Well that took a turn for the bittersweet

Monday and Tuesday were again hella-busy. Is hella old enough to be nostalgic for? Probably not.

As opposed to last Monday, this week I was well-rested and maintained a chipper, can-do attitude despite the constant stream of incoming ambulances to the "crash" area of the ER. I kept my head above water with my work and managed to stay out of the medical staff's way. My co-workers are happy to leave me to it and I really enjoy handling all the details. Nothing unusual so far this week, a few ODs, several car or motorcycle accidents, and lots of chest pain.

The one great bit tonight was the long conversation I had with a patient who'd recently moved to Austin from Chicago. She was disappointed in Austin so far. The night she went to see the bats fly out, they stayed underneath the bridge. A restaurant that was recommended to her turned out to be terrible. Then there's the oppressive summer heat.

Of course I defended my hometown. The bats won't come out if rain is a strong possibility since the bugs they eat won't be out either. There are lots of great places to eat, and the restaurant she went to isn't one of them. As for the heat, well that's what A/C and Barton Springs is for.

It was a fortuitous meeting since I currently plan to move to Chicago a few months after I graduate school. One of the reasons I'm becoming a nurse is so I can move about the country and world experiencing life in different places. Chicago is at the top of my list because I already have friends there, there's lots to do, and I think the professional experience will be gratifying. The harsh winters will just have to be endured. After that there will be Hawaii, Toronto, London, New Zealand, China, Ecuador, New York, et cetera.

In a way, it seems ludicrous that I would leave Austin. I have it so good here; lots of friends and family, relatively cheap entertainment, a socially progressive populace, and a profound sense of comfort. It's incredibly easy to get stuck in the velvet rut that is Austin, just contentedly drifting along.

Austin will always be where my heart lives and I'll come back to visit often, but by the time I get out of school, it will be time to move on.


Technorati tags: Congress Bridge bats, heat, velvet rut, I'll leave my heart in Austin