So long, Saratoga

I told my friend Bob I would be writing an ode to Saratoga, but I don't think that's gonna happen. Each year of the last five has been so different that I don't really have one parting thought about that crazy town, one overarching lesson learned. The bottom line is that great friendships were made, both in college and this year, and I know I will stay in touch with the people I want to. I'll miss the places I frequented (duh); I won't miss the lack of anonymity or the tap water.

I was sad for a very short while yesterday because I had a string of goodbyes, accidentally, but appropriately in Uncommon where so many of those friendships were made, but today I have mainly been excited or too busy to think.

I was reminded today that it is the five-year anniversary of my grandmother's death. Thanks to my grandparents, who retired to Cambridge from Westchester when I was a toddler, I've had "roots" in this area that extend beyond my five years in Saratoga. Also thanks to G'ma, I had the Swan to help me explore this region on my own when I came to Skidmore. She died while I was on the freshmen preorientation trip SCOOP, so we never even lived here at the same time. Strangely, the first person I met on that trip, Maggie, my roommate for the three days, is now a great friend who will be living very near me in Chicago.

I don't know what all this means. Nothing at all, maybe. It just seems like an appropriate week to be leaving, and with that, goodbye, New York.

Countdowns

I have so many countdowns going on right now.

2 more days of work in this office.
4 more days in my darling little apartment.
12 days til Chicago trip.
2 more months in Saratoga.

It's all very exciting, but I am ready to do something, be somewhere with no expiration date. Ok, go ahead and tell me life is full of expiration dates, but you know what I mean... I would like to go into something not knowing when I am coming out of it.

What's it gonna feel like when all of these approaching countdowns hit zero? Late last week, my countdown of Gossip Girl episodes I had left to watch hit zero and I was quite sad. If Gossip Girl episodes count for real life experiences, which they most certainly do, these are gonna be some interesting months.

Ugh. What has this become? Livejournal c. 2002? I'm sorry, nonexistent readers.