And just like that, I'm back in LA.
I got to spend a really peaceful morning back home: going for a walk and playing with Ashley and Jesse, talking with my Mom, sending Kris and my Dad off to a softball game, packing up... I love my family. Getting dropped off at the airport today, saying goodbye again, and even while I was at the house thinking about how I had to leave, I couldn't help but tear up a bit. I did break down a bit once I got to the airport. I felt a little awkward going to security trying to wipe up the tears off my cheeks...
I'm not used to being alone. I don't mind it if I'm prepared for it, but it hit me out of the blue today. I like people. I like being around them and talking with them and connecting with them and being one of them. People are great.
Anyways, I got myself a smoothie from Starbucks, which helped me feel better. Getting on the plane made me sad again though... I teared up again and actually had a few tears fall. My Drama anthology with Twelfth Night in it didn't help hide my emotions as well as I'd hoped. A fairly older man who looked fairly well off sat down next to me, and after five minutes of my attempts to pull myself together, he commented on what I was reading.
"So, you're rereading and underlining, huh? Shakespeare too! Good for you... And you're leaking. How come?"
I explained I was leaving home, and he seemed to understand pretty quickly. He chatted up a storm all the way up until we took off. At first, I was a little annoyed that I wasn't getting much done, but after a minute or so became really intrigued with what he said. I got to know almost his whole life story without saying more than 10 words. He was a Christian, first of all, and got to that point in his life after searching through several different religions and philosophies about life. He was an Orthopedic surgeon in a family of doctors of some sort, and they all went to the same school somewhere in... Philadelphia I think? Or Iowa? I don't remember. He was from the Midwest though. I told him about my elbow, since he was an orthopedic surgeon, and it was cool how he could understand the procedure I'd gone through just from me briefly describing what happened and how I had a screw in my arm. So that was cool. He had two daughters, one of which was on the plane with him, but they were older (30 or 40 or so). He was also really into a branch of psychology and a particular personality test that I'm not remembering the name of. He also seemed really well off... He owns quite a bit of land in Toronto and gives money to charities around the area.
We talked about how I was a college student. I mentioned I was a theater major, upon his asking, and he told me about a lady he knows in the Santa Monica area who's a really accomplished actress and one of the experts in the particular psychology branch he'd been talking about. He gave me her and his email so I could talk to her about it by the end of the flight!
I did end up finishing my philosophy homework on the flight, despite being busy with our conversation, but my point is it... inspired me in some way. I don't know, but I felt a whole lot better about being away from home and alone and being in LA in general afterwards.
I had a great conversation with my taxi driver too! He was Armenian and had a daughter who was an amazing singer in a show choir in Burbank. He was part of a classical singing group himself at one point. Again, he did most of the talking, but I enjoyed listening to him.
There are some great people in LA. And you know, it's not all that different from the Bay Area. There's just a lot more people and a lot more going on, that's all.
People back at the dorm seemed pretty happy to see me back, and it's always nice to know you've been missed. :) We went to dinner, I unpacked, finished my homework for tomorrow, and Sneha and Jinny and I had a nice conversation before I threw in the towel. And now I'm here, back in my dorm room, writing this blog before I go to bed tonight.
I feel so much better now than before. I feel refreshed, rejuvinated, and ready to take on what these next two months have in store, since I most likely won't be home again until Thanksgiving.
Here goes! Fight on, friends.
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