'Tis the spirit...to be a hippie?

In the spirit of reconnecting with friends, I extended my resolution to include those long-lost souls from high school. I was driving with my parents to a historical Civil War town, which is just south of where we live, to meet up with some friends/colleagues.

Incidentally, these same friends visited me in Dublin where we proceeded to have the most expensive Thai food in history ($250 for 4 entreés...and you had to pay for the rice!) I know, you're thinking why the hell did you go eat Thai in Ireland? What did you expect? I expected better cuisine options than Abakebabra, a fast-food kebab joint, or chips 'n fish.

Back to the main story:
On our way to the restaurant, we passed by my good friend D's house, at least the house he lived in while we were in college. I wondered aloud if he still lived in TN and then quickly remembered that I had his cell phone number saved. So, I sent him a text message (called him? Puh-leeze, this is 2007). He promptly replied, hey! -whoa! From the surprised, but familiar response, I deduced that I was also programmed into his phone.

i'm @ my dad's christmas party in f____. you should come!

I texted him that I was on my way to dinner, but I would call him later tonight.

***

The phone rang a handful of times before D answered, loud music blaring, voices digitized in the background.

"Senator! [a nickname from high school] What the hell have you been up to?"

We exchanged updates on the usual topics: work, family, career.
D recently got married to a girl he once dated in high school, has a fancy shmancy medical sales job, and recently bought a condo in a brand-new development.

I informed him that I finished graduate school and am now making a "career shift" i.e., I'm working at a coffee shop and am fucking broke. This resulting blow to my ego challenged Resolution #4. The outcome has not been determined.

Then comes the good part, the meat of today's title:
I reminded him that I went to school in Portland and no, that's not in Washington.
He follows up with, "Oh I get those two hippie states confused. You all are the same to me."

I beg your pardon?!?

D: "You aren't a hippie now, Senator, are you?"
Me: "Well, no, but maybe I should ask you what your definition of a hippie is first. I ride my bike and recycle. Does that make me a hippie?"
D: "Awww, I'm just teasin' you!"
Me: "Okaay, anyway, I would like to move into public/community science edu--"
D: "So this career change you're talking 'bout...you growing pot now? Har har har" ... "You come back to buy some shoes, Senator?" ... "What do you do in Or-ee-gone? Smoke pot all day?" ... "Wait, you still eat meat, right? Cuz we were meant to survive off cattle" ...

He proceeds to expound on every hippie remark with i'm just yanking your chain or i'm just poking fun at you.

This 19 min 38 sec conversation bluntly reminded me why I didn't care to keep in touch with friends from high school (save for one!) and reassured me that those little feelings of I don't fit in here and One of these things is not like the other that followed me throughout schooling were sound sentiments.

Man vs. Beast

Why do you denounce my authority?!? Must I punish you?

Christmas. Christmas. Christmas.

6 dogs
2 cats
3 horses
15 humans
14 sheep
23 cows
1 little human


Program stalled. Restart now.

Sing with me! "Tennessee...(tennessee)..."

You are right. I haven't written in a while. I guess I didn't think I had anything of great importance to tell. I didn't want to gripe and complain about this and that, boring my audience to death (or annoying them to death), so I opted not to write at all. I apologize for the absence, but I have to say, it is nice to know that I've been missed!

Updates:
1. I'm in TN visiting the fam for about two weeks over the holidays. The one thing I'm looking forward to the most? Meeting my 4-month old niece, Lorelei, for the very first time. Ha, you thought I was going to say stalking Nicole Kidman. WRONG! That comes second.

I don't even know what she (my niece, not Nicole) sounds like. Or feels like. It is a strange existence to share one-eighth genetic material with another being (if based on random segregation, but let's not get distracted), yet fail to hold any basic knowledge about that person. I don't particularly like this separation from my sister or her daughter. Therefore, the little time I allotted myself to be in Tennessee, most of it will be spent with my sister and her family.

2. After two months of unemployment (and spending 90% of my savings), I found a job in Portland! More accurately, I was offered a job by both parties with which I interviewed. 2/2 = 100%. By my calculations, I went from zero to hero. WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH...I flew by you so fast you barely noticed.

Anyway, starting in the New Year (2008!?!? WTF?) I will be working mainly at one coffee shop and picking up shifts as needed at the other coffee shop. In the free time, I hope to volunteer at some (read: any) science-related organization hoping to get a foot in the door. Career Onward!

3. I have surpassed a personal goal of riding my bike each day: rain, sun or sleet. And I got the legs of steel to prove it. You know it! Wha-psssh!

4. I sold two articles of clothing that I knitted, a "nifty" scarf and "groovy" leg warmers. I mean, I am the greatest knitter alive as evidenced by my naming of Neurotrans-knitters (a spin on "neurotransmitters"...that's the resident science nerd within me stroking my ego) knitting group, so I don't see why people wouldn't want to buy my wool/cashmere/silk/cotton/alpaca masterpieces. This small taste of prosperity planted visions of grandiose wealth. At the rate I'm going, I could finish 5 projects a year. That's $20 a pop...so let's see, five multiplied by...um, 20...equals = KAJILLIONARE!

Resolutions?
1. Get a job. Oh wait...score!
2. Reconnect with friends. Christina & Bridget--I'm looking at you.
3. Stop interrupting people.
4. Be content with where I am in my life.
5. Be less judgmental.