Taking Advantage

This past month, I have spent some much needed time at home. I've noticed something, though, and I'm thinking it's a good thing. Since I left Tuolumne County, I have seen so much more of this world and so much more of myself in a new light. I have gotten out of my comfort zone, experienced life the way I love it to be, and found peace within myself I wasn't allowed to find in the confounds of my small town. Living in a big city changes your perspective in some ways. Phoenix is all kinds of things. It's friendly, scary, peaceful, beautiful, dirty, clean and much more all at the same time. There are so many different things happening all at once there. It seems as if life never slows down. I found a new appreciation for the quite, for the clean air, and for the shade trees of Tuolumne County. While I am here I don't have to hear gun shots in the same aspect of city life. I am not thinking that someone was just shot or that some place was robbed. Instead, I think that there's hunting or target practice going on- people having a good time. Things aren't as fear-inducing here like they can be in the city. There aren't helicopters flying above head with search lights basically every night. There isn't traffic on my way to work... maybe because I live across the street, but still. Even though there are things that are better to small town living, there are things about the city that I miss. I miss not hearing about everyone's drama all day and I miss being so close to some of the things I love so much about Arizona. I miss Papago Park, Flagstaff, and all the good places to eat (maybe that's a good thing). I think most of all, I miss the freedom I felt knowing that I was out there alone. I want to do some of the crazy things I did when I was in Phoenix, here.  I want to take off for a three day road trip not knowing exactly where I will end up. I want to leave at 5 am to climb a mountain to watch the sun rise. I want to get lost down some winding road and nearly run into a Javelina at 3 am, and see a heard of Bison crossing the road. I miss adventure, and I'm going to find that here... whenever I have the time, or even if I don't, who cares. I want to take advantage of the safety walking downtown, try the new places to eat, take off one day and see where I end up. I want to take advantage of the fact that when I looks up to the night sky I see stars and not some helicopter. I want to go shoot some cans and go catch some fish at the river. I'm going to take advantage of the home I miss while I am away.

This month has been full. I have started back at work, I got really ill for a week- and am still in recovery, went to my second Giants game (this time we won), went to the beach in Half Moon Bay, gone on a few adventures in the mountains, and caught up with a lot of old friends. I am looking forward to what the month of June will have in store for me. I know that I will be starting an online Biology class and have two concerts at Ironstone (my favorite place to be in the summer) to go to. Life is so good, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll be back in Arizona a lot quicker than I think.