Back in Jersey for a week....

So I'm back in New Jersey for the week, as per extremely sudden plans, but in a way it's nice to be home, even if not under the best of circumstances. My wisdom teeth have been bothering me for a while now; it's been a problem I should have dealt with years ago and am now finally having to take care of. The pain suddenly got way worse at the beginning of this week, and while my original plans were to have the surgery done at the end of the summer in late July after I finished my internship up in Washington, I realized I didn't want to be drugged up on tylenol for a solid month becuase of badly impacted/decayed wisdom teeth that could screw up my whole summer; so I elected to have it done now. Originally I was just going to try and have it done at an oral surgeon in Spokane near where I'm living this summer in Washington, but after realizing that one, I didn't know anyone out here and I would need someone to drive me home after the procedure, plus follow-up stuff, I thought it might be easier to just come home to my normal dentist I know and trust and have it taken care of. A little crazy, I know, flying across the country suddenly, but hey it happens, and having not been home since last Thanksgiving [and that was only for 3 days], this is sort of a nice change-of-pace. Of course my boss at the Mine I'm interning at wasn't too thrilled at the prospect of me suddenly missing a week of work, but I think he reallized obviously I wasn't exactly happy about having this done either; but nonetheless I needed to. The surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday; at this point I'm really not nervous or apprehensive at all about the procudure; I just want to have it done and over with so I get fly back to Washington and wrap up my summer there! I'll be here through next Saturday, so if any old friends in the North Jersey/NY area are around, give me a holler.

After getting the wisdom teeth pulled here in NJ, I'll fly back to Washington where I'll be through the end of July. After that, I'll drive down to Denver [2 day trip; stay in Casper or Sheridan, Wyoming the first night most likely, then drive the Denver the next morning and fly out] to fly from DIA back to New Jersey, then a day or two later fly to Stockholm to visit family in Sweden for 2 weeks. After this, I'll return to NJ for a few more days, then fly back to Denver to start school at The University of Colorado in Boulder [Hopefully, if my transfer arrangements work out O.K], or alternately, spend a semester at Red Rocks Community College to get the transfer credits I am lacking from my 5 semesters at the Colorado School of Mines and one swemester at The University of Arizona. Either way it will be nice to be back in Colorado, surrounded by familiar faces and territory, near a city I love, and back with my one true love, skiing. I know I know, I just transferred this past semester to the U of A in Tucson, and 3 schools in 3 years is kind of rediculous; but you know life is a journey and I feel I have few regrets and it's been an awesome experience overall so far; I think I've really been blessed by positive people and energy around me and that has made all the difference, I have faith despite the rough edges, thing's are going to be OK. While I had an amazing time in Tucson this past spring climbing, making new friends, taking fun new classes, I realized it just wasn't really the place for me, I'm not a desert person when it comes down to it; I needed my seasons, my snowy winters and skiing, my fun, ecclectic Denver cultural scene I had come to take for granted. Colorado, I'm sorry I betrayed you haha, but I'm coming back, hopefully you'll accept me ha. Honestly I think a lot of my Colorado friends won't be overly surprised I'm coming back after only one semester in Arizona. They knew as well as I did it wadn't going to be for me. Ah well, it's about the journey, not the destination, right? One day at a time. Today I slept in [god I haven't done that in sooo long haha, plus I'm still on Pacific Time..], then went to the dentist [pretty routine], then went for a wonderful, long run on the old railroad tracks-turned open space park in Chester/Long Valley, then had a great dinner with thr family. A good day. I'd say.
Peace n' grease,
Phil.