tonight I've felt the adrenaline rush of city driving!! Hurray! I've felt it before, but not for a while.  I haven't driven much since coming to school- partially because there are a lot of things within walking distance of campus (even if that walk is over a half hour.)  It was even night driving that brought me this joy!! (and I've got sensitive eyes that curse the headlights normally)  I drove the speedlimit, but even so, driving around curves, with merging lanes and highways branching here and there at 55 was fun!  Maybe the music helped- 12 stones.  I was singing/screaming along.  I met my fellow-sufferer- er I mean friend Stephanie.  We shared cheesecake (strawberry!) and the common thread of having boyfriends studying in Granada, Spain.  We also shared a Southern California night, or at least it seemed like at first.  We met at a mall, and I swear I spent as much time circling the parking lot for a space that I did on highways- and the signs were so bright, yet kind of ritzy-looking, yet very much like any mall Anywhere, USA, and it was warm- probably 60s- with a slight breeze.  From there, we grabbed the cheesecake to go and went to Centennial Lakes, a place I'd only been when it's frozen over (great place to iceskate!)  There are soft lights and swings all around, and I guess you can paddleboat- there were also ducks.  I don't know quite what it was- it could even have been just the water- but it was very romantic, and we both wished our boyfriends were there w/ us- but we made them the main topic of conversation instead.  It's so good to have a friend that can relate to what you're going through!  Thanks, God.

The 'pond' is actually 10 acres, and when I'm down by it, I don't notice the looming buildings much, especially at night.