Hello! The boyfriend and I are with his family in southern California, celebrating his brother’s graduation from Harvey Mudd College. Bill Nye (The Science Guy!) was the keynote speaker, and he gave a somewhat depressing speech.

We’re spending less than 48 hours here. Today, we’re flying back to Illinois. Tomorrow, we drive to the Outer Banks to spend a few days at the beach with my family.

I still took time to stop and smell the roses, which are abundant here, despite California’s arid climate:

All my friends can attest that I am terrified of California, especially southern California, for its natural disasters and its high percentage of beautiful people (and the high prices and glitziness). On the other hand, the boyfriend loves almost everything about it, especially these stubby palm trees.

Since we’re so unsettled, I see every new place we visit as a potential home, so I’ve been trying to imagine myself living here eventually. (I can’t.)

I decided on the plane that I don’t want to buy a house any time soon, and I’m trying to override my strong drive to settle (which stems from my need for control in my life). If there’s one thing that I’ve learned since graduating from college four years ago, it’s that I really shouldn’t try to plan out my life more than a few years in advance. In fact, last week, I lost my mind and tried to re-evaluate my academic plan for my final year of graduate school.

One step at a time. Today’s step: get ready for the beach!