i’m okay everyone, i swear. though you do all make me feel well-loved, and for that i am grateful.

the thing is, knowing in advance that something will be hard doesn’t actually make it any easier. i knew this move would be tough. it’s just that i’m in the middle of it now, and, as it turns out, it is, in fact, very hard on me. at least everything is going according to plan, right?

but here, to show that i am making an effort, i’ll blog five nice things about my day in california today:

1. i will never feel superfluous at my new job. it’s a little like trying to drink from a fire hose, but i’m definitely not going to be bored any more.

2. the drive from mill valley down the 101 and over the golden gate bridge this evening was spectacular. no fog, golden sun, everything lush and in full bloom. whomever said that lake shore drive was the most beautiful expressway in the country definitely hadn’t been to northern california.

3. something old: dinner with H at Ti Couz (16th & Valencia), one of my favorite restaurants in SF from the old days (the smell of the buckwheat crepes, upon entering the restaurant, took me straight back to my college years), and

4. something new: Bi-Rite Creamery (at 18th & Dolores) for dessert, which sets the bar for ice cream in a whole new place. two scoops: salted caramel and lavender honey. so good i’ll forgive them their wanton disregard for the english language (Bi-Rite? huh? did they mean Buy Right or something else entirely?)

5. my run this morning. three miles up a long slow grade, stopping at the top to take in the amazing view: on a fogless day like today i could see all the way into downtown san francisco, the bay bridge, the bay, all glittering in the sun. then three miles back down hill, my stride hitting a rhythm halfway and it felt like flying.