Whelp, I did it.  I moved to Salt Lake.  Granted, it's just into my sister's apartment for the summer until I find more permanent housing (this is a call for anyone in the Salt Lake and/or University of Utah area to pipe up if they're looking for a roommate).  My sister is the only one here until school starts, but all the girls left their stuff here and are still paying rent, but they said I could have a bed, which was really nice of them (I am paying a fair share of the rent, though).  I haven't unpacked anything except my bedding and everything else is in either a box or a suitcase.

My whole family had business in town, so it's not like they're way far away until about tomorrow.  As of tomorrow afternoon, though, it's just me and my sister.  That doesn't sound so bad, except we're not as close as some sisters are.  We used to be best buddies when we were kids, but we just grew apart and even went through a kind of rocky spot when we were in high school and both transitioning to college, but we have gotten better.  Instead of wanting to kill each other, we tolerate and are civil to each other.

I'm not saying that I think this living arrangement is going to change all that, (side note: I just turned on my iTunes and "Homesick" by Train came on ... what am I supposed to make of that?) but I predict a rather quiet and lonely summer for me.

I had an interesting thought when I was on my way into town.  I was listening to PotterCast #91 and the Canon Conundrums crew were discussing which Hogwarts houses they all thought they were.  Of course, there was Sue Hufflepuff and John Slytherin.  Steve said he was Ravenclaw, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that Melissa thought she was a Gryffindor (it's always struck me that Gryffindor is a less popular choice among fans for reasons I have yet to discover).  For some reason, that discussion got me wondering why I think I'm a Gryffindor.  I certainly have brainy Ravenclaw tendencies and even a Hufflepuff work ethic, so why did I pick the House of Godric?

I came to the conclusion that it's because I take risks, even when I'm scared to death of taking them.  Like this whole getting a job in Salt Lake and moving there thing.  I do know people around here, but not enough to make me feel like it's home.  Yet, I'm here because I feel like I need it.  It was the same thing when I moved to Callao.  My family moved there my senior year of high school.  My parents told me that I could stay where I was and finish high school or I could move with them.  It was a scary prospect at the time, but now I'm happy I chose to move with my family.  It took bravery for me to do that and it also took bravery for me to decide that I was going to graduate from Utah State when I did.  I could have stayed and been a professional college student for another three kajillion years, but I decided to pool my credits, graduate and move on with my life.  Maybe it was a stupid thing for me to do, but I don't think so.  Gryffindors don't make perfect decisions either and sometimes they pay for it (I just finished re-reading "Order of the Phoenix" - prime example, but those things had to happen for Harry to progress).  I'm certain I'll make a few dumb mistakes, but part of being brave is facing the fact that you'll make mistakes and it's what you do to recover from those mistakes that build you character.

So now, while I have a spiffy 40-hour/week job, I'm looking down the barrel of becoming a honest-to-goodness adult-type person with adult-type responsibilities.  Do I feel ready for them?  Hell no!!  Am I scared to do it?  Spitless.  But Harry was scared spitless of facing Voldemort in that graveyard, but he did it anyway.  I've done a lot of things that I wasn't ready for.   I've done a lot of things that I was afraid of doing.  And I came out all right.

Gryffindor House All the Way!  Lions for the Cup!

Love from,
Jenny Wildcat