sufficient. I could definitely use some vegetables in my life the next few days…

Before St. Louis I was only in Chicago for about three days after arriving home from Cincinnati, which was another stretch of days melting like snow in the sun! It felt like I had only arrived when we were headed back downtown so that the ‘rents could go to work on Tuesday and I could catch the bus. By the time I board that damn blue bus this coming Thursday, I’ll have taken the bus four times in under ten days: ay carumba! It is the cheapest way to travel when you’re a baller on a budget…

To round out my year of traveling I’ll head to Detroit this week for about 10 days, head back to Chicago for a few days, hop on the next bus out to Cincinnati for Christmas, drive down to Atlanta with my step-brother (the fabulous Wilson K!) for NYE, then head back to Chicago via airplane on the 3rd of January, which will end my travels. Well, temporarily. I still plan on taking a warm weather trip this winter, perhaps Vegas!?! We shall see where the travel bug bites next.

I’m putting lots of positive energy into having a job to return home to in Chicago by then. That would require looking for one, which I’ll have plenty of time to do in my downtime in the weeks to come, right? Haha. Time will tell. In the meantime, I’m just sitting, knitting (hats, for the first time ever!), writing, reading (The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins-so good!) and enjoying these last few morsels of sweet indulgence in doing whatever I want, all day, every day.