5 Days And Counting...

This is normally where I would absentmindedly look at the last time I posted, remark that it's been a long time since the last one, and then still proceed to go on about one thing or another. But...it's only been about a half of a week, so I guess I can't do that. Sadly.

As it stands, it's Monday of my final week in Europe. On Friday night/Saturday morning, I will depart on a connecting flight for Amsterdam, and then the long haul to Chicago, and as it stands, should be getting into Chicago around one or two in the afternoon, their time. From there I've got about a day and half to myself before heading back to the daily grind. It's not a lot of time, and who only knows that influence that jetlag will have on my work ethic, but it really doesn't matter.

I'm more than aware that going back to the States will be an overwhelming process, regardless of what I may do to thwart such. It's like putting one's life on hold for five months, and then returning to see all the decisions, obligations, promises, and responsibilities that you've accumulated over that time. Compare it to when you return from a holiday, and main thing that clearly brings you back into jarring reality, is when you open up the mailbox and it's filled with the brim with reminders of a non-stop world.

For starters, there's the relatives I have to visit. Most I haven't seen for five months, and for certain people, even longer. I haven't seen most of the people from K since early to mid June. That's been...8 months. two-thirds of a year. I also have to get in contact with my Grandpa on my father's side. I guess he's now starting his second set of chemotherapy, and he's in his late eighties, and it has put him under de-facto house arrest. Apparently his immune system is now so weak that they don't want to expose him to being outdoors. It's kinda scary, but that really goes without saying.

Then there's the academic side of things: signing up for classes again, locking down housing for the spring, trying to get back into the fast-paced academic swing that Kalamazoo College is so wonderfully awful at.

The list goes on, so on and whatnot...

I've questioned working when I get back several times, but, as my mom pointed out, I'm probably going to end up being bored otherwise. Most other friends will be at school, my parents will be at work, and I'll just be sitting around. She's probably right...disturbingly enough...she usually is. It won't be much fun to have to put up with the American form of mass transportation when I get back, but I'll make do. The likely plan? Work until it's about a week before school starts again, and then start to figure out this housing thing in Kalamazoo. Like I said...a lot of catching up to be done.

As for the rest of my time, its still going to be low-key. You find when you're buying overpriced gifts for everyone that one's budget becomes strapped quicker than...well, at least quicker than you planned. I suppose that's a decent enough analogy.

Anyway, I've got a few more gifts to buy today, an errand or two to run, and laundry to do. Expect another update relatively soon.