I recently heard a quote, that I can't recall verbatim, but it goes something like this: once a mind has been exposed to new experiences, it will stretch and reshape to accommodate them; it will never again be able to return to its previous shape or way of thinking. It seems common sense and simple enough when you hear that, but you who have experienced something mind altering, know how important it is to know that.
The prodigal has returned. I left Redlands in 2003; I discovered and accomplished a great many things in the interim. Now I am back and I need to start over again it would seem. I've got the house, the job, the dog sitter, but I'm still trying to round out my life with the stuff that matters, people, experiences, etc.
I'm an eclectic, but not to wild and crazy. I like low key parties and dislike clubs and excessive drinking. I really like to fly fish. I even tie my own flies and own waders! The river is a healing place and is a refuge for me. I like being outdoors but only for day trips. I don't mind camping out, but I prefer to sleep indoors. I used to hike quite a bit and bicycle, sometimes those are hard on me now.
Other hobbies in general - food: I am the skinniest fat kid you will ever meet too. I love food. I like to eat it, cook it, smell it, look at it. When I other people are homesick and they daydream about what try will do when they get back, I'm daydreaming about the first meal I will make in my kitchen.
What I do, or how I spend my time is less important to me than who I am, and what guides my life and decisions. I have re-prioritized recently; my family has always been important to me, but they are vital now. I'm going to do everything I can to stay closer to them and communicate better. Things have a different perspective than they used to. I realize when time isn't the priority, other stuff becomes more profound: the conversations you are having, the friendships and trust you are building. I value those things more than staying on schedule now. I'm much more complicated than that, but that is the big stuff, and everything else stems from those.
I've added a few but very large things to my bucket list in the last few months. A few of those I'll list here. I will learn French, then attend culinary school in France. I will learn, at least a little more Russian, and visit my dear friends in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I will teach my nephew how to drive a manual transmission, after I restore my little old Honda, and give it a ridiculous paint job like an old 50s boxter. I will visit Ireland. I will live a more simple life, and appreciate more.
I like laughing and have an odd, very literal sense of humor. I love cheesy jokes that kids usually tell. If you have the time to sit and talk, let me know. On a side note, I have noticed that men on here are specifying that they prefer a tomboy type girl or a girly girl. That, I feel, is a little too black and white. There are more classifications for women than girly or not. I'm not princess by any means, but I don't like digging for worms either. I have a sense of style, and my make up isn't obvious. I keep fit, and am learned in the basics of home improvement, though I need help with heavy lifting and changing out the sink faucet. For the record: I work in the beauty industry and I'm a reservist. Take that for what it's worth.
