"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down" -- Well, not really the rainy days so much as the Mondays, but if the Monday is a holiday, then I love it!

Isn't it funny how your tastes and outlook on different things change over time? I used to love Yoplait brand yogurt. I would never eat any other brand. But then I switched to Lite & Fit because it doesn't have any sugar. I really didn't like it at first, but over time, it was yummy. After many, many months of only eating Lite & Fit, I purchased Yoplait again because it was on sale. And now it tastes kind of gross to me! I think that's odd. I used to love it! I first tried sushi 3 years ago. It was so disgusting! I could barely make myself chew and swallow. Blegh. But over time I have tried it again & again, and I have finally gotten to the stage where I actually really like it! (But only the salmon or tuna rolls, and they either have to have cream cheese or avocado in them.) :) I used to not really like Dave Matthews Band. But now I really do like their music. I used to love country music, and now I just sorta sometimes like it.

I was born in California and lived there until I was 12. It was mostly sun-shiney year-round, and I remember running barefoot from my house to my neighbor's house almost daily to go swimming in the summer time. I had to run because the pavement was so hot that it would burn my little feet. I remember spending the summer picking peaches from our peach tree in the backyard, my mom spending all day at the stove bottling them up. I would practice cartwheels on the grass in the front yard, and play on our swing set in the backyard. All the neighbor kids would get together in the evenings to ride bikes, roller blade, play capture the flag, kickball, or hide & seek. In the fall evenings we would have our windows open to let the cool breeze blow through the screens and cool us down. Weeknights I would go to soccer practice and on Saturdays I would go to my games. A lot of my friends played soccer too, so it was fun to play against them. The air was mostly hot & dry -- we had a drought for many years. When it finally DID rain, the street gutters would get flooded and I would go outside in my galoshes with an umbrella to jump and splash in the huge puddles. I have such happy memories of my childhood. I had lots of close friends. My memories are full sunshine.

Our family moved to Washington (Seattle/Tacoma area) when I was almost done with my 6th grade year. It was quite a shocking change of scenery and lifestyle. By nature, I am a shy person. I was especially shy when I was younger. I didn't like going to a new school or trying to make new friends when the school year was almost over. The days were filled with rain. Always rain. And when it wasn't rainy, it was cloudy. The summers would provide some sunshine, but the temperature would never get past 80, usually. I was cold. I was sad. The weather reflected my sadness and contributed to it. Long gone were my days of wearing shorts and t-shirts 9 months out of the year, soaking up the sunshine. Over time, however, I of course got used to the constant rain. It was just part of my day. Umbrellas were unnecessary, as no matter what, I would get wet. I got used to having my pant legs soaking wet almost up to my knees. The rain provided a beautiful canvas of green year-round; green trees, green grass, green plants, green moss. Mount Rainier would hover above the horizon on clear days, and I would get to see the ocean on a daily basis. I grew to love the area.

Now that I am on the opposite side of the country (the "other" Washington; DC), I long for the "real" mountains, the "real" ocean (the Pacific is so much better than the Atlantic!) and the cool days that used to be the norm. I get SO happy when there is a rainy day! The very hot and oh-so-humid summers suck the life out of me. My happy memories now involve bonfires on the beach, huddled up in jackets, or driving with my hand stuck out the window so I can feel the little needles of rain drops hitting my palm and forearm.

I think once I finally leave this area, I will miss the beautiful colors of fall and the spectacular sight of the cherry blossoms around the tidal basin in the spring. I never tire of the touristy sights of DC -- I will always take a moment to marvel at the Washington monument, Lincoln memorial, Capital building, National Archives museum, Jefferson memorial, Arlington National cemetery, Pentagon, and the Air Force memorial. These are daily sightings that I never tire of. It truly is a great place to live.

My point is this: I think that whatever we experience, whatever our likes and dislikes, there is always a good side to find. I now try to recognize the good things about where I live while I'm there, so I can enjoy them. Because I can be assured that I will miss them when I move away, and wish that I were back where I was..... even though I will NEVER miss the humid, sweltering heat! :)