Life is what you make it.

I had a revelation while driving down Memorial Drive, coming back from Katrina's absolutely fantastic Thanksgiving dinner.

I turned and looked at the city and genuinely enjoyed what I was seeing for the first time in a long time. I started to sort out in my mind that this was directly attached to having hung out with a friend (and just all-around awesome person) I haven't seen in a long time. I reflected on the fact that I have felt pretty distant from my friends since I got back because we don't share the same drinking habits or, and I take the blame for this, our schedules clash. I'm generally pretty good at making time for people, but when schedules don't match up, they just don't. My incredibly hectic 50-hour-work-week-plus-school schedule makes it even tougher.

Anyway... I've been having a tough time of it since I got back. However, as I drove back from Katrina's, things just felt easier... better. I remember not being able to figure out why certain people just couldn't get into the groove of their new city, but now I know why. This isn't a new city for me, but I am much different than who I was when I first came here, and adapting and growing can be very difficult when you can't connect with friends. Moving to a new city (or returning to one in which you've lived before) is much better when there's some sort of lifeline between you and the people around you.

I guess, to put it quite succinctly, you need to find your niche.