Exactly one week from today, I'll be boarding a flight bound for Melbourne. In a blink of an eye, the summer vacation has passed. It's been a good vacation, with its ups and downs, periods of boredom and extreme drama. A part of me is sad to leave; it's never easy to say goodbye. But another part of me is excited. Melbourne has its charms and I'm eager to see the faces of some well-missed friends and my darlings, Nina and Sarah, who are giving me the great pleasure of their company for now. I'm thrilled to not be going back to an empty apartment. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH, MY DARLINGS.

Right now, I'm trying to back all the pieces of me, both big and small into bags; compacting myself. It's funny how one's life can be 'measured' by one's belongings. Over these 3 months, I've accumulated quite a bit of stuff, many of which were gifts from friends. This time, I'd be taking a huge piece of home back to Melbourne with me.

I know I've been rather depressed and maudlin of late but things have sort of started looking up. In trade for saying goodbye, I get to spend some quality time with loved ones. I'm particularly thrilled to be spending quality time with a certain someone. :wink: