Home again

OK, so you caught me. I'm back in New York. I've actually been back for a week now, but I've been so busy rushing out to my mom's for my sister's birthday, rushing in to work, rushing to get my taxes done before April 15, that I haven't been able to take the daily nap I had gotten used to while traveling in over a week. So, that would be change #1 I've noticed from my travels: I like to take a nap every day now. #2 would be that I looked at a lot of architecture and I'm itching to use some of the things I saw in my work and life. #3 would be that I've lived inexpensively for several months now, so paying $14 for a chicken ceaser wrap, fries, and coke from the Yorkville Diner just up the street from work seems utterly ridiculous to me. There are others I've been noticing, so I was thinking I might need to collect all of this stuff in a book, but it seems like such a massive undertaking that I'm apprehensive on where to even start. Alternatively, I was thinking maybe I should try to keep the blog going, but I've been so erratic about it lately that it's hard to tell if anyone is still looking.

Anyway, this post, which theoretically should be the last, is about the last half of Japan and my stop-over in Vancouver before returning home. Japan was very interesting: incredible cultural traditions, coupled with and ordered, modern society; but I still haven't been able to shake a feeling of coldness and alienation I got there. Similarly, Vancouver, while having access to incredible nature and Northwest Native American art, was so cold and rainy, and everyone spent so much time on their cell phones, it hardly felt like people knew I was there. At least I got to spend some time with Stu and Hanne and Anzara, who were incredibly welcoming and eager to hear stories from my travels.

Perhaps I'm feeling wistful about this trip ending. Did I do the right thing? Was it enough? What exactly was I trying to accomplish anyway? Am I the only person on earth who can take such an amazing experience and turn it into something to worry about? I doubt it, but whatever I was just doing, my mind is still working on it. Stay tuned.