Okay, so I'm back in California, gradually getting used to life again. It's amazing how after even only two weeks away, I need to get adjusted to the way things are done here.
When I first spent dollars (instead of pounds) again, I sort of stared at the money in my hand before giving it to the cashier. I had gotten used to pounds, and now I needed to figure out our monetary system again. It's odd how I so easily forget how to do things when I'm forced to do them again.
It's also weird that after two weeks of trying NOT to appear like a big, loud American, on the last evening in England, I totally regressed. Well, my whole family did. We were loud. We asked for tap water. We wanted ice. We were starting to "return" to America, if only in our behavior, and to be perfectly honest, I sort of stepped out of myself and just laughed at the whole situation. I am a loud American, and that's not something I can change in two weeks. When I am exhausted and thinking about a 10 hour flight, I am not on my best behavior, and my natural tendencies reveal themselves. My natural tendencies are towards being American...I suppose that's okay as long as American doesn't mean rude.
Before I return to work tomorrow (after a two and a half week absence, I hope that I'll remember how to turn on my computer, not to mention how to do the other things I do on a daily basis), I suppose I should write something resembling New Year's resolutions.
Here goes:
(in the order they pop into my head, not the order of importance)
1) To be a better employee. If I intend to advance in my job, I need to make an effort to simply do my job without asking TOO many questions. I need to remember that I'm not myself at work but merely an employee...revealing too much of my anti-establishment tendencies (hey, I have them in my own passive-agressive way) will not result in my promotion.
2) To not worry. This is a big one, but I think it's one I can at least work on. I don't want to have pre-maturely aging skin, so I will try my best to take things as they come and not stress too much about the smaller things in life (yes, I am jumping on the "don't sweat the small stuff" band wagon about eight years late).
3) To continue to make time for my friends, family and the things other than school and work that matter to me. As my GPA actually improved in Fall 2005, I think that I can honestly say that I do better work when I have a busy life. So, I will continue to make friends, family and volunteer work a priority in 2006.
4) Alright, alright, I'll also consider the possibility of dating again. I've REALLY enjoyed the first four months of having once had a boyfriend but not having one now, but dating now seems like a legitimate possibility. But I'm NOT doing online dating again...that pool is waaaaay too diluted for my taste. Perhaps I will start with something my friend who is about-to-be-engaged did: writing a list of the non-negotiables, a reasonable but not "settling" list (so "Catholic" could be on the list, but "6'3" with blue eyes and brown hair" could not).
5) I will take that major step toward growing up...
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