there and back again.

When I was a kid, I had huge plans. HUGE. I was going to move to the east coast, spend my days swimming in pools of money a la Scrooge McDuck, and only set foot in the Midwest under extreme duress.

Wouldn't my fourth grade self be disappointed to hear that I have (voluntarily) moved to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Not that there's anything wrong with Sioux Falls. Quite the contrary, really. With a population just a shade over 150,000 people, Sioux Falls is no small town. It's large enough to have a everything you need, but small enough so that it's not at all intimidating.

I grew up about 90 miles away from Sioux Falls - on a farm, like many Midwesterners. The nearest McDonald's was a good half an hour away, and Sioux Falls was the nearest respectable shopping mall. So, every month or so, you and your new driver's license would gather up your friends and take the trip south to the metropolis Sioux Falls seemed to be.

That being said, being in Sioux Falls always makes me feel like I'm 16 again. I've accomplished a fair amount since I was 16 - graduated college, lived in Denver, New Orleans, and Minneapolis, and a bunch of miscellaneous stuff in between. But while I'm here, all of that seems like it never happened and I need to hop in my car and make sure I'm back at my parents' house in time to get my chores done.

I started my job in Sioux Falls three weeks ago, but I couldn't move into my apartment until this past weekend. I've been commuting in the meantime, so it's a welcome change to be able to skip the two hours of driving every day and begin my time as a real Sioux Falls-ian.

The longer I live here, the more I'm sure I'll feel like an adult. I purchased a brand new bed yesterday and was THRILLED. If the bed purchase plus my brand new business cards doesn't equal the path to adulthood, I don't know what does.

Eh, whatever. I'm not sure why I'm in such a rush to feel like an adult anyway. I think it might be time for me to just let it go and enjoy where I am and what I'm doing. I'll let you know how it goes. :)