Dance Floors and Magazines

Just a little while ago, I was cooking some hamburger (for future tacos... maybe tomorrow?) and Roommate C (I think I probably named him something else once, before I lived here, but I can't remember) came down and informed me that, since I moved in, the kitchen has seen more use than ever before. That's probably true, because all he ever eats is chicken patties and hamburgers. I am impressive, it seems, because I used the crock pot yesterday (swiss steak- turned out nicely), and I've made jambalaya and homemade mac & cheese here and tuna noodle casserole, among other things, since CLRG moved in here. Yes, indeed. I can't really remember where I was going with this, but whatever. I cook things sometimes. I got stuff to make a mac & cheese pasta bake thinger later this week (to eat with salads), and little shrimp to eat with pasta and pesto. Mmmm.

Fact is, I like doing these homey things. I have been doing my laundry with CLRG's and I enjoy doing it this way. I like going grocery shopping for us as a pair, but I don't like figuring out meals by myself. He never really has suggestions so I have to think really hard about meals. I really like living here. I will like it even more when the new room is finished.

Our set up plan for the new room and this other room is such: bed, love seats (couch won't make it up here, oh well), TV in the new room. Desks, dressers, storage containers in the older room. I am hopeful that my bookshelf will make it into the new side. I don't know why. We will soon each have a closet, rather than having to share one, and I will think about getting some drawers of some kind to make up for the shelves I won't have in my closet. We'll see, we'll see.

I Held So Many People in My Suitcase Heart

I haven't written in a while because, truthfully, I didn't really know what to write about. I keep thinking about the concept of home. I want to write about that. I wanted to say that Elle went home earlier in the week and I miss that option. In college, it wasn't difficult to get home for a weekend. Nowadays, I'm not sure what home is to me, so I can't determine travel time. Home is, I suppose, many things. Home is when I am with my family as well as with my friends. Home is Pittsburgh, where I am building a life that is my own (which is strange) and where I spent most of my time and where CLRG is. I think, when I say, "I'm home," I mean Pittsburgh. That's not to say, of course, that my hometown (is it my hometown if we don't live there at all anymore?) isn't a home. I know I am welcome there in many homes and many hearts and I love that. Home is just so tricky. I know some people don't really relate to that, but that's okay. For me, places that are home span the country.

And then home brings up the question of what to do for the holidays. I'm worried that my family will be separated at Christmas. I know that I would be welcome at CLRG's family's house and I would be welcome at my grandparents' house, but it's strange to think that I might not see my parents and sister if things don't work out, you know? The parents have to think about coming out for Pookie's graduation in May and they already had me come out last month and it just seems so complicated. So much more than it used to be. Why, oh why?

In happier news, this weekend is the anniversary of Elle and I meeting. We came out to the Burgh about a year ago to find this apartment and struck up a friendship that I know will last forever. I'm so glad I found such a good friend in her. I really don't know what I would do without you, Elle! Thanks for being so awesome.