Honestly, now.

It’s been about two weeks since the slew of departures ended and I’m just now (today) feeling like I’m getting my feet back under me.  It helps that I’m no longer working an hour away from my house.  It helps that, once again, I’m working with the people that I adore (why else would I volunteer to cook for them so often).   I’m getting back to my healthy eating habits and I’m planning on returning to the gym tomorrow.  Those two things will help my mental stability greatly.

Last week, I had a moment where I didn’t feel like myself.  Truth be told, I haven’t felt like myself in weeks.  However, last Thurday I realized that I didn’t recognize the person that I was.  And I sure as hell wasn’t where I planned on being a few months ago.  No, I’m not going to elucidate on the specifics of the moment.  I’ll say that I’m not proud of myself and leave it at that.

So now, I have returned (or am returning, it’s more of process).  I’m studying for the GRE and planning (or is it plotting?) my return to the states.  I’ll be back on American soil on the 2nd of December.  However, I’m not certain where.  I was planning on meeting up with a friend in New Orleans, possible checking out a few schools,  and then driving to Kansas.   Plans changed and now I’ve got a plane ticket to New Orleans that I’m unable to change at the moment.  I’m debating.  I can either cross my fingers and hope that I can change it once I hit LA.  Or I can say screw it, convince one of my friends to go on vacation, and salvage the trip.  The major stumbling block is the I want to take the GRE while I’m at home and I will need some time to study.

In other news, I’ve a few really amazing weekends.  The other weekend, Roopa, David, and I went to Bukhansan and hiked around for a while.  The next day, we met up with Mel, Sam, and Ruby for a fun day at Everland.  We all argued over who would sit next to Rene (who involuntarily streams obscenities during scary rides) and Ruby (who screams until she’s exhausted).  Click here for photos.

I’ve also tried to get people together once every two weeks or so and cook for them.  I made spaghetti twice and beef burgandy once.  Both went over quite well.  If anyone has any good stovetop recipes, please pass them on.

The Dahli Lama said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion.  If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  As banal as it may read, I can argue with its verisimilitude.  So right now I’m going to go finish making chicken soup because one of my friends is feeling punk.