Heading Back to Real Life

Tomorrow I get my apartment back, and so I'm heading back down to New Jersey today to spend the evening with my NJ grandparents.  Summer is over (the leaves are already changing colors here in Vermont!), and I'm actually ready for school to start.  One more year, and in May I'll (with any luck) be Dr. Susanna Loewy.  

I can't say that this trip to Vermont has been 100% enjoyable, but I definitely think it healed me in ways no place else can.  As I'm leaving, I'm finally able to see my surroundings, instead of wishing for another, impossible setting.  And so even if I feel a twinge of regret at not being able to smile at first, I think that's okay.  I'm leaving with the anticipation of coming back soon (it's only 4 1/2 hours away; there's no reason not to), and I appreciate all that the little cabin in the woods has done for me, yet again.  

I think I often times come up here when I don't feel well; I don't like associating Vermont with anything bad, so I'm choosing to instead think of it as my escape, as my way of [once again] figuring out who I am and what I want to do next.

I don't have any firm plans for this year - in terms of triathlon or athletics in general, flute-wise, or in regards to any other extra-curricular activities (man, it's been a while since I used the term extra-curricular) - so I'm open to just about anything.  

I do want to qualify for Boston this year, but I have to figure out how to run again first, so that goal might be temporarily put on hold.  There are tons of bike tours I want to do, but I hesitate to commit to anything when I'm so unsure of what the next year will hold; I learned my lesson with IM Cd'A... 

But, I'm completely excited about figuring out where everything will go from here; tons of research and exploring will ensue and I'm sure I'll have a million ridiculous ideas, some of which will actually be followed through.

For now, I'm content to finish writing about my summer and perhaps start to expand the little stories I've started... and play SET and practice the flute and study to be a Doctor of the Flute.

Oh, and Mr. Hurricane Gustav looks like he's heading right for my parents.  They're not evacuating (who would have thought they'd be among the stubborn ones?), but are already starting to board up the windows...