Bullet Pointed Contemplations

I have been going over these lists in my head, which just goes to show how far bullet points truly have infiltrated my brain...

Things I will miss about Italy:
-laying on the beach reading
-play cards with Marco
-playing Wii with Luca
-playing volleyball with Neno
-Dimitry's sass
-fresh focaccia
-olive oil used in abundance
-treating time at the Mediterranean Sea like a normal, everyday thing
-having five cats and three dogs to pet and love
-learning new words every day
-Luca talking to me in Italian and expecting me to understand
-having cheap and ready access to travel to other countries that have different cultures and languages

Things I won't miss about Italy:
-having to shower just to get the sand off
-stores being closed for 2-3 hours in the middle of the day
-the Post Office closing after 1:30 in the afternoon
-ODing on pasta (it's good, but every day gets to be a little too much)

Things I am excited for about Boise:
-Target
-being with my family
-the familiarity of my hometown
-starting "real life"
-Shane Maxey whipping me into shape
-catching up with friends and their adventures
-stores being open every day of the week
-stores having reasonable hours of business
-renewing my Library card
-eating Mexican food
-eating at the Beanery
-getting involved at church

Things I am nervous for about Boise:
-making friends
-finding a job
-starting "real life"


Here's another object of contemplation:

Upon my return, I will no longer be an Au Pair (shocking, but true) and will thus have no need for a blog - especially one with a url that says "juliatheaupair."

While I obviously am lacking in motivation to post very often, I have enjoyed blogging as an outlet for creative writing. I was always proud of my writing abilities in high school, but once I got to college, I seldom used them (as most of my papers, after my freshman year, were research papers). When I was even a time in my life where I wanted to be a journalist, but for reasons I'm unable to remember I chose to study music (which was obviously the more practical and marketable choice of the two). I don't regret studying music, but I do miss writing.

I've also realized that during the course of this summer, and even the last couple months in Germany, I've read "for pleasure" for the first time in years (excepting Harry Potter, of course). I have read so many books (I just finished Sense & Sensibility this afternoon) and am so thirsty for more, but I'm afraid that returning to some semblance of "normal" life may make it difficult to continue reading with the speed and enthusiasm I've lately enjoyed.

So how do these two combine in marital harmony?

With a book blog, DUH.

I find that after I read a book, I become anxious to find somebody with which to share my thoughts and feelings on them that I can hardly contain myself. Then it occurred to me that, while my life in Boise will more likely than not be undeserving of a blog in itself, I could perhaps blog about the books I read. It will be a good opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings on the book, regardless of whether there's an audience or not, as well as sharpen my writing skills. Not to mention the greatest of possible reward will hopefully be some sort of reason and/or motivation to continue to read. And, if there does happen to be one or two of my friends who read the blog and have read the book I've written about, maybe we could start a discussion about - and as many of you know oh-so-well, I do love to discuss.

So there you have it. When the book blog is up, and this blog is ready to come to an end, I will post the new link.

Alles liebe,
~Julia~