Goodbye Tucson

I came home from Europe and a day and a half later I had all my stuff in the back of a UHaul. I suppose when it comes to certain things I’m still fast, huh? There was also extra motivation found in the offer or someone else driving the truck that could only do so this weekend, saving me two trips in trying to bring my stuff and my car. Blessing number one. There are a lot of things about my future that are still unknown, but what I did know was that my time living in the desert was over. I am glad I came, but I am also really glad to be leaving. How do I know this? Because I didn’t shed a single tear. Every time I move (which is a lot) I get emotional about the life that I’m leaving or the people I’m moving away from. But right now I just feel incredibly happy to be going home. Who knows if I’ll actually stay, but for the next couple of months I will at least get the opportunity to be around my friends and family and take some time to try and find my path. I will also have the chance to eat PinkBerry every other day, go to Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (which I actually prefer to Starbucks), and find a person or two to take me out on a date every once in a while. I hope.

I know that being in Tucson was definitely a positive experience in a lot of ways. I believe that I found a part of me that was missing; a part of my psyche that had somehow disappeared into a big black hole that I was able to bring back. I have had a lot of addresses in my short lifespan but they all have served a purpose and have brought with them a wealth of knowledge and insight. The following are the things about Tucson I will cherish the most…

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*Making a new friend: It seems as if when you get to a certain age, your friend making opportunities are few and far between. But I was lucky enough to make one new friend in Tucson. A real friend, not just one of those sometime-y acquaintances you can’t really count on for anything but might see if you want to go out for drinks every once in a while. There was no real reason for her to go out of her way to befriend me, as she had plenty of her own friends already I’m sure. But she did. And because she did, the few times I even put on clothes and an ounce of makeup was because of her. Thank you for showing me the brighter side of Tucson and remember…It’s not goodbye, it’s see you later. (in California I hope!)

*Cheap Rent: I have lived with roommates for the last few years and paid twice of what I had to pay for my own place in Tucson. Based on how little I was able to work this year, this turned out to be a huge blessing.


*Reacquainting with an old friend: Even though she’s been traveling the country for the last however many months, when I first moved the only person I had was my dear friend Jen. I’ve known this girl for 16 years, longer than anyone else I consider a friend. Being able to spend quality time with her while she was out here just reminded me of what a special person she is and what makes her so amazing. Sometimes people drift apart but they can always find their way back when the core of who they are remains unchanged. I’m sad I won’t be in Beijing with her, but I am excited to cheer her on this summer.

*Spending quality time at Starbucks: Never in my life have I had so much free time on my hands. And most of you now know where I spent most of it…Sippin’ on lattes and reading lots of books and magazines. When my life becomes crazy busy and hectic and I’m running after kids, trying to keep a clean house, and rising to the top of my career, I am going to miss all those afternoons at Starbucks. So I will consider myself lucky.


*Being able to take pictures with cactus in the background: Who needs a beach when you have this beautiful background??? Sometimes people forget to appreciate the desert scenery.




*Having the time to blog: Hopefully you all appreciate this one the most. Sometimes I wonder depending on what I do next year, if it will even make sense to still have a blog. But I do know that while living in Tucson didn’t always make for the most exciting blogs, I tried to make the most of what I had and gave you all something to look forward to on a consistent basis because I DIDN’T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO DO. But my blog did help me tremendously. I am grateful that I took the opportunity to share my story with everyone who cared to read.