What you've all not been waiting for!

Here we go again ...

I felt the need to drop off the face of the blogosphere for a few months after returning from India, not because I didn't want to update anyone on my life, but ... well, sort of because I didn't have a whole lot that I wanted to say that wasn't ONLY about what I'd been doing the past half a year. And I was lazy. Let's not discount that. But here I am again, for whatever reason (maybe it's the delicious omelet I made for breakfast that I really feel like talking about*), and I think I will finally respond to those of you who wanted to hear about THE BIG RETURN. How did it go? How was the reverse culture shock? Did I get you your very own guru?!?

It would be accurate to say that I was thrilled to be back. It would also be accurate to say that it really sucked. For the first few days my pupils were so enlarged by the excitement I felt at things like Chipotle and honest-to-gosh grocery stores that I considered wearing strong-prescription glasses so I didn't look like I was on E. But gradually, the novelty of open roads and the peace and quiet of Denver's suburbs wore off and I felt pretty lonely. Really lonely. Where are the cows? The honking? The thrill of a swerving rickshaw? Okay, now I'm just being melodramatic. I missed my friends. I missed a feeling of belonging. I hated the fact that nothing had changed while I was gone. I mean, I changed so much -- how is it that the world didn't change along with me? And so goes the plight of many-a-traveler, so I'm told.

Now it has been four months. FOUR months! The reverse culture-shock has subsided and I am now settled in Chicago. Yay Chicago! I love it here. I do miss the open skies of Colorado, though. Once you get used to that, it's hard to live under low-hanging clouds and not have sun all but a few days a year.

My next endeavors: getting cats. And a Wii. Just so I can complete the becoming-a-hermit circuit.

*My omelet included the following ingredients: Eggs. Milk. Fresh chopped tomatoes, asparagus and shallots. Brie and goat cheese. It happens to be Mother's Day, and I've been treating myself so well I'm wondering if I've actually got children I should be aware of.