New Focus Born From The Death Of Good
So I've noticed that it's been about two or so weeks since I've gotten back and still no response. Not to worry people; I'm not dead or anything. Rather, I've just been trying to get back into the swing of things while still remaining in some sort of control. You see, I wasn't really kidding (if I had mentioned it) about not getting shit for rest upon my return. Once I got back, it was right into about 4 hours of martial arts instructor seminars and the following day, college started up once more in all its misery. Before I get into all that though, I will say that I had a fucking incredible time back in New Jersey! It was easily one of my best vacations yet! What's more, I believe there is a new focus for me once school is completed, but we'll arrange that little puzzle piece in a more chronological order. Shall we journey a little into the reverse flow of time?
Before the vacation even started, I was off to a pretty fucked up journey. Turns out I kinda forgot that Dallas has an hour ahead on Albuquerque. Yet another reason why I hate Texas. Anyway, while I was at TGI Friday's getting some breakfast, thinking that I had plenty of time before my flight, the plane had actually left without me. I didn't realize this until after I returned, full-bellied, to my gate to find that the upcoming flight which I thought to be mine was labeled Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Naturally, I approached the check-in desk with perplexity. It turns out that my flight did - as I had revealed before - left without me. A cold and uneasy dread ran through my blood with the anxious thoughts of what was to happen next. Thankfully, the advance of transportation technology did not glance over me carelessly. Receiving a new ticket, I simply had to ride this goofy rail-bus to another terminal and wait about another half hour before I was able to resume my trip. What a frickin' relief THAT was.
With the plane landing in humid, familiar Philadelphia, a sense of happiness and calm washed over me as I exited the plane and made my way out in search for Steve, his girl, and his kid. It took a few minutes to find them, but I was eventually reunited with the first of many dear friends. Getting situated in his truck, we were off for Harleysville, PA so that we could eagerly (not eagerly for my wallet) rent my dive gear for the upcoming weekend, sans Friday. It gave us time to catch up, and for me to re-settle into the experiences I had missed, living 2000 miles away with just Mikey to keep me company in the non-busy parts of my life. Once at Indian Valley, we went through the very arduous process of trying to fit me up for a wetsuit. As usual, nothing (ever) fits me, and we were damn near about to give up hope as I began sweating profusely through three layers of makeshift neoprene garb. It was through some ingenuity and understanding that an alternate solution was reached, and how happily it was! After a little further fitting, I was set up (at a very large additional cost) with a drysuit! Not only did this feel much more comfortable than three stacks of neoprene, but it was much easier to don and doff. Ironically, it was a Whites drysuit. Now I know most of you have no idea what that means, but in a nutshell, it's very unique brand of drysuit that nobody really likes all that well. I thought it fit rather nicely, but I wouldn't be above trying a trilaminate suit in the future. After all of this outflow of cash had occurred, we departed for a dinner at Outback, which was as great as to be normally expected, and then came Friday - the day of the KISS concert.
We actually started this day out in Dutch Springs, as we headed up for the first of many dives. I have to say that while I enjoy Dutch Springs, and the Wawa soft pretzels that kept me occupied on the trip up there, paying $35 to get in certainly was a fucking robbery. Nevertheless, it was a fee paid and in we went. I've gotta say; that drysuit was one of the best damn choices I could've made on the aquatic leg of my trip. Now, I did get a little damp around the sleeves, and my feet did sweat, but the warmth and versatility this thing had proved its worth several times. Much effort and money as it had taken for us to get up there, it was only a one-dive trip today, as I had a schedule to keep for a bad ass concert. So, we packed everything up, headed home, and I got ready for the continuation of a pretty sweet Friday.
It was at about the early hours of the evening that I was picked up by Jim and his brother, thus nearly completing all of my major reunitings. We were soon added to in party by his girlfriend Sue and their friends as we waited for the train. Her friends, Jackie and Jeremy are most certainly an interesting couple. I personally managed several technologically-involved conversations with the latter, but more on that later. The concert itself was goddamn amazing! KISS didn't disappoint, even at their current age, and it was a show that was a welcome sight so early in my return to my homeland. Jim managed to spend $15 on a mixed drink in a guitar glass, which I found a little sad. To each his own indeed, but I told him "I hope the glass was worth $15 because the drink sure as shit wasnt." Still a fun time all in all. I couldn't wait to spend more time with them.
After a little back-and-forth plan changing (this is a recurring theme, so keep that in mind), I found myself back at Steve's so that we could go BACK up to Dutch Springs the following morning. Don't get me wrong; I was intent on spending as much time as I could with everyone, and I definitely wanted to get my money's worth for all that dive gear, but this meant goodbye to another $35 of my dollars (plus, later on, another $15 for late-night admission for our night dive. I won't nickel-and-dime the whole vacation of expenditures, but air fills were also included). It also meant another 4 hours total drive time, and little sleep to be had by me. It's probably an appropriate time to mention that the only time I got any REAL, respectable sleep was when Jim graciously gave up his bed to me, and when I was staying at mom's.
Enter Saturday, the day of dives. In total, we did four dives that day, accompanied by one of Steve and Steph's friends, Ron. He seemed like a pretty cool ass dude, as did Chris - a guy who need a dive buddy (which Ron rounded out). Overall, the dives each proved very adventurous and some were quite funny. We explored an airplane, a school bus, an old trolley car (both of which Steve swam through), and a suspended helicopter (which he and I both swam through - fuckin' awesome!) On top of that Steph found $10 and Steve found - and proceeded to scare Steph with - a dead fish. My mask flooded with how damn funny it was, and even after she was done being pissed, Steph had a laugh about it. The night dive, which was just us three, was very interested. Granted I only had a few meager backup lights to use, it was quite a sight to see the activity of underwater life in the twilight hours. I think the only down side to that was the colder air temperature and poor sight as we got out. We may as well have been blindfolded trying to pack our shit up. Eventually, we got it down and headed back to NJ for Sunday.
Sunday was a pretty low-key day. We went to Delaware to visit a home-based dive shop (Piranha Manufacturing) run by a pretty cool ass guy. I was mainly there for the trip and for a little knowledge, since I still have yet to buy any diving gear. Maybe I will in time. Nevertheless the day went on pretty uneventfully, but enjoyably and that gave way to Monday, where we headed back to Indian Valley to return the gear I had rented just days before. It was a necessary step before I was "handed off" to Jim. It was a very good Monday, mainly because I was introduced to one of him and Sue's friends. Now, I'm not exactly sure HOW this all happened through the course of such short time, or the knowledge that this finite time existed, but they had the intent to hook me up with this girl. I'll spare you long, boring, and dramatic details and suffice to say that her name is Joanna, and she is now my very loving girlfriend. So...yay for me!
The first week I spent with Jim went pretty damn awesomely. It mainly consisted of hanging around his apartment with him and Gene - another important friend to have seen again, going to NJ to hang around with Joanna and Sue, and preparing for the second Friday. This was the day where Mikey was meant to come and enjoy his vacation, as well as the night of the kegger Jim was throwing. Throughout the week the planning had been set and the money collected, but Friday was zero hour, and after we had picked Mikey up (after some only-him confusing on Mikey's part), we dropped him off at my uncle's house (yet more important people) before picking up the necessary supplies. It really consisted of a keg of Miller Lite and some key "ingredients" I needed in order to do what I normally do at booze-having parties, which is the mad scientist thing where I concoct magical beverages that really screw people up.
I don't really have to tell you that this party was pretty awesome. Jim and Gene's landlord was gone for the weekend, so we had music, fun, drink, snacks, and overall merriment. I mixed some very interesting stuff out of cherry vodka and grenadine which smelled like red Koolaid and tasted a little like cough syrup. There was a little relationship drama between Gene and his girl which cost the liquored-up lad his brand new phone, but thankfully the more important issue was resolved. Moreover, something ELSE happened during the kegger as well - to me, of all people - but that gets to be my little secret. Let's just say that 2010 is shaping up to be a pretty good year towards its autumn.
Another semi-irritating change of plans got us into the weekend, as we didn't - in fact - go to mom's house until Monday, but we DID get to go to a very enjoyable Trenton Thunder game with all-you-can-eat burgers and hot dogs, (again) courtesy of Jeremy's ingenuity. Though Jim's car damn near blew up on the ride down to the shore (head gasket problems which have currently to my knowledge led to its demise), we arrived at mom's safely. She was naturally over-animated about seeing us, and we all had a great laugh at Mikey douching her with the water gun they kept to shut the large bird up. As I had mentioned before, this was one of the few times I actually got to frickin' sleep well, and it was a good sleep indeed. Sadly though, we didn't spend too much time at mom's place - a fact that depresses me. It just seems kind of jacked up that the person who wanted to see us the most actually GOT to see us for the shortest amount of time. We did get to go to the Cape May zoo however, where we saw several unique and entertaining creatures. I still wish I could've snapped a few pictures of their Siberian tiger and the new snow leopard cubs, but we arrived just too late in the day.
After good rest, good food, and an interesting time with their new bird, we found ourselves back among normal civilization. While the plan was originally to have gone with Steve, I had become rather infatuated with Joanna at the time, and we had a good plan change (for once this vacation) and, to make a long story short, I wound up pretty much spending the rest of my vacation on the "Jim" side of the line. I did get to spend a few more days with Steve and Steph though, where we went out to Friday's and got to see Phil (a friend who hasn't seen me in the longest of times - he last saw me chubby, with glasses, and long hair), as well as eat at Fontana's and provide me with ample opportunity to complete the repayment of my debt to him for fronting the money for my diving lessons. That was easily a sum I didn't want to part with.
Several more plan changes had occurred somewhere in the realm of the final week of vacation, my only salvation lying in my mom and stepdad coming down so that we could all go to Milanese to see Al and grab a cheesesteak, and in Joanna. The last week, despite all my complaints and anxiety, turned out very enjoyably. Overall, I had a total blast, ate more and less satisfactorily than I normally would have, and damn sure drank my share of Yuengling. You really can't appreciate something that is regionalized until you're without it. The same can be said for Philly fans. On an important but more background note, I was also able to appreciate the fact that Wachovia is ever further in the process of being taken over by Wells Fargo. All hail the horse-drawn carriage empire!
Obviously my biggest sadness was leaving my newfound girlfriend, as well as the friends and family I have grown so close to over the years. It's funny, though...the biggest vacation I've ever taken STILL is not enough time, but I guess when is it ever? It is said that all good things must come to an end, but I prefer to see it as more of a means to a new beginning. The title of my entry actually has quite a bit to do with this vacation and all involved within, including its end. By the way, I do have some dive and zoo pictures, which I'll try like hell to get put up on here once I can figure out what the fuck Photobucket is trying to pull.
It was actually in the airport and on the plane ride back that I - both in thought and while conversing with Mikey - came upon the new focus of returning home to where we originate. Don't get me wrong...I love New Mexico for it's pros (and hate it for its cons), but beyond my karate, there's nothing keeping me here. Not only that, but I've seen how people are living now, being on their own, settling a little more into themselves. Among it all, everyone keeps asking the same question: "when are you moving back?" Even people who aren't necessarily fond of me 100% of the time were asking that question, and I can't help but wonder...could it be time to go home? The people I've met here that I've held onto are great folks - co-workers, martial arts students...hell, even a few college students I'd bet. I certainly wouldn't want to trade them, but I've always been a very close-to-home, family-oriented person and honestly, I'm getting a little tired of reliving the joy of being returned to my friends and family only to resuffer the pain of having to part with them, especially when I have a choice now.
Would I be able to do exactly what I did on vacation? Certainly-the-hell no. I'd obviously have to re-secure employment and establish residency (although personally I think the job would be harder, since I've had several offers for places to stay upon my return). There are a few hypothetical plans floating around in my head, way above the earth in space. Some factors are given; some depend on other factors that add a certain degree of chance and luck into the equation. Still, the thought keeps recurring in my head of whether or not I want to stay out here and continue to endure the joy/pain relationship, or forsake the only thing that has truly made me happy out here and brave the drive back to the Garden State. Let's also not forget I have a girlfriend waiting for me as well; THAT factors very well into things. I can safely say right now that it will be heartbreaking on the day when I stop training at my martial arts school, were this plan to go through. Sure I can pick it back up in NJ, but it won't be the same. This school has been like a family to me, and continues to be as supportive (if not at least distracting) as I'm about to enter my third week of the fall semester. I'm still psyched as hell for the banquet (which has strangely been pushed back to November this year), and there really is a feeling like no other when you're made to feel like you really belong somewhere. This seems like a very purified definition of sacrifice if you ask me.
So this is pretty much what's been happening in the huge gap of time between before I left and now. As I said, I'm in the third week of this ever-draining process of college. I can certainly say that I miss the summer semester, where I wasn't in class and simply went to karate, went to work, and came the hell home. The only good news is that if I play my cards right, I should be out of that place by the end of next semester. Even IF I have to make a weekly commute up to main campus for my Bio lab, it's time to finally slay this damn goliath and gain my freedom. Besides, once I'm done with my associate's degree, I should be able to pick it back up anywhere in the country if I can manage to pin something of a more confident major down. The only thing that can keep me down now is if they somehow fuck me over by telling me I need some other electives, but I think I've got the system beat this time. Mikey, on the other hand, I don't know about but I hope is just as close to completion.
With that in mind, it's really just a matter of time, and enjoying the time we have here. I've already started contemplating certain very important things if we truly do mean to return to Jersey. I don't suspect it will be easy by any means, but it's damn sure possible...especially now that we've got the Camry (technically. That's another long story I may just wait until next time to tell). Not to mention the fact that I've gotten the recent itch to learn how to ride a motorcycle. I guess I could condense a lot of what I mentioned and what I've undoubtedly missed in my vacation by saying that 2010 has had some ups and some downs so far, but we still have about three and a half months left, and then we get into 2011, which will DEFINITELY be a pivotal year. Beyond what I've mentioned in my plan to move back to NJ, I can just feel that 2011 is going to be a hell of an important year, at least in my life.
I think I've entranced you all long enough for tonight with the tales of my vacation and of the hopeful aftermath it has brought upon. I know it'll be a long read, but if you've made it this far without skipping ahead as if it were some EULA, good for you; go get yourself a cookie or some almonds. In the meantime, I'm gonna go ahead and wrap this up in the hopes that I'll get adequate sleep to start this next week. As those of you who know me can guess, my next best college-related update is gonna be when I get my excess check, which could very well help my outstanding LASIK payments, providing I don't get my hopes up for nothing. Wish me luck, peoplefolk! Now that I'm back in the swing of things, the updates should be coming in at their regular pace, probably littered with some vacation and reflection of the vacation in the beginning. Nevertheless, there's a certain pleasure in being back, and I look forward to doing what I need to do in order to evolve further in my life. Until next time, everyone stay well and be sure to wonder why the hell everyone's coming out with Christmas shit already.
"Patience can eat a dick! I wanna split you like a piece of lumber!"
Ken
Before the vacation even started, I was off to a pretty fucked up journey. Turns out I kinda forgot that Dallas has an hour ahead on Albuquerque. Yet another reason why I hate Texas. Anyway, while I was at TGI Friday's getting some breakfast, thinking that I had plenty of time before my flight, the plane had actually left without me. I didn't realize this until after I returned, full-bellied, to my gate to find that the upcoming flight which I thought to be mine was labeled Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. Naturally, I approached the check-in desk with perplexity. It turns out that my flight did - as I had revealed before - left without me. A cold and uneasy dread ran through my blood with the anxious thoughts of what was to happen next. Thankfully, the advance of transportation technology did not glance over me carelessly. Receiving a new ticket, I simply had to ride this goofy rail-bus to another terminal and wait about another half hour before I was able to resume my trip. What a frickin' relief THAT was.
With the plane landing in humid, familiar Philadelphia, a sense of happiness and calm washed over me as I exited the plane and made my way out in search for Steve, his girl, and his kid. It took a few minutes to find them, but I was eventually reunited with the first of many dear friends. Getting situated in his truck, we were off for Harleysville, PA so that we could eagerly (not eagerly for my wallet) rent my dive gear for the upcoming weekend, sans Friday. It gave us time to catch up, and for me to re-settle into the experiences I had missed, living 2000 miles away with just Mikey to keep me company in the non-busy parts of my life. Once at Indian Valley, we went through the very arduous process of trying to fit me up for a wetsuit. As usual, nothing (ever) fits me, and we were damn near about to give up hope as I began sweating profusely through three layers of makeshift neoprene garb. It was through some ingenuity and understanding that an alternate solution was reached, and how happily it was! After a little further fitting, I was set up (at a very large additional cost) with a drysuit! Not only did this feel much more comfortable than three stacks of neoprene, but it was much easier to don and doff. Ironically, it was a Whites drysuit. Now I know most of you have no idea what that means, but in a nutshell, it's very unique brand of drysuit that nobody really likes all that well. I thought it fit rather nicely, but I wouldn't be above trying a trilaminate suit in the future. After all of this outflow of cash had occurred, we departed for a dinner at Outback, which was as great as to be normally expected, and then came Friday - the day of the KISS concert.
We actually started this day out in Dutch Springs, as we headed up for the first of many dives. I have to say that while I enjoy Dutch Springs, and the Wawa soft pretzels that kept me occupied on the trip up there, paying $35 to get in certainly was a fucking robbery. Nevertheless, it was a fee paid and in we went. I've gotta say; that drysuit was one of the best damn choices I could've made on the aquatic leg of my trip. Now, I did get a little damp around the sleeves, and my feet did sweat, but the warmth and versatility this thing had proved its worth several times. Much effort and money as it had taken for us to get up there, it was only a one-dive trip today, as I had a schedule to keep for a bad ass concert. So, we packed everything up, headed home, and I got ready for the continuation of a pretty sweet Friday.
It was at about the early hours of the evening that I was picked up by Jim and his brother, thus nearly completing all of my major reunitings. We were soon added to in party by his girlfriend Sue and their friends as we waited for the train. Her friends, Jackie and Jeremy are most certainly an interesting couple. I personally managed several technologically-involved conversations with the latter, but more on that later. The concert itself was goddamn amazing! KISS didn't disappoint, even at their current age, and it was a show that was a welcome sight so early in my return to my homeland. Jim managed to spend $15 on a mixed drink in a guitar glass, which I found a little sad. To each his own indeed, but I told him "I hope the glass was worth $15 because the drink sure as shit wasnt." Still a fun time all in all. I couldn't wait to spend more time with them.
After a little back-and-forth plan changing (this is a recurring theme, so keep that in mind), I found myself back at Steve's so that we could go BACK up to Dutch Springs the following morning. Don't get me wrong; I was intent on spending as much time as I could with everyone, and I definitely wanted to get my money's worth for all that dive gear, but this meant goodbye to another $35 of my dollars (plus, later on, another $15 for late-night admission for our night dive. I won't nickel-and-dime the whole vacation of expenditures, but air fills were also included). It also meant another 4 hours total drive time, and little sleep to be had by me. It's probably an appropriate time to mention that the only time I got any REAL, respectable sleep was when Jim graciously gave up his bed to me, and when I was staying at mom's.
Enter Saturday, the day of dives. In total, we did four dives that day, accompanied by one of Steve and Steph's friends, Ron. He seemed like a pretty cool ass dude, as did Chris - a guy who need a dive buddy (which Ron rounded out). Overall, the dives each proved very adventurous and some were quite funny. We explored an airplane, a school bus, an old trolley car (both of which Steve swam through), and a suspended helicopter (which he and I both swam through - fuckin' awesome!) On top of that Steph found $10 and Steve found - and proceeded to scare Steph with - a dead fish. My mask flooded with how damn funny it was, and even after she was done being pissed, Steph had a laugh about it. The night dive, which was just us three, was very interested. Granted I only had a few meager backup lights to use, it was quite a sight to see the activity of underwater life in the twilight hours. I think the only down side to that was the colder air temperature and poor sight as we got out. We may as well have been blindfolded trying to pack our shit up. Eventually, we got it down and headed back to NJ for Sunday.
Sunday was a pretty low-key day. We went to Delaware to visit a home-based dive shop (Piranha Manufacturing) run by a pretty cool ass guy. I was mainly there for the trip and for a little knowledge, since I still have yet to buy any diving gear. Maybe I will in time. Nevertheless the day went on pretty uneventfully, but enjoyably and that gave way to Monday, where we headed back to Indian Valley to return the gear I had rented just days before. It was a necessary step before I was "handed off" to Jim. It was a very good Monday, mainly because I was introduced to one of him and Sue's friends. Now, I'm not exactly sure HOW this all happened through the course of such short time, or the knowledge that this finite time existed, but they had the intent to hook me up with this girl. I'll spare you long, boring, and dramatic details and suffice to say that her name is Joanna, and she is now my very loving girlfriend. So...yay for me!
The first week I spent with Jim went pretty damn awesomely. It mainly consisted of hanging around his apartment with him and Gene - another important friend to have seen again, going to NJ to hang around with Joanna and Sue, and preparing for the second Friday. This was the day where Mikey was meant to come and enjoy his vacation, as well as the night of the kegger Jim was throwing. Throughout the week the planning had been set and the money collected, but Friday was zero hour, and after we had picked Mikey up (after some only-him confusing on Mikey's part), we dropped him off at my uncle's house (yet more important people) before picking up the necessary supplies. It really consisted of a keg of Miller Lite and some key "ingredients" I needed in order to do what I normally do at booze-having parties, which is the mad scientist thing where I concoct magical beverages that really screw people up.
I don't really have to tell you that this party was pretty awesome. Jim and Gene's landlord was gone for the weekend, so we had music, fun, drink, snacks, and overall merriment. I mixed some very interesting stuff out of cherry vodka and grenadine which smelled like red Koolaid and tasted a little like cough syrup. There was a little relationship drama between Gene and his girl which cost the liquored-up lad his brand new phone, but thankfully the more important issue was resolved. Moreover, something ELSE happened during the kegger as well - to me, of all people - but that gets to be my little secret. Let's just say that 2010 is shaping up to be a pretty good year towards its autumn.
Another semi-irritating change of plans got us into the weekend, as we didn't - in fact - go to mom's house until Monday, but we DID get to go to a very enjoyable Trenton Thunder game with all-you-can-eat burgers and hot dogs, (again) courtesy of Jeremy's ingenuity. Though Jim's car damn near blew up on the ride down to the shore (head gasket problems which have currently to my knowledge led to its demise), we arrived at mom's safely. She was naturally over-animated about seeing us, and we all had a great laugh at Mikey douching her with the water gun they kept to shut the large bird up. As I had mentioned before, this was one of the few times I actually got to frickin' sleep well, and it was a good sleep indeed. Sadly though, we didn't spend too much time at mom's place - a fact that depresses me. It just seems kind of jacked up that the person who wanted to see us the most actually GOT to see us for the shortest amount of time. We did get to go to the Cape May zoo however, where we saw several unique and entertaining creatures. I still wish I could've snapped a few pictures of their Siberian tiger and the new snow leopard cubs, but we arrived just too late in the day.
After good rest, good food, and an interesting time with their new bird, we found ourselves back among normal civilization. While the plan was originally to have gone with Steve, I had become rather infatuated with Joanna at the time, and we had a good plan change (for once this vacation) and, to make a long story short, I wound up pretty much spending the rest of my vacation on the "Jim" side of the line. I did get to spend a few more days with Steve and Steph though, where we went out to Friday's and got to see Phil (a friend who hasn't seen me in the longest of times - he last saw me chubby, with glasses, and long hair), as well as eat at Fontana's and provide me with ample opportunity to complete the repayment of my debt to him for fronting the money for my diving lessons. That was easily a sum I didn't want to part with.
Several more plan changes had occurred somewhere in the realm of the final week of vacation, my only salvation lying in my mom and stepdad coming down so that we could all go to Milanese to see Al and grab a cheesesteak, and in Joanna. The last week, despite all my complaints and anxiety, turned out very enjoyably. Overall, I had a total blast, ate more and less satisfactorily than I normally would have, and damn sure drank my share of Yuengling. You really can't appreciate something that is regionalized until you're without it. The same can be said for Philly fans. On an important but more background note, I was also able to appreciate the fact that Wachovia is ever further in the process of being taken over by Wells Fargo. All hail the horse-drawn carriage empire!
Obviously my biggest sadness was leaving my newfound girlfriend, as well as the friends and family I have grown so close to over the years. It's funny, though...the biggest vacation I've ever taken STILL is not enough time, but I guess when is it ever? It is said that all good things must come to an end, but I prefer to see it as more of a means to a new beginning. The title of my entry actually has quite a bit to do with this vacation and all involved within, including its end. By the way, I do have some dive and zoo pictures, which I'll try like hell to get put up on here once I can figure out what the fuck Photobucket is trying to pull.
It was actually in the airport and on the plane ride back that I - both in thought and while conversing with Mikey - came upon the new focus of returning home to where we originate. Don't get me wrong...I love New Mexico for it's pros (and hate it for its cons), but beyond my karate, there's nothing keeping me here. Not only that, but I've seen how people are living now, being on their own, settling a little more into themselves. Among it all, everyone keeps asking the same question: "when are you moving back?" Even people who aren't necessarily fond of me 100% of the time were asking that question, and I can't help but wonder...could it be time to go home? The people I've met here that I've held onto are great folks - co-workers, martial arts students...hell, even a few college students I'd bet. I certainly wouldn't want to trade them, but I've always been a very close-to-home, family-oriented person and honestly, I'm getting a little tired of reliving the joy of being returned to my friends and family only to resuffer the pain of having to part with them, especially when I have a choice now.
Would I be able to do exactly what I did on vacation? Certainly-the-hell no. I'd obviously have to re-secure employment and establish residency (although personally I think the job would be harder, since I've had several offers for places to stay upon my return). There are a few hypothetical plans floating around in my head, way above the earth in space. Some factors are given; some depend on other factors that add a certain degree of chance and luck into the equation. Still, the thought keeps recurring in my head of whether or not I want to stay out here and continue to endure the joy/pain relationship, or forsake the only thing that has truly made me happy out here and brave the drive back to the Garden State. Let's also not forget I have a girlfriend waiting for me as well; THAT factors very well into things. I can safely say right now that it will be heartbreaking on the day when I stop training at my martial arts school, were this plan to go through. Sure I can pick it back up in NJ, but it won't be the same. This school has been like a family to me, and continues to be as supportive (if not at least distracting) as I'm about to enter my third week of the fall semester. I'm still psyched as hell for the banquet (which has strangely been pushed back to November this year), and there really is a feeling like no other when you're made to feel like you really belong somewhere. This seems like a very purified definition of sacrifice if you ask me.
So this is pretty much what's been happening in the huge gap of time between before I left and now. As I said, I'm in the third week of this ever-draining process of college. I can certainly say that I miss the summer semester, where I wasn't in class and simply went to karate, went to work, and came the hell home. The only good news is that if I play my cards right, I should be out of that place by the end of next semester. Even IF I have to make a weekly commute up to main campus for my Bio lab, it's time to finally slay this damn goliath and gain my freedom. Besides, once I'm done with my associate's degree, I should be able to pick it back up anywhere in the country if I can manage to pin something of a more confident major down. The only thing that can keep me down now is if they somehow fuck me over by telling me I need some other electives, but I think I've got the system beat this time. Mikey, on the other hand, I don't know about but I hope is just as close to completion.
With that in mind, it's really just a matter of time, and enjoying the time we have here. I've already started contemplating certain very important things if we truly do mean to return to Jersey. I don't suspect it will be easy by any means, but it's damn sure possible...especially now that we've got the Camry (technically. That's another long story I may just wait until next time to tell). Not to mention the fact that I've gotten the recent itch to learn how to ride a motorcycle. I guess I could condense a lot of what I mentioned and what I've undoubtedly missed in my vacation by saying that 2010 has had some ups and some downs so far, but we still have about three and a half months left, and then we get into 2011, which will DEFINITELY be a pivotal year. Beyond what I've mentioned in my plan to move back to NJ, I can just feel that 2011 is going to be a hell of an important year, at least in my life.
I think I've entranced you all long enough for tonight with the tales of my vacation and of the hopeful aftermath it has brought upon. I know it'll be a long read, but if you've made it this far without skipping ahead as if it were some EULA, good for you; go get yourself a cookie or some almonds. In the meantime, I'm gonna go ahead and wrap this up in the hopes that I'll get adequate sleep to start this next week. As those of you who know me can guess, my next best college-related update is gonna be when I get my excess check, which could very well help my outstanding LASIK payments, providing I don't get my hopes up for nothing. Wish me luck, peoplefolk! Now that I'm back in the swing of things, the updates should be coming in at their regular pace, probably littered with some vacation and reflection of the vacation in the beginning. Nevertheless, there's a certain pleasure in being back, and I look forward to doing what I need to do in order to evolve further in my life. Until next time, everyone stay well and be sure to wonder why the hell everyone's coming out with Christmas shit already.
"Patience can eat a dick! I wanna split you like a piece of lumber!"
Ken