I prefer my life evolve in gradual increments rather than staying stagnant or undergoing sudden upheaval. For the last week and a half--- probably since Haley went back to school--- I’ve acted somewhat like a bag of frozen chicken: cold and bland but gradually softening up and ready to get cooking. My time in Pensacola had run its course. My activities circulated around the same themes everyday (staying stagnant): cooking at Appetite for Life, running errands to kill time, surfing the internet, and having dinner with my wonderful family. In a matter of two days, my surroundings completely changed (sudden upheaval): the people, the daily runnings, the tasks at hand, the attitude. Something I had claimed to feel giddy in excitement for--- returning to my college life--- quickly overwhelmed me with the drastic change of pace. I’m waking up at 11 am again. My neighbors look more my age than my grandparents’. No one cooks for me or picks up the tab. I watch lots of Simpsons-- No change there; we must keep some continuity.

I’m growing warmer to these changes as they become the norm again. The apartment has life with it’s greens, burgundies, and browns. When I want to escape, I can walk down the hall into my bedroom, overcome by jazz. The golds, the blacks and whites, the music, the sexy view, the classic pictures: they all scream Miles-Davis-esque jazz coolness. Hopefully Dave and Mason will grow on me, but it feels slightly awkward at time with them being much closer friends than I am with either man. They do their things together with BCM, while I march to the beat of my own drummer. Eventually we’ll do the occasional activity as a group of three. I feel like the “other” roommate, which is what I anticipated, but Dave and Mason are great guys that would never push me from our little apartment circle. As long as we’re peaceful to each other, do not purposely exclude each other, and share mullet jokes and Simpsons fun, I’ll be content and satisfied with my roommates.

These twilight days before the reality of our purpose here in Gainesville kicks in--- school--- follow a pattern of relocating your friends, adjusting your living quarters, searching for your next meal, and cavorting as though every puzzle piece is magically snapping securely together.

And the bulk of the puzzle finds another match every day. The next piece awaits me.