Things I will miss about living in Eugene, Oregon

I first came to this town in 2005, and through college and other experiences it's become a true second home.  But an eye to the calendar reminds me that on the 17th, I'm boarding a plane to San Diego.  From there I'm off eventually to live in South Korea for at least a year, and whether I come back to live in Eugene for an extended period again is an open question.

Over the years, Eugene has been more than just a place to live and lay about: it's offered a series of distinct blessings and pleasures to me.  I got the best part of my education here, and met the love of my life.  Different things have occupied my focus at different times, but they all made Eugene a place where I felt comfortable.

So with naught but ten short days to go, here's a list (in no particular order) of the things I will miss about living in the second largest city of our twenty seventh largest state:

• Live music and open mic night at Cozmic Pizza.
• Easy access to the products of the Oakshire, Ninkasi, and Widmer Brothers breweries.
• Hiking at the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum.
• Eating salmon and chips at Newman's Fish Market so frequently that the whole kitchen staff knows me on sight.
• Playing bass guitar in the company of my friends.
• Taking a nap on the couches in the EMU on campus even though I graduated in 2009.
• Substitute teaching at Elmira High School (among others).
• Drinking a little too much on Fridays at the Starlight Lounge with my grad school cohort.
• Walking around in light rain without a hood on and acting like it's all good.
• Strolling by rivers and creeks, looking for nutria and wishing they were beavers.
• Ordering movie-themed Eggs Benedict at the Studio One Cafe.
• Watching anime and playing video games all night with my friends.
• Camping in the prettiest woods in the world.
• Hanging around the Smith Family Book Store without necessarily buying anything.
• Sitting on the porch with a gouda cheeseburger at Jiffy Market.
• Watching hippies do strange things in public.
• Stalking the deer who stroll nonchalantly down my street.
• Listening to 91.1 KWAX, 89.7 KLCC, and 91.9 KRVM while driving around in my car.
• Taking long walks with my best friend while discussing issues of great import, or just nerdy nonsense.
• Ordering huge pizzas from Sy's and eating them with my friends until we feel like dying.
• Filling out my music collection with visits to House of Records.
• Feeling like a six-year-old on the rare occasions when it snows.