ReIntegration

Well, we've been back long enough to really 'be' back. You have to be adaptable on the road, waking in one country and going to sleep later that day in another... Likewise, you adjust to home -- I've said it before on this blog: humans are adaptable. It's amazing to discover the small and uncomfortable spaces you can put your body (and deal without too much suffering).

So we've been home over a month, my skin is turning white, and I'm amazed at how quickly the last year has faded to memory -- it almost seems like it never happened or if it was a dream. This is exactly what I was afriad of: the experience becoming memory... still accessible, but blurred. But, life goes on... I know this. You can't live in the past. Well, not if you want to have any friends...

I knew I was 100% back when I paid $5.00 for a salad and thought to myself, "wow, what a good deal!". That's an extravagant price to pay for a meal in Asia and sticker shock was the hardest thing to get over on return. Perhaps I do live more frugally now; we go out to dinner less often (aside from the $$, the portions are too damn huge). We dropped 70 bucks at a sushi place the other day. I nearly fell off my chair when the bill came. That's 3 days (accomodation, food, etc) on the road and I ate it in less than two hours. I've just gotten used to living with a constant eye on my budget so now it's difficult to live without making such comparisons. I'm sure this will disappear in time. It annoys me, so I'm betting it annoys you...

But, whatever. I would still be shocked by the prices if I never even left. San Francisco ain't cheap.

I'm back.