Chance meetings

Today was a day highlighted by quite the chance meeting. After an admittedly horrible day at work (everything broke down or just plain didnt go right), I was relieved to partake on the journey out towards my car all the way down by Burns Park Elementary. I had gotten no more than 100 feet out the door when I ran into my old friend Christine Jacob. She and I go way way back, as she was the only member of my first semester engineering group project that I ever liked or still talk to at all. Through the years we actually managed to be group members in 3 other classes, and my relationship with Christine has meant a lot to me, but apparently not enough to ever call her as I tend to loose touch with people (as she brings up time and time again). She was on her way to dinner, so I joined her at Pizza House to catch up, as it had been about 3 months since I saw her last.

The relationship between Christine and I is very unique indeed, as we have very very different ideas of what's scandalous and morally inept. Actually, if you can believe this, I am likely her most controversial friend, and I don't really think I'm really all that bad. Christine is very religious, and she's one of those girls who you're actually ashamed to tell stuff about your life, as you don't want her to judge you for something that you wouldn't normally feel so guilty about. I owe a lot to Christine though, because despite the differences she has always been supportive and she has a way of keeping me in my place. She's also the one who led me to coin the phrase "turn the cuss off," as she refuses to allow me to cuss freely in front of her, and I have learned to adopt this policy in front of children, faculty, and clergy. Every time I see Christine I tell her I'll do a better job keeping in touch, and now that I have no school work to deal with when not working I think I may do a better job.

I wouldn't normally write a blog about having dinner with an old friend, except this particular time got me to start thinking about how I spent my time at college. If there is at least one thing that I can be proud of, it would have to be the diversity of friends that I have collected during my time in AA. As I have evolved, I have actually become more easily labeled despite being more open than ever to new things. I suppose the clothes that I think look good or the way that I act around people makes it easy for some to assume things about me, but choosing friends on such trivial concepts is not for me. I used to be obsessed with pleasing everybody, but now I realize that it's not important to do so, as many of the people that do dislike you just never gave you a chance (note: I am sure there are people that hate me more after having gotten to know me, but that's ok).

I strongly believe that the greatest knowledge attainable is that of people and what makes them unique. Without this knowledge, all other pursuits end without happiness. I hope this year is a time to learn something new about everybody I know and everybody I am about to meet.

Eating a cow

So, last night I was sitting around in my apartment when my roommate Mike showed up after having just grabbed some McDonald's from around the corner. This tempted me, which is strange because I think that McDonald's is disgusting, but every once in a while I get an undeniable urge to eat a half pound of fried and heat lamped beef in the form of the #4, the double quarter pounder. So I head out to the drive through and make my purchase, but upon returning home I open the box (yes, the double quarter pounder comes in an inconvenient box now) and see not 0.5 lbs, but 0.25 lbs of beef. They only gave me a regular quarter pounder, and disguised it in this useless box! I was livid...normally I would just sit back and enjoy the 4 ounces, but instead I got back in my car and headed back out for more meat. They didn't even question me at the drive through though, as they simply handed me another box in addition to my regular quarter pounder. I felt victorious for a second, I had scored 1/4 pound and two atkins-unfriendly buns for free. Then as I started eating I realized that no human was made to endure 3/4 of McDonald's meat. I was about ready to give up when I thought of Sally Struthers. Ya know, the lady from All in the Family who does the comercials for starving kids in third world countries? How could I not eat this extra burger when some kid overseas was withstanding constant flies in his face as he starved? I mean, that would get fucking annoying, all those flies buzzing around. I ate that extra burger for him...and it wasnt good, but it was the right thing to do in retrospect.

In unrelated news (or is it) I've already managed to get sick. If it wasn't from Mickey-D's, then maybe it was from our apartment's hot-tub, which was shut down today due to being unsanitary the sign says. If you have been in our hot tub and read that last line, it was a joke, relax, that's not true. Really it's probably from going out till 4 AM in the 45 degree weather lately. Anyway, I dont think getting sick is a big deal, so I won't whine anymore about it.

Perhaps lastly (I say perhaps because I don't really plan these blogs out ahead of time), I think I've come up with a second really good idea for a book/movie/short story. I bet you didnt even know I had a first! Anyway, I won't go too far into it, as I'm sure many aspiring writers read this blog and could steal it, but it has to do with obscure gambling.

Well, I guess I can't think of anything else important to write about (yes, getting the wrong order at McD's is important), except for how our apartment got broken into Saturday night. Alright, if anything worth writing comes up though, my faithful readers will be the first to hear about it. I'm out and off to bed.

Been awhile again

It seems that ever since people came back for school I havent found the time or had the desire to get on here and update this as much as I both want and say I will. I guess I sorta promised a few entries that I never mentioned, but I seriously doubt anybody that reads this cares, other than the minute possibility that reading about something they were involved in would add some interest to their day. I dont even know where to begin at this point. I thought about writing about Michigan losing to Notre Dame at one point, but there's a lot to say, and I dont honestly feel like saying much about it. I guess I can blame Lloyd and the conservative calls, or I can blame our wideout trio for their costly turnovers, or I could simply say that there really isnt anybody to blame, because we start a freshman quarterback and he's good, but not what we need (blame Gutierrez and his shoulder then?). Now that I'm graduated I realize more than ever that football is only a game, and quite frankly I'm not a member of the team, so I shouldn't get all heart broken.

Well, since I said I'd write about them, in retrospect I guess I can try and recap some recent events super super quickly. A few weekends ago my apartment had a little house warming event - I got super drunk, we played Sceneit, and I wrestled Cara an excessive amount - so much that I left us both bruised and rug burned (sorry again). The next weekend Christy, Cara, and some of Cara's EMU friends went out to Tonic once again for a VIP party, and I was elected the DD for the excursion. I must say, it was one of the more fun mostly sober nights I've spent around drunk people lately, so thank you to everyone involved (special shout out to the test tube shot girl, the job really does suck). The following weekend the only event that really sticks out too much is hanging out with Julie, Keri, and my boss Sean at Cavern Club of all places. My boss got really drunk (this isnt unusual to anyone familiar with the situation) and pretty much molested Keri. An inside joke I guess for any Dollar Bill readers out there - in memory of Katie I attempted my favorite dance move with Keri - the bridge - and I have obviously lost my bridging abaility because I fell right on my ass.

The past couple weeks have left me feeling strange at times, but ultimately happier than I was before people came back to town. Constantly being around an influx of girls has sorta left me feeling a little more desire than usual, but I think I've weathered the storm quite well thus far. Other than that, it's interesting to me that I have basically encountered two attitudes towards me in relation to my current situation. A typical response is why dont you go get a real job, I cant understand why you arent using your degree, etc etc. Then, unexpectedly, I began meeting some people that made me feel as justified as I often am in my mind.

The reality of the situation is that I finished my last class about 10 weeks ago, and shit, I havent even gotten my fuckin diploma yet. I'm 22 years old, dont owe any money, and will easily make enough to pay my rent and put food on the table with my current lifestyle doind whatever it is that I'm currently doing. If I can't enjoy myself right now, then when will I? Believe me, I'm hardly going to go through life living pay check to pay check because I'm too lazy to send out a resume. I just dont feel like it right now. Some people question why I dont do it for the money. I'll tell you why - money isnt that important! Money is ironic to me, because many people spend all the things that are limited - their time, energy, and basically lives - trying to accumulate the one thing that can be earned again and again and again. I will never be able to buy back the 23rd year of my life. The chance that I will remember it - and dammit, remember it as being a great year - will stick with me longer than my paycheck ever will. Right now, I choose to live.

Speaking of which, let me give another shout out (I already wrote the names Julie and Keri in here, happy now?) to a new friend. About 2 weeks ago I first got to know a young lady named Natalie, and it has been quite the interesting trip ever since. Natalie and I became friends based on a mutual love of life and adventure, and I'm interested to see where she takes this attitude. Anyway, Natalie's surprised me on a few occasions already as she has led me to understand a little more about myself, so for that, I appreciate the challenges she's set out. To condradict my statements about being young at 22 earlier, I feel old at times, but have ultimately realized that there is no time like now to keep improving as a human being.

Well, I guess tonight's blog actually got a little more in depth on who I am to some extent. Really though, and I feel that everybody thinks this, I couldn't ever imagine somebody else understanding the depths that encompass me. For some reason I've never even been able to admit some of the most basic things about myself, even to people I've known for years. Some just figure it ot on their own, others never really get the chance, and still others are unable to believe the reality. In closing, for anyone who is concerned, my time of career sloth will be brief, believe me, but it will hopefully also be full.