Hey, I'm right there with ya, sister. As far as feeling out of place in a new
city, it's totally normal. That's how I felt about Maui the entire time I was
there. I kept thinking I was just picky, weird, anti-social or otherwise
mentally unstable because I just didn't feel right there. I kept "sticking it
out another month" because I thought, eventually, the majestic wonders and
buff tanned men would win me over and I would spend the rest of my days
frolicking along the white sand, swinging from jungle branches and blissfully
speaking pidgin. But it just never clicked. I don't really know why; all I
can surmise is that the lure of familiarity and home is much stronger than we
know, or would like to know.

It's definitely good to get out of your comfort zone and experience something
new every once in awhile (Lord knows that's my modus operandus), but I think
you'll know if Denver is really "your kind of town." In the meantime, just
take it for what it is - a fun place to be a young, swingin' single. It'll
take more than a month to adjust and meet people; and even then you might not
meet the kind of people you're ultimately looking for. Sorry to sound so
pessimistic - I'm really not - maybe I'll just employ my favorite analogy to
explain: when you walk into Mimi & Lena, or Fred Segal, or even Nordstrom,
and you start perusing the racks, how long does it take you to decide whether
or not you like a shirt or a pair of boots or something? A minute. Seconds,
maybe. But you don't have to camp out in the store for several hours or days,
just hanging out with your skirt of choice, to decide if you want to take it
home with you. Granted, this is a mere item of clothing as compared with a
habitat, but you get the picture.

Which leads me to my next point - men. Same goes for them. If there are
characteristics about this guy you find make your skin crawl, it doesn't
matter if he's Tom Cruise with the mind of Einstein and the social graces
of....well...some guy with social graces, IT WILL NOT WORK! Run - don't walk
- away from a situation like this. I have just one word to describe to you
what can happen with guys like this - BRIAN. He was sooo sweet, soooo smart,
soooo in love with me, and even tolerable to look at. But soon the walls came
crumbling down and the level of his cheesiness, which was mild to begin with,
escalated as he felt me pulling away. It all ended in that debacle we know as
"Brian's Trip to Portland." It was hauntingly uncomfortable, and all I can
tell you is, nobody could have warned me. I was blinded by something akin to
love, but much more akin to an ego-trip, which was what I was on everyday
with him because he pretty much thought I was God's gift and made sure I knew
it.....constantly.

Listen, I have to go, and I've said my piece for the day. I'll try and give
you a call tonight and we can theorize further on the subject. When you
really get down to it, you're doing great - exactly what anyone and everyone
at your age, and mine, is doing - which is basically wondering what the hell
to do with the rest of our lives. And meanwhile "the rest of our lives" are
slipping past unnoticed. Just remember the John Lennonn quote, "Life is what
happens when you're busy making other plans." Now THERE's a real man. Whoa.

Love,
Kate