notes on re-entry

europeans wear far too much black.  and I like black.

sweating > shivering any day.

food is so easy here.  Salad?  Dump in greens from a tub, cherry tomatoes from a tub (cut 'em in half if you want), baby carrots from a bag, feta cheese from a tub, dried cranberries from a bag...ALL THOSE vegetables and crunchy raw yumminess and all you have to do is dump!  Open the fridge and there's fresh milk, ORANGE juice, and STRAWBERRIES - you just rinse (or not if you're me - this is America, it can't be *that* dirty) - and bite in to the fresh, juicy yumminess...love it.

all that said, I miss the work that goes into preparing food in Africa...the opportunity to think/process the day while you're chopping tomatoes to make sauce, or chat with teammates while waiting for the boiling water to cool to make yogurt...the opportunity to chat and make friends with the women you buy your food from in the market - you see them there every day/week...it makes you slow down. and I like that.  slowing down.

bomb blast deaths in Boston are awful, AND so many more people die everyday in equally or more awful ways and never make ANY news coverage in other parts of the world, AND that doesn't make the 3 reported so far in Boston any less awful...sudden violent death is sudden violent death no matter where it takes place.

people in the wedding industry in this country can actually be reasonable, low key, down to earth individuals.  shocking.

love being able to jump back into meaningful conversations about life with friends I haven't seen in YEARS.

hard being overwhelmed by so many people excited to talk to you but not having enough time to *really* catch up with them...or even greet them all...

what in the world is with these new fangled soda machines...crazy...wasn't even sure I was doing it right..."freestyle" they call them...I'm pretty sure it could teleport you anywhere you wanna go if you got inside...

also, what's with the not wearing very much in the clothing department these days?!?!  people are walking around wearing things as dresses I'm pretty sure were meant to be shirts...heavens to betsy...

love driving on smooth pavement...it's like a dream come true, really.  nothing more fun...but if you honk at me from behind because I'm not turning fast enough in your left turn only lane?  you had best watch out...I don't do impatience very well anymore...

and iPhones?!  really, for the love of it, will you put yours down/away long enough to have a conversation with me?!  I also don't do invasive technology very well...

*still* don't like airport TSA lines.  probably never will.

*still* love airports.  probably always will.  except Terminal 5 at Heathrow.  Not my favorite.

*totally* bummed I didn't get to Rita's in the 2.5 weeks I was in Philly.  Travesty, really.

*BUT* I did eat my fill of Philly pizza - NY style - and thoroughly enjoyed every greasy slice!

note to self: the dirt in america is no less dirty than in Africa...if you walk on the soggy, post-rain grass without shoes and with an open sore on the sole of your foot, *even* if your heels are incredibly painful, you *will* get an infection, so wear the shoes anyways, even if they're killing you.

don't mind me if I go to bed between 9 & 10pm, if it's dark and there's nothing that needs doin', I'm used to going to bed.  [PS - kinda glad this wedding stuff is over with, I'm too old for this 1:30am shenanagins!]

I'm kinda fond of curling up with my mom on the couch and watching tv...yes, even at 33.  Actually we never really did it before, so enjoying it now.

My dad and I are evidently two pea's in a personality pod...the rest of the family just sits back and laughs...to keep from crying :(

then there's this question that no body likes to talk about, not missionaries, nor their communities from whence they were sent.  This whole idea that what once was your home, does not feel like it anymore, and the alienation that happens when expressing that.  I've been on both sides of the conversation so I know what it's like, but that doesn't mean that I know how to do it without hurting people or living a pretend life.  Not sure what the answer is.  In Sunday School the answer was always Jesus...