Bring on the Cornfields

So with Nebraska on the horizon and our time in Okinawa slowly drawing to a close (come on, we've got another 8 months; isn't like we're leaving tomorrow), a lot of my friends and family have been asking about what we're going to do in Nebraska, what we'll miss about Okinawa, etc.

What are we going to do there? Hard to say. Have to get there and figure it out. I'll still be writing full-time, Eddie will still be doing what he does, but when we're not working? Don't know. Omaha isn't exactly New York City, but every place has something interesting and something to do. We'll figure that out when we get there.

In the meantime, I thought I'd put together a couple of top 10 lists. First, the top 10 things I'm going to miss about Okinawa. Then, the top 10 things I'm looking forward to about being back in the States. Both in random order. Why? Because I feel like it. :D

The Top 10 Things I'm Going to Miss About Okinawa

1. Sam's by the Sea. Seriously, if you ever get to Okinawa, you must eat at this restaurant. It's awesome. Their curry soup alone is to die for, and their steak is divine.
   
2. Never being more than 30 minutes away from at least one castle and a bunch of beaches.
3. Politeness. OMG you guys. Spend 3 months here and go back to the States, you'll be ready to punch people in the face for being snotty little buttmunches.
   
4. Palm trees & white sand beaches.
5. Beach weather almost year round.
6. Being really close to all kinds of foreign countries that we unfortunately didn't get to visit because of our crippling mortgage payment (grrr...).
7. The bats. Huge fruit bats that are painfully adorable. I love them.
8. Snorkeling in crystal clear water with puffer fish, lionfish, eels, cone snails, and all kinds of lovely/deadly critters.
9. Shi shi dogs on every building, tombs on every corner, shrines on every trail.
10. Crazy signs with cartoons on them that make the meaning difficult -- but amusing -- to try to interpret.
    

The Top 10 Things I'm Looking Forward to in The States

1. No longer living next door to an elementary school that insists on blasting its morning announcements and the Pledge of Allegiance at 8:30 in the morning.
2. English. Written, spoken, ENGLISH.
   
3. Related to #2: Street signs in English, which means driving directions that read like Mapquest directions, as opposed to a scavenger hunt ("When you can see the Starbucks, turn about 45 degrees to your right and look down the alley for the red sign." No shit, those were actual directions to a restaurant.)
4. Hopefully living in a domicile that is slightly larger than a postage stamp.
5. Being able to attend author events and meet up with other writers.
6. ROAD TRIPS!
7. Being able to visit family without 24+ hours of flying and airport headaches.
8. Not set in stone yet, but there's a very good chance I'll be getting a horse when we get to Nebraska. GOD I miss having horses!
9. Tornado chasing. Oh, come on, you can't honestly be surprised.
10. Not having to drive 20 minutes just to pick up the mail, which takes forever to get here in the first place.

So, I'm going to miss Okinawa. No doubt about that. But living in the States again will have its perks, and I'm looking forward to the three years we'll spend in Nebraska.

And quite honestly, even if Nebraska is nothing but cornfields, it does have one very important thing going for it. One thing that will make it awesome. One thing I may even have to write in blood on the wall above my desk just to remind me, on those "OMG NEBRASKA SUCKS" days, how awesome it really is.

What is that one thing?

IT'S NOT VIRGINIA.

Apologies to any loyal blog minions who love the Commonwealth, but if I never live there again, it'll be too freaking soon.

Viva la Omaha!