You can take the girl out of New York, but you can't take New York out of the girl

Oh wait, yes you can.

In the 5 months that I've been in Hawaii, and thus the 5 months that I've left New York, the nostalgia pangs have hit me perhaps thrice, and I'm pretty sure two of those times I was a bit buzzed (making me more susceptible to irrational emotion). I definitely don't miss the rush, the noise, the pollution, and I don't even miss the perks of the world's best restaurants, artists and museums. In fact, I am much more satisfied to buy non-brand names, to use coupons at grocery stores, and to cook mundane meals consisting of the main dish, the occasional starch and the ubiquitous side of green salad.

Is this the "me" I've been looking for? The "me" I could never find in New York? The "me" that I left Hawaii to discover only to discover it was home in Hawaii all along?

Its been one hell of a rollercoaster ride. In my more idealistic days, I would carry the banner "Live without regrets," using it as an excuse to do what I pleased as long as I remembered to not regret whatever it was that I was doing. As if I actually had control over that. Now that I am older, and more realistic, I do regret. A lot.

Yet despite my regrets, I am spectularly happy to be where I am now. I am very excited about my future. I'm excited to go back to school, I'm excited to get 2! Masters degrees, and I am excited to marry Dave.

I guess I done growned-up.