I am nothing if not good at following instructions
Someone wise told me that a good way to continue my writerly ways was to start a blog. Well, I said to myself, I already have one of those! Not that I use it very often. And thus I return to this forgotten little corner of the universe. And of course I was immediately reminded how much I enjoyed having a paid account and access to buckets of userpics. So of course I had to sign up for that again, whore that I am.
Now I'm back with all my bells and whistles and all that's left is figuring out what to write about. I guess that shouldn't be too terribly difficult. I've been thinking about friendship recently and what that word really means. Usually it's a kind of honorific that we apply to those who are nearest and dearest to us, but other times its something that we just toss around and really it doesn't matter how long we've known someone. I work with people that I haven't known for terribly long and yet I consider friends. Why? Because I trust them. We had a conversation the other day (at work, of course. Where else do I spend all my time?) about friendship and someone busted out with the quote "a friend is a gift you give yourself." I thought that was interesting and I reflected on how I had gotten a little bit more choosy about the presents I pick out for myself these days.
Someone also mentioned how she had "lost" a friend. I told her I was very sorry (assuming that this friend had passed away) and she looked at me like I was deranged. "No," she said, "I just chose not to be friends with her anymore." Well its not really like you lost her then did you? You know quite well where she is, you just choose not to seek her out anymore. Something about that distinction bothered me.
Anyway, rambling aside I have not always had such an awesome track record with picking friends. Mostly I have a history of picking friends who are very good at talking but not so much at listening. I'm a pretty good listener but I do need to talk every now and then and maybe share what's going on in my world and if the conversation can't go both ways once in a while, what's the point? For example I had a friend where I was available for him every time he needed him. I bought him food when he was out of work and couldn't even afford a can of beans. I held him when he cried and I listened to every problem he ever had. And the one time I ever needed something from him? I get told that I'm stupid and my problems are useless. Awesome. Not the best present I ever gave myself.
On the other hand I do have some awesome friends. People that I can talk to about the littlest piddly things and who will inflate my ego when it begins to sag. And there is nothing like knowing that you could call someone anytime and they would pick up the phone and really want to hear anything that you had to say to them right at that moment. Those really are gifts and that I can maintain such amazing relationships continues to amaze.
Well, I've exhausted myself with such talk and I think it's time for me to go read. I really am going to finish book 5 of the Dark Tower series. I swear I've been reading it for a month now and I just know that eventually I will get done with it. Promise.
Now I'm back with all my bells and whistles and all that's left is figuring out what to write about. I guess that shouldn't be too terribly difficult. I've been thinking about friendship recently and what that word really means. Usually it's a kind of honorific that we apply to those who are nearest and dearest to us, but other times its something that we just toss around and really it doesn't matter how long we've known someone. I work with people that I haven't known for terribly long and yet I consider friends. Why? Because I trust them. We had a conversation the other day (at work, of course. Where else do I spend all my time?) about friendship and someone busted out with the quote "a friend is a gift you give yourself." I thought that was interesting and I reflected on how I had gotten a little bit more choosy about the presents I pick out for myself these days.
Someone also mentioned how she had "lost" a friend. I told her I was very sorry (assuming that this friend had passed away) and she looked at me like I was deranged. "No," she said, "I just chose not to be friends with her anymore." Well its not really like you lost her then did you? You know quite well where she is, you just choose not to seek her out anymore. Something about that distinction bothered me.
Anyway, rambling aside I have not always had such an awesome track record with picking friends. Mostly I have a history of picking friends who are very good at talking but not so much at listening. I'm a pretty good listener but I do need to talk every now and then and maybe share what's going on in my world and if the conversation can't go both ways once in a while, what's the point? For example I had a friend where I was available for him every time he needed him. I bought him food when he was out of work and couldn't even afford a can of beans. I held him when he cried and I listened to every problem he ever had. And the one time I ever needed something from him? I get told that I'm stupid and my problems are useless. Awesome. Not the best present I ever gave myself.
On the other hand I do have some awesome friends. People that I can talk to about the littlest piddly things and who will inflate my ego when it begins to sag. And there is nothing like knowing that you could call someone anytime and they would pick up the phone and really want to hear anything that you had to say to them right at that moment. Those really are gifts and that I can maintain such amazing relationships continues to amaze.
Well, I've exhausted myself with such talk and I think it's time for me to go read. I really am going to finish book 5 of the Dark Tower series. I swear I've been reading it for a month now and I just know that eventually I will get done with it. Promise.