A climax, of sorts...

So, it's Labor Day Weekend, and, for once I can actually say that summer is really ending on Labor Day weekend. You know, most of my life (at least my recent life), I've started school before or way after Labor Day, so I'm not used to it actually meaning the end of summer. But this year I finished work yesterday and am moving off campus tomorrow (hopefully), so Labor Day Weekend is truly the end of what was my summer.

I guess it would be nice if I could reflect on the summer at this point, but, well, I'm not going to do that. I mean, my jobs were good, I learned a great deal in both cases, and now I'm done with them. Living on campus was great, though not as social as living on campus during the year (or, for that matter, in any undergrad residence except Mirrielees). I had some good times, had some trying times, am still sort of stressing about my impending departure, and am ready to end the summer for good.

That said, I am glad to have made the decision to stay on campus this summer. I regret not getting the chance to see my friends around Orange County as much as I would have liked, but absence makes the heart grow stronger as they say. So cliche. Olay! But yeah, it was fun, and, you know, I really fit a bit better in the Bay Area than I do in Orange County. It's come to feel so much more homely, so much more comfortable. It's only been two years, so I guess it's about time. Now I know how long it takes me to warm up to a place. I am Bay Area now, unfortunately, and fortunately, and Orange County is slowly fading into my past. Of course, as always, it's really the people from a place who matter, and the people from Orange County are what truly mean the most to me. The place - well, you have to admit, it's sort of boring. It has it's nice features, but not as many as a place like the Bay Area or Paris or New York. I guess I'm just more cosmopolitan than I would have thought. Such is youth.

Anyway, I decided to donate blood today, before I quickly become ineligible (either because I've been in France for six months or for other reasons which would more permanently bar me from donating). I'm glad to have done it - at least I can say I once gave blood now. Who knows if I'll ever be able to again. It's kind of a freaky feeling. Frustrating, you know, when you want to help out, but when you're told you're ineligible because you once had sex. Oh well.

And in the end, the summer is making a nice little conclusion of itself. I look forward to two weeks in Orange County, and to my 11 hour flight to Paris, and to a few days in Brussels and a few in Madrid and/or London, and to meeting my host mother, and to meeting French people, and to meeting new people in general, and to whatever life brings me. Here we go again!