I'm a lookin both ways before I cross

Est-ce c'est possible? Is it. Did I leave? Did I go to Australia for 8 months, pick bananas and gain "life experiences" only to come home and feel like I never left? I think so. There is evidence to the contrary of course. Like sometimes even if I don't say it out loud I am thinking "Ya reckon" I know yuck. Also I made some friends over there (the only concrete evidence of this is on facebook) and also several near death experiences from looking the wrong way when about to cross the street (you know left then right, well I'm all looking right then left) But there are things that make me feel like I never left too. The way I picked right back up with everyone, the easy and instant way I felt at home in San Francisco. Oh and (sorry Mom, Dad) my parents bathroom, that beast of a 20 square foot project (insert sarcasm here) that was one year in the making before I left isn't finished yet. Neither is the gas firepit in the backyard. Weirdly I remember using it during my farewell dinner. I won't dwell on these little confusing facts that make it appear as if I never left...I might get kicked out of my free digs if I do and I just finished unpacking so that would be unfortunate.

I'm not sure how you're supposed to feel after an extended period of time away from home. I thought maybe I would have a little more to show for it than a haircut and a new allergy but anyway I'm onto the next thing. A house in Tahoe City awaits, 5 months for some new adventure. New job, new city, new something to pack for. If all else fails at the end of this one I can probably cut my hair again, I might just have enough grown back to do something new!

In the meantime I have been re-writing my resume to include the 4 years of swim coaching I did from 2000-2004 which has just taken me on a wild trip down memory lane in which I recall even tans, swimsuit confidence I would pay for today and getting to play with kids who loved us coaches. Is there anything better than that?!

More on dream jobs that pay peanuts later. I'll talk to you soon, maybe from Tahoe if this whole snowing into the month of June thing stops. In the meantime my bed awaits.

*The photo above was taken late night walking home through Hyde Park in Sydney. I only got like 8 crazy looks.