So I got into to San Fran yesterday with no problem. Goodness, was it ever nice to unload my car of all that stuff, and then to find that it wasn't all that much stuff such that it would clog up my room. Said room, by the way, is big and sunny. The whole apartment is nice -- a kitchen overlooking a neighboring garden, a big living room, a washer and dryer, off the main streets so no rush hour traffic or parking issues...if Laura does decide to leave in September, I may just stay. But she may just stay too, so maybe I'll look locally. But anyway, that's putting the cart before the horse; I need to find a job. I have some leeway in my bank account, so no worries. I believe I'll be fine for all of July, at least, and I shouldn't even need that much time. I saved all the other listings on the job engines that looked interesting to me, so I have lots of leads.

I am DEFINITELY suffering from shell-shock -- I've visited NYC and Boston and Chicago hundreds of times, it seems, and stayed for whole weeks sometimes, but living here is such a different story. I have no guide, no one leading me by the nose and showing me stuff, the way you do when you visit someone. Though 4 of my friends took me out to dinner last night, so I am by no means isolated. I really, really like feeling like Bambi -- it's a regaining of innocence and newness and adventure that most people don't get to re-experience so keenly after childhood. I have so much to do -- change addresses on accounts, get parking permits and my CA license, get a job, get used to the neighborhood -- but that's really the only downside, a downside that should be gone almost entirely in the next week, completely in the next month. Two months from now, I will be completely settled, and that is exciting and inspiring.

I will be celebrating the 4th of July with some Wesleyan friends -- it will be quite a reunion, people I haven't seen in ages, people who live here, people who are visiting -- and then the next weekend we are all going to a beach house. So I'm trying to get the business side done ASAP so I can enjoy myself more thoroughly.

Happy 4th to you all and stay in touch!! I should be able to email more consistently in about a week.