X-13D
By now it was probably two weeks ago, but Justin and I were talking in the hallway between the bathrooms and the cubicles at work, like you do. Unlike what you do, Justin was talking about how he didn't want to disappear like his lunch box had into a portal or time warp or whatever. I forget the exact word he used. So Justin starts saying all this weird shit and is leaning against the corner of a cubicle and I'm standing with my back against the wall trying to figure out how many drugs Justin must have taken today to make himself slur on the way he is doing (such as caffeine and an assortment of painkillers and anti-inflammatories) when another agent who was apparently inside the cubicle I'm standing across from slooooooowly poked his head above the grey plastic rim of his confined working space. I'm telling you, this is straight out of a movie. His dull and blinking periscope-face bore a combination of curiosity and the purest form of non-understanding I've seen recently (and who's to blame him?), and after scanning his horizon and pausing once in my general direction, he slowly lowered himself back down into the safety of his cube. Never did he hear nor see Justin, who was painfully suppressing peals of laughter and had crouched behind the corner of the cubicle the moment three hairs from that agent's head appeared above the cube-top.
Why do I always take the blame for weird shit? I didn't even start that one.
Anyways, it's the weekend before July 4th. I'm in Athens (last-second planning. What else is new?) until tomorrow night, when I'm meeting Alyssa for dinner. Yay! For the first time in my life, last night I was witness to frat-boyish-type drinking and partying. I didn't participate for a plethora of reasons, but what I learned from the experience was probably just as, if not more important than any moral, legal or safety value I was clinging to before. To watch people get wasted and the behavioral transformation that occurs thereof might be the most sobering experience I've had in my lifetime. Luckily no one threw-up, or else I would have wigged out something fierce. I did, however, see a kid on the streets of Athens sleeping in a sitting position on a bench and looking mighty close to dead. Alcohol poisoning at it's best. It was really sad and scary, and we would have done something to help if he didn't already have a friend there "taking care" of him. I'm not exactly sure what part the friend had in watching the drunk boy become as shit-faced as he did, but in the end at least he was trying to do the boy some good. Here's my point: I know that alcoholic products have about a million and a half different reasons to be consumed, and a lot of those reasons can be perfectly fine and safe. Some people acquire a taste for the stuff. Red wine can actually be good for the heart, when consumed in moderation. I can see how a little social lubrication could be extremely tempting, and I can also imagine at least two instances in which, while alcohol should never be used to solve personal problems, alcohol could be useful for easing the mind in select uncomfortable situations. But boy oh boy, am I glad I got to witness for myself a broader spectrum of the effects before even thinking about taking part myself!
That's all I've got for right now. My eyes are beginning to hurt from staring at the computer screen in a dark room, and I want to go give some attention to my wonderful hosts (Karl and Josh). I am also looking forward to maybe getting a chat in with Brendan today, who comes to Atlanta in 49 days!!!!! God I'm so lucky to have him around - anywhere - and his absence for all these months is nothing to complain about when I'm so fortunate to be able to talk to him at all. The series of events that had to occur in order for me to be where I am with him today is just unbelievable. First, I should thank Colossal for existing, for otherwise the Martins and Justin never would have met. Then I should thank Justin for introducing me to the Martins, and the Martins for introducing me to their cousin. Twice. Maybe three times? And then I have to wonder: why in the heavens did Grant HAPPEN to have a lacrosse tournament the same week as Brendan's Spring Break in Mexico, in the same state their Grandfather lives where Brendan was planning on going to visit anyways, in the same state where Justin and I happen to have friends that needed visiting? (?!?!???!!?!?!?!) How did Justin and I manage to get affordable plane tickets and hotel reservations on such short creative planning? How in the fuck did we make that happen???!!??? To this day I feel like I'm not magical enough to pull that shit off and that something else had to have been pushing me along, and the screwed-up hotel location was just a quirky detail thrown in to make the whole story sound more human and believable like I did indeed have a part in it. Thank [insert higher being here] it happened. Thank Brendan he turned that car around and altered the form of my anxiety. Now, while the butterflies are still there, they have purpose and lord knows nothing makes a sentient organism feel better than a purpose! But I digress. Brendan is fantastic, and I couldn't be luckier :) And while sometimes this whole thing feels like a dream or an amazing imagination, I can't shake the feeling I get when I'm on the south-side Atlanta interstates going in the right direction for the airport. Oh sweet August, can't you come any faster?
Seriously kids, I'm leaving. Stephanie has started to cook and I can't avoid it any longer. Things I have not mentioned in this entry:
Pride
Work
School
Family
For another day. Adieu!
Why do I always take the blame for weird shit? I didn't even start that one.
Anyways, it's the weekend before July 4th. I'm in Athens (last-second planning. What else is new?) until tomorrow night, when I'm meeting Alyssa for dinner. Yay! For the first time in my life, last night I was witness to frat-boyish-type drinking and partying. I didn't participate for a plethora of reasons, but what I learned from the experience was probably just as, if not more important than any moral, legal or safety value I was clinging to before. To watch people get wasted and the behavioral transformation that occurs thereof might be the most sobering experience I've had in my lifetime. Luckily no one threw-up, or else I would have wigged out something fierce. I did, however, see a kid on the streets of Athens sleeping in a sitting position on a bench and looking mighty close to dead. Alcohol poisoning at it's best. It was really sad and scary, and we would have done something to help if he didn't already have a friend there "taking care" of him. I'm not exactly sure what part the friend had in watching the drunk boy become as shit-faced as he did, but in the end at least he was trying to do the boy some good. Here's my point: I know that alcoholic products have about a million and a half different reasons to be consumed, and a lot of those reasons can be perfectly fine and safe. Some people acquire a taste for the stuff. Red wine can actually be good for the heart, when consumed in moderation. I can see how a little social lubrication could be extremely tempting, and I can also imagine at least two instances in which, while alcohol should never be used to solve personal problems, alcohol could be useful for easing the mind in select uncomfortable situations. But boy oh boy, am I glad I got to witness for myself a broader spectrum of the effects before even thinking about taking part myself!
That's all I've got for right now. My eyes are beginning to hurt from staring at the computer screen in a dark room, and I want to go give some attention to my wonderful hosts (Karl and Josh). I am also looking forward to maybe getting a chat in with Brendan today, who comes to Atlanta in 49 days!!!!! God I'm so lucky to have him around - anywhere - and his absence for all these months is nothing to complain about when I'm so fortunate to be able to talk to him at all. The series of events that had to occur in order for me to be where I am with him today is just unbelievable. First, I should thank Colossal for existing, for otherwise the Martins and Justin never would have met. Then I should thank Justin for introducing me to the Martins, and the Martins for introducing me to their cousin. Twice. Maybe three times? And then I have to wonder: why in the heavens did Grant HAPPEN to have a lacrosse tournament the same week as Brendan's Spring Break in Mexico, in the same state their Grandfather lives where Brendan was planning on going to visit anyways, in the same state where Justin and I happen to have friends that needed visiting? (?!?!???!!?!?!?!) How did Justin and I manage to get affordable plane tickets and hotel reservations on such short creative planning? How in the fuck did we make that happen???!!??? To this day I feel like I'm not magical enough to pull that shit off and that something else had to have been pushing me along, and the screwed-up hotel location was just a quirky detail thrown in to make the whole story sound more human and believable like I did indeed have a part in it. Thank [insert higher being here] it happened. Thank Brendan he turned that car around and altered the form of my anxiety. Now, while the butterflies are still there, they have purpose and lord knows nothing makes a sentient organism feel better than a purpose! But I digress. Brendan is fantastic, and I couldn't be luckier :) And while sometimes this whole thing feels like a dream or an amazing imagination, I can't shake the feeling I get when I'm on the south-side Atlanta interstates going in the right direction for the airport. Oh sweet August, can't you come any faster?
Seriously kids, I'm leaving. Stephanie has started to cook and I can't avoid it any longer. Things I have not mentioned in this entry:
Pride
Work
School
Family
For another day. Adieu!