O Fair New Mexico

I know I've said it before, but I have to say it again-- I LOVE New Mexico. Even thought I loved Utah, and I have an affair going with Poland, I honestly am so happy to be here, and it's remarkable what a great life I'm leading here in the land of the red and the green (chile, that is).
Take my little hometown, for example. It's probably a little dirty and junky, but honestly, people here are SO nice to me. A week ago I went to the grocery store for my mom and people were indescribably friendly. And I'm not just talking about the nice clerks at Albertsons, but the people shopping there too. Checking out was a joy-- the cashier asked me if I'd found everything all right, and I told her the one thing they didn't seem to have were the Kellog's All Bran Bars (quick product endorsement-- these things are your favorite granola bar, amplified... delicious with 5 GRAMS OF FIBER!!), but that it was ok. She was very helpful and wrote everything down so Albertsons could order some in. The man bagging my groceries said he wanted a candy bar, but I moved on with my high-fiber lecture and had him convinced as well. Meanwhile, people standing in line for the bank were all listening with interest, and chuckling that this little crazy woman would tell an old fella that he needed more fiber, but I could tell I'd charmed them all as well.
New Mexicans are nice people, and so are our imports. I was at Barnes and Noble yesterday looking for a birthday present for a friend, and the little man who helped me was also fantastic. He was of Indian descent (think M. Night S.--hot, hot, hot) with a British accent-- had gone to school in England. Oh, he was so cute! And he carried my back-breaking basket of books upstairs to help me pick out a gift for Hunter. I know, I know, it's his job, but he was precious and I loved him.
Honestly, coming here has been good for my heart. I was really afraid for a long time-- that people would think I left Utah because I couldn't hack it or because I was weak or because I wanted to mooch off my parents... all not true, by the way. I thought I'd never make a friend again and that I'd be consigned to a life of boredom, with the highlight of my day being a trip to the bank, cleaners or post office. But life has been so full here! Don't get me wrong, I miss my friends and I even miss some aspects of my old job. I miss living alone mostly because I always feel bad when my mom calls me in the middle of the night (OK, ok, 11:30-- but that's the middle of the night to my poor, saintly mother who goes to bed at about 7:30) to make sure I'm ok and find out when I'm coming home. But none of those things make up for the myriad benefits I'm experiencing living the life of a Happy New Mexican. Someday I'm going to have a house (they tell me it's happening sooner rather than later). I'm seeing the world and visiting my friends. I'm connecting with people here-- breaking down some barriers I've put up and letting my hair down a bit. It feels good. It feels really good to have people like you just because that's what they do. Move to New Mexico-- it does a body good.