Home Soon

Last week I completed a 100-page report on the state of the U.S. on-premise wine market. Yesterday I handed in 15 pages worth of philosophizing on the economic morality of tort law. The day after tomorrow, I have a three hour accounting exam, which I pray to pass. Twenty hours after that, I sit for an exam covering the global wine industries. By conservative estimate, I have produced roughly 200 pages of academic writing since March. My grades are looking okay, but I wonder what all those hours in front of my computer really add up to. The degree is the goal.

The truth is, I've been using the stress of academics as an excuse not to take care of more important things. It's been a long time since I called home. I haven't spoken to my brother in a month. Facebook, that glorious stalker's tool, offers a daily news feed about old friends and schoolmates who are getting married, getting pets, getting coffee with one another.

It's not so exciting on this side of the world. Winter is upon us and the house has no central heating. The hot water bottle and I have become quite close. I look forward to being in the States in 10 short days... I can't spend the 4th of July abroad. And I think it will feel very good, very balancing, just to be a little nearer to the people I think of so often, across the span of time and ocean and latitude.