Changes

A few weeks ago, I booked my Christmas flight to China, and can't help but think about where I was last year at this time.  And let me tell you... the difference is night and day.  Last year around this time, a few critical things happened that started a process of change in my life... and the stark contrast between last Fall and this Fall is crazy.  Sometimes you don't realize how bad a situation was until you've gotten out of it, and a certain amount of time has gone by.

Here are a few changes I've noticed... 

Dreading the weekends --> actually looking forward to the weekends

Being told to stop texting/ calling --> being chewed out for NOT calling when I needed help

Having drunk guys crash my place at all hours of the night --> being able to sleep peacefully

Being sad/ frustrated about flying home "alone" over Christmas --> being excited about Christmas vacation!

Getting calls from friends stuck in prison --> getting calls from friends stuck in traffic

Getting graphically bloody pictures from friends after a street fight --> getting gorgeous pictures from friends on vacation in Singapore, Bali, Mallorca, etc...

Constantly fighting and crying --> only crying when it's absolutely necessary... or crying happy-tears!

Feeling like a 5th wheel --> actually feeling like a few people here like me

Having to re-paint cause a door frame splintered in a fight --> peacefully re-arranging my lego collection

Not being able to use my own bathroom cause a drunk guy passed out in it --> using my own bathroom at my convenience

Constantly dealing with negative comments about my appearance --> wearing the brightest, flowery-est, clashy-est clothes that I want!

Being a human bank --> being taken out to dinner every now and then

Being a taxi for drunk people --> being chauffeured every now and then

Repeatedly being cancelled on --> doing things with people who actually want to hang out with me

Watching soccer every freaking weekend --> not even realizing it's soccer season

Talking about soccer and street fights 99% of the time --> talking about God, ethics, politics, culture, social issues, art, etc.

Being told to shut up and stop singing in the car --> singing Karneval-duets and 90s music in the car

Going nowhere and doing nothing --> taking advantage of everything interesting going on in Berlin!