I’ve abandoned my normal make-up routine.

Started wearing running shoes when I’m not exercising.

Sweatpants are my new go-to outfit.

My hair is a frizzy-humidity-mess-fest and I’m doing nothing to tame it.

Yesterday I played hacky-sack.

Today the most exciting event in the neighborhood is a possible trip to the grocery store.

What the fuck’s happened to me?

I’ve left New York City.

What? How could I do such a thing after the declaration of love from last entry? It isn’t over, NYC and I are just doing the long distance thing for a couple months. You knew this was coming.

It was not easy to sit on Megabus and watch the Empire State Building fade into the distance (and listening to R.E.M’s “Leaving New York “-surprise- didn’t help). Highway was the only thing on the horizon for the next 7 hours as I traveled far north to upstate New York. Commonly referred to in the city as bumblefuck. An area I’ve been referring to as “the woods”. You may have thought I was kidding when I said “the woods”. I certainly thought I was kidding- in a cute and vaguely ironic anywhere-that-isn’t-NYC-is-“the woods” kind of way.

My 7 hour (including a transfer) bus ride dropped me off in front of a tired looking state university in an even more tired-looking (when I say “tired” I mean about the same thing as when a guy tells me “Wow, you look really tired”) college town. A terrifyingly long, 20 minute car ride later (the closest semblance of a town is 20 minute ride in a CAR not on a bike- how am I to live??) I arrive at the place that will be home from June to mid August.

It is the woods, there’s no mistaking it. I’m also at a renaissance faire. There’s no mistaking that either. I am no longer in Manhattan and I’m surprised how culture shocked I am.