It is, to an almost dizzying degree, a curiousity to behold so many people of different aspects in such a short period of time. Gratifying and disconcerting. Gratoncert. Ing. It sometimes feels like people are sets of dish towels, or ceramic cats one pours pepper and salt out of and breaks periodically, maybe fruit or bell peppers used to spice a soup.

Most people just lose touch for various reasons. Despite technology, maybe one regularly interacts with those whom are most convenient in the current life circumstances. Mom and gran would certainly (and with an understated sarcasm) agree on that count.

I suppose, in general, I can't complain. The variety means new stories, new mixes, new traits I can try on like pants in awful dressing booths to the sound of whatever passes for popular. On the other hand, I do wonder if I'm too cavalier about letting things slide. I invested a lot of time in and confided an embarassing amount of material to Hill, for example. And while I do miss her sometimes, one excuse or another comes to mind not to say hi. Well that and I'm convinced she may take a few of my last posts to be a veiled reference to her. Not so; she is not--as Mari aptly coined--emotional cancer. Bitch though Hill can self-professingly be, it was usually either justified or for a comedic effect that I usually didn't get (much to my discredit).

Nowadays it's out of sorts again. I have a coffee thing to do with Erin tomorrow. We're damaged in vaguely similar ways so we compare notes and bullshit about work. Megan I saw this past friday at a joint b-day part with Lisa L. over at Lisa's house. I invited Emily along and everything went beautifully. Megan has been admittedly anti-social because her advisor does not treat her at all well. Lisa has the same advisor, but hasn't been anti-social. I did, however, make a busy day slightly busier about a week or two ago to walk with her around the terrace and comfort her in a coffee shop. Let's just say her personal life is tough. I apparently helped her feel a lot better. I know I've reached social progress. I would never have heard such things from various Emo sinkholes I've mucked around with when I still had hair and worse clothes.

Haven't seen Dorian Grey, Mike, Val, or anyone else from the Inferno for two weeks or longer. I do miss them. I've spent every saturday night with Emily for--you guessed it. I tell myself I'd have a better time with her. The one time I chose the Inferno over her company kinda sucked. And this saturday is part of the Wisconsin Film Festival, so we'll be clear busy until 1:00am and additionally occupied thereafter.

What a sweet and perplexingly simple process that all has been. If I had known having sex with someone and generally carrying on could actually be pleasant, I'd have tried harder at this shit years ago. This leads me to think I should try this getting set up by friends approach again if and when one or both of us get bored/feel dejected/etc. For now, though, I believe we've crossed into semi-official g/f and b/f territory. Several obvious signs include:

1) A willingness to spend 6 hours going clothes shopping with someone

2) Spending whole weekends with you in half-dressed states

3) Sharing meals at home

4) Exchanging negative STD results

5) Undressing your intended creature only to find their briefs are, uh, torn. With a few holes. And laughing about this casually, saying new bits must be bought and to throw those out, as opposed to getting no calls or e-mails thereafter.

Actually #4 clinched it for me.

Still talking to Brian now and then. He's studying for his prelim exams. His manner has really improved ever since he got adopted into Colleen's lab. His old advisor was a dick, much like Megan's advisor but apparently five leagues more incompentent and ineffectual. Not my words. He seems happy in a non-stated way that I have a "girl." I'm both relieved and a bit sad to no longer hear his inventive ways of "getting [me] laid, man."

Some folk I haven't talked to in awhile, but they still read this thing. I'm assuming Daniel and Acacia are well. I have received no sudden phone calls requesting my person, so this is a safe assumption. Haven't heard from Adam in ye gods long. I should search for his e-mail address. Or send him an MSN message. I just never get on MSN so it doesn't occur to me during this or that. But I do miss the guy a lot.

I received a bunch of calls a month ago that I hadn't returned. I think I IMed all those people. I don't know why I have an aversion to the phone. Wait, I do: you can't compose a measured response on the phone.

Part of me feels bad for bluntly ending a semi-long friendship with Tasha recently. Most of me feels justified considering the circumstances (which seep all too apparent through some part of the archive). Even so I should have been kinder. I felt like I should mention that in the open.

I guess I've lately gotten nostalgic over people. Certain groups or individuals represent certain parts of my life. And it'd be cool to see what and who they're like now. There's also the notion that those you truly click with you stay in contact with. I'm not sure if there's an expiration date. I think that's a good thing. Makes the catch-up more interesting.

And it's good to know some fruit never goes bad. Yay for tie-ins to the beginning of the post.

I have to debunk the hypothesis of wakefulness.

# # # #

I will attempt some recall of my jam-packed last few weekends and meat and cheese inbetween soon.

And it's officially April, so I think I need to finish my post about my vacation in January.

It feels more like 3 years than 3 months ago.

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