Ah, summer...

Okay, so that didn't take too long before I was willing to re-write...

So for those of you who were unaware, I have spent my summer in beautiful Flagstaff, Arizona, working for a private defense attorney and living with my occasionally crazy, though always fun, friend and three giant dogs. I had a few misgivings about being away from Boston for so long, but soon learned to readjust to the completely different pace of life in Flag. I've learned to come to terms with doing defense work, mainly by the comforting realization that most of these people are complete idiots and have voluntarily confessed so they're going to jail (and before anyone who does defense work takes issue with this, I'm talking about specific cases here, not defendants in general, and these guys have done some pretty heinous things). I've enjoyed working in downtown Flagstaff, where I make the daily mid-morning trip to Late for the Train for some tasty caffeine concoction or another (totally hooked on Retro-Metros and Mate Lattes). I've enjoyed being able to have lunch out on the patio on Heritage Square, where I see a myriad of entertaining people pass, and listen in to the mayor talk about her birthday party, playing Monopoly, and Twittering about something they laughed at on the square but making it sound very official. I've enjoyed wandering downtown after work or on the weekends, stopping in for a drink at the Wine Loft or with a bunch of attorneys at Rendezvous, finding random music festivals down on the Square, and of course, trying on nearly every hat at the Theatrikos rummage sale before parading around downtown with friends on a Saturday night wearing hats and very odd other costume pieces (which, by the way, we only received about two odd looks for and one question...did we really not stand out? Scary...). I've enjoyed taking the doggies on a walk up on the mesa. I've enjoyed taking the yoga classes in the morning before work (in spite of all my internal swearing by the last sun salutation and my hands are slipping off my mat during downward dog, which is not yet a "restful" pose for me) and in the evenings for deep-stretching yin. I've enjoyed the Sunday morning Farmer's Market, with the fresh, local vegetables, bread, cheese, and yummy breakfast sandwiches from NJ Pizza. I've enjoyed the mountains, the sunshine, the trees, the monsoons, the slower pace. I've enjoyed seeing friends that I haven't seen in years. I've enjoyed the summer dinner parties on the patio with amazing friends, amazing food, and amazing wine. I've enjoyed taking Argentine Tango lessons, even if I never could quite get the hang of the motion. I've enjoyed the serenity of not living right on Comm Ave, even if the stillness of the night is often interrupted by the train. In short, I've enjoyed my summer. But now it is coming to an end. In less than a week, I will be leaving Flagstaff, heading back to Boston and classes and the crazy pace of life in the city. Back to waiting for the T, walking to school, studying... But also back to the good part of Boston, the friends there, the fun we have, the city I've come to love. I'll miss Flagstaff summer, but I'm looking forward to being back!