All this moving, all these places, people and goodbyes

The thing about being young is that your never in one place for very long. And it strange how that is both exhilarating and incredibly tiring. In the past 8 mos. I've gone from Pa. to N.J. to Ireland to N.J. to Pa. to Fla. and now to N.J. (for 3 days) and back to Pa.

Permanence is severely lacking in my life. Heck, my friends aren't even permanent. I mean sure I can stay in touch through e-mail and Facebook, but it's really not the same as seeing them in the flesh. And I keep leaving people and people keep leaving me. Sure, when you get older and settle down people filter in and out of your life -- but not at this unstoppable rate.

And this, I realized is why I've gone a bit crazy buying stuff for my apartment at PSU. Because it will be a permanent home (meaning I'll live there a little less than a year). But it feels more lasting than anything has in almost a year. And that's why I want it to be perfect.

And Naples, well, I wouldn't really want to live here. But boy has time flown. And I am going to miss it. When you move somewhere no matter how much or how little you like it, the place becomes a part of you. It becomes a comfortable, reliable, familiar place. It becomes a home.

I'll miss this little home I've made for myself. This summer was great in so many ways, and despite having two friends here (my 21-year-old roommate and a friend of my mom's) I wasn't really lonely. Maybe a bit bored or in need of conversation at times, but not lonely. And I liked my routines, my volunteering, days by the pool, nights in the office. Einstein Bagel run on Saturdays, church on Sundays. Talking with Jen and watching "More to Love" and laughing at the stupidity of it. I'll miss that. And Tuesdays with Patty they were a big highlight. I'll miss my slot editor, Vicky, a lot as well. She was a great editor and a great journalist. I hope I am as good as she is one day, that the other editors will say "Katie would have know what to do" "If Katie was here ..."
Well, maybe I will be. I'll reach for it at least.

And now it all changes again. Another place, a different routine, less me time and more time surrounded by people. But at least it's not a whole new place. Going back to PSU is returning home after being gone for almost a year.

Hello, future. What have you in store for me now?