Headed back to NYC after a couple weeks of travel.→[More:]

A couple weekends ago, I hopped on the Greyhound down to my brother's place in Virginia, where I had a great time with my nephews (and their parents) and then rented a car with my brother and headed down to North Carolina, where we attended the wedding of one of our oldest friends. Then we drove back to VA on Sunday and I hopped the 'Hound back up to the city on Monday.

That Wednesday, I took a NJ Transit/Metro North train out to Port Jervis, NY, where my buddy picked me up and drove me to his house out by the Finger Lakes. I stayed there for the weekend before getting on a bus to Baltimore on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving; my folks picked me up and I spent the holiday in my childhood home.

We drove down to my brother's place yesterday, left my mom to take care of the baby, and my brother, dad, and I took the Metro into DC, where we enjoyed a few Smithsonian exhibits and lunched at Bistro D'Oc. We got back around when my six-year old nephew got home from school, and hung out with them for the evening.

Now I'm getting ready to hop a train back home to NYC, after a couple thousand miles on the road in just a couple weeks. It's invigorating; I've needed but felt unable to afford a change of scenery for a long time.

Maybe I can turn things around, find work, stay in the city. Maybe I won't, but if that's the case I feel like I've got a tremendous number of options now. The world may not be my oyster but it's not my enemy anymore.

It's been great having access to a computer and engaging with people here again. I know this post ventures into get-your-own-blog territory, but I'd have to get-my-own-computer first, which may actually happen soon. I just wanted to say it's been fun popping in the past few days, and though I won't be back around posting regularly for another little while, I'll be thinking fondly of you as I count my blessings.

Special thanks to taz, and I hope each of you has a great December.