Graduated.

Today (and Monday) I graduated. I cried just for a sec when the president of our university conferred diplomas on all of us, then they played Frank Sinatra singing New York, New York. Balloons and streamers everywhere and everyone happy and singing. Blue caps and gowns and thousands of graduates thrilled to end a challenging chapter in their lives, and ready to take on the challenges in the next.

So where does this leave me?

May 29th: moving back to DC (Virginia actually)
June 1: starting a new job in DC

Only 9 days left in this city to enjoy the life of a new yorker. I've enjoyed living here so much and I hope I can move back some day. There is too much to see to have only lived here for one year. My friends were right - a year goes by too fast. I'm so grateful to my family and friends who were there to support me through one of the most challenging and most rewarding years of my life. I'm always a little scared to take on a new adventure, but when it happens - I'm always excited.

This next chapter in my life is shaping up to be pretty great. I have an amazing job doing really cool and interesting things, sprinkled with monthly travel. I get to live in a cool house with lovely people and one of my favorite people in DC. I am in a new relationship - kind of. No more Long-Distance relationship, now it is a 4-blocks-away relationship! I will be back in one of my favorite places with people I love. My faith is strong and my religion is so important to me. It has saved me this past year and I attribute new york and the people here with the saving. This year has meant too much to me, and new york will always be a special place.

I sure will miss it.

I'm taking my new birthday present around town - a pinhole holga (from TH) to document the next 9 days in nyc. Adventures to follow...