So it's really real - we've bought a house in Dunedin and will be shifting there in February sometime. Shifting gears.
That leaves a month or so before saying goodbye to my old hometown.
Spending time with friends over this midsummer has brought home how much I'll miss the friends and family I love in this city. I'm lucky to feel that physical distance doesn't really separate people, but I'd be stupid to think that missing out on regular face to face contact won't have some effect.
Fortunately, the number of great clients I have based in Auckland will keep me coming back at fairly regular intervals and thus provide lots of opportunity for catchups with the people I love after hours.
Knowing that we're leaving has put a new light on Auckland. As I move around the city - or when just enjoying a moment on the porch here - I look on it as an old love(r), and one who I'm ready to let go of. I'll miss the beauty and stimulation it offers, but I'll find those things elsewhere and I'm excited to see what difference Dunedin will offer. The things I won't miss ... rather than railing against all that's wrong with Bucklame, how about I leave a space for you to fill in your own list?
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A new environment is a chance for some rediscovery of the self too, so it'll be exciting (for me, probably not so much for you!) to see what I'm up to a year from now. This year I got into social netball and loved it - playing with a handful of good mates. That's something I will definitely be missing.
In Dunedin I'm planning to check out some Tai Chi classes with Sonny Chin (who I hear enters his students in the local wrestling comps to add practice to the theory), looking for good places to rediscover yoga (which I've neglected for too long) and explore meditation further. Maybe some tennis, golf, or soccer too. Excited to find out what the local tech community's like, too.
Suggestions welcome!