I slept super late today. Today was pretty basic - slept, got online, chatted, went for Olive Garden, came home, watched Hot and Fluffy with Chris, Chris went to his room to *ahem* "go to bed" and I started my workout. It was pretty basic, but it lasted for about 40 minutes. I'm going to work on flattening my stomach and strengthening my arms/legs, so that was my focus tonight. Tomorrow when I'm feeling adventurous I'll tinker with the treadmill and see if I can't it going.

Now that I'm feeling sufficiently stretched and tired, I'm sitting down at the laptop with a glass of water and a smoldering feeling in my limbs. I seem to have misplaced all of my hair ties, so I pulled the airplane ID tag off my bag and used the elastic to tie my hair back. Let it never be said that I don't know how to improvise.

I really miss being home. I like it here and everything, but there's a certain amount of comfort everyone feels when they're actually home. Plus, if I were home I'd have access to everyone I love and miss. I sort of feel bad for Chris - he doesn't have the support here like I do at home. It's good for him to be here because then he can finish his degrees and whatnot, but I know what it's like to be lonely. Before I met Erica, I was lonely most of the time. Now there really isn't a day that goes by that I don't at least think about her and wonder how she's doing.

I really need to get more music on my iTouch. Can anyone recommend anything?

I miss and love you guys. Be good.

It's a little after 4:30am as I begin to write this blog. Sleeplessness has overtaken me and my mind is restless. Moonlight is slipping through the blinds and cascading small lines of light upon the carpeting, striping the living room with a soft glow.

I laid for sleep. I took my hoodie off and laid the blanket upon my body. It fell around me, molding to my form like cheesecloth over whey. A small sliver of illumination crested my bare shoulder as I lay. I stared at my skin and subconsciously began to run my hand gently over my arm, lightly touching the surface with just my finger tips. I imagined his touch. My heart raced and ached all at once, realizing both facts at once: I long for it but cannot have it.

His words drug me. I find myself in a sincere euphoria, hanging from his lips/fingers as his expertly composed statements invade my mind like an intoxicating pheromone.

I'm paraphrasing this a little, but:

"Come, night... Come, loving black brow'd night and give me my Romeo. And when he shall die, take him and cut him into little stars... For he will make the face of heaven so fine that all will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of a love and not yet possessed it. And though I am sold, not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day, as is the day before some festival to an impatient child who hath new robes and may not wear them."

That is one of my favorite lines from Romeo & Juliet. I feel as if I should be speaking those words, now.

I miss my home. I miss my family. I miss my friends. I miss my cat. I miss Wisconsin. I am enjoying myself here and Chris has been a wonderful host, but it's difficult to be plucked from normalcy and placed into familiar yet unrecognizable territory. I don't know how I'll manage being away for so long. I'm already feeling the loneliness settle in and I've only been here a few days. I have weeks to go. Weeks.... Weeks without everything I hold dear.

Weeks...

Hello, dear readers. I'm safely in Texas after many hours of traveling. So much has happened even though I'm only in the beginning of my journey. I've met Chris' father, brother and sister-in-law. I've also met his best friend Jacob, Jacob's wife Liz and their adorable baby son, Zen. I had the privilege of eating absolutely amazing Mexican food at a very small restaurant in Quinlan. Chris even humored me and stopped by T.G.I.Friday's before we headed home, where Vanilla Bean Cheesecake was purchased and promptly devoured. (It's my favorite desert. Nothing will ever top it. It's like an orgasm for my mouth. [Note: "FOR my mouth", not "in my mouth". Easy, boys.])

The weather is significantly warmer here, as one would suspect. I can easily get away with wearing a hoodie rather than the winter parka, gloves, boots, leg warmers and thermal pants I required in Wisconsin. It feels quite nice to have fresh, warm air blowing through my long hair.

...Chris is listening to Monty Python and the Search for the Holy Grail in his room.

"I'm FRENCH! Why do you think I have this outrageous accent, you silly king?!"
"...What are you doing in England?"
"MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS."

I miss everyone at home already.

I think I'll conclude this for now, but I may have an update later with pictures.