mad for my madtown

Wow guys, visiting Madison last weekend was wonderful! I never thought I'd have such an action-packed couple of days.

Nick and I hit up the Terrace...

...caught up with our old friend, Bucky...

...and even ascended the Wisconsin State Capitol building! The security guards were simply tickled that we made it up!

Along the way, Nick modeled some sweeeeet hats, and I apparently got a great tan.

...

Sadly -- and shockingly, as I am a master photo forger -- none of the above is true. We didn't make it to the Terrace (too cold), hang with Bucky (we're not acquainted) or climb the Capitol (we'd probably be sniped). But I DID get to do lots of fun things with Nick, including:

-- A cookout with beer and brats
-- Hugging and playing with my cat for the first time in four months
-- Working with much-missed coworkers at the bookstore, netting enough money to cancel out my $13 St. Louis airport burger
-- Cooking dinner with Nick for Dallas and Alli
-- Lunch at Amy's Cafe - oh how I've missed their soup, salad and baguette
-- Listening to Nick's friend's band perform in Sellery Hall
-- Apple pie and good conversation with BH friends at the Vintage
-- Seeing my mom, brother and Ping, then eating massive amounts of crispy/juicy cheese curds at the Old Fashioned
-- Catching up with Alli, Amanda and Nora. I won't get to see Amanda again until August because she's going to Ireland for the summer
-- Meeting up with Mason for lunch at Med Cafe
-- Getting hugs. Lots and lots of great, warm hugs.

The weekend was happily idyllic, and it was very difficult for me to go back to New York. I just wanted to ditch my flight and my internship and stay in Wisconsin.

I mean, I really do like it here - I can easily see myself living in New York someday (soon). But not having friends around really hurts. I am constantly missing everyone I love, and I wonder if I wouldn't be having a better time if I knew a few more people in the city better.

And flying into Madison on a beautiful cloudless bright day, it really hit me: Madison is HOME-home.

I no longer feel that happy sense of familiarity when I go back to Menomonie; I'm just a visitor there. I won't be in Madison for much longer (I'm planning on moving out - hopefully with a job in the city lined up but let's not count our chickens - next summer), but it will always be special to me.

I could not be more ready for June.

(My next post will be much more optimistic and focused on why NY is great: Ashley visited this weekend, and we had a ball! Expect something tomorrow or Tuesday)

oh, AND: I was very glad to see Sarah last weekend. Sarah and I are living together next year. I really miss Sarah and wish Sarah lived in New York so we could go stalk Penn Badgley and eat calzones! Sarah is the best ever! Sarah! ...happy now? ;)