29 / Another College Reunion / House Sitting Winding Down
Eek I'm 29! The last birthday of my 20's! It's dawning on me more and more these days that, as I push thirty, I realize how much I've changed in these last ten years. My body, too, looks different. I've put on a tiny bit of pudge and my hair is slowly fading from my temples, but I still feel like I belong in my 20's. Hopefully I'll always feel that way. We should all be so lucky. But knowing that I'm now 29... It's a strange sensation. I feel somewhere between the urges of a crazed college kid and the draw of settling down and becoming a family man. And the odd truth is, I'm not really pulled overwhelmingly in either direction. I'm content. Life ain't bad at the moment. Even though I'm more or less living in poverty, I'm actually fairly happy, optimistic and comfortable. I don't know why. Maybe it has to do with my friends!
So yesterday was my birthday and it just so happened that another of my long lost friends from college, Melissa, was in Portland on a pit stop during her road trip back to her home in LA. She was in Eastern Oregon visiting her family and along the way, stopping to see friends along the way. What's more is that in planning her stop here, she managed to contact yet another friend from college, a guy I refer to on my journal as Patton. Patton opened up his new condo and agreed to let her and the rest of our Portland mutual-friends-from-college hang out there. It was quite the evening! In addition to myself we had Ian, Matt, Cassandra, Patton and Melissa altogether in one place for the first time since college graduation, more than six years ago. We went out to dinner and came back to enjoy a quick game of Settlers of Catan.
Once again, like the reunion with Stephanie and Christie a couple weeks ago, it was almost like old times. These back-to-back impromptu college reunions have reminded me that, although I may be 29 on paper, I'm still young and that with some good friends, time and distance don't exist. Patton, although he lives here in Portland, we don't see very often and haven't actually heard from in years. But for a few more moments last night, it was like no time had been lost at all and we were back in college. We all seemed to pick up right where we left off. It was excellent. Ian had to leave and get to work before we were able to take a truly proper group photo, but the photo we did get is actually really good! Here it is! From left to right, Matt, Melissa, myself, Patton and Cassandra.
The dog, named Bowser, is Melissa's and is along for her road trip. He was quite the calm pooch, too! Oblivious to the journey ahead back to LA. That's a pretty good attitude to have, when you think about it. Not that we need to be oblivious about the challenges and unknowns on the metaphorical road ahead of all of us, but to be calm and relaxed in the midst of it. We all had a blast last night and although it happened to be my birthday, I tried to make sure the night wasn't about me. Not a bad birthday none the less!
This will be my last entry from Redland. My time house sitting here in the country is ending. In less than 24 hours, I'll be packing up my car and heading back to civilization. I'm actually kind of relieved! The two dogs here, which are the most important aspect of my job here, are getting restless. It's been raining for days now and I've had to seal up the house much to their dismay. Without having the acreage here to roam about, they almost don't know what to do with themselves. But truly, I am ready to get out of here and free myself of the care of another family's home. It'll be nice to get back to normal!
So yesterday was my birthday and it just so happened that another of my long lost friends from college, Melissa, was in Portland on a pit stop during her road trip back to her home in LA. She was in Eastern Oregon visiting her family and along the way, stopping to see friends along the way. What's more is that in planning her stop here, she managed to contact yet another friend from college, a guy I refer to on my journal as Patton. Patton opened up his new condo and agreed to let her and the rest of our Portland mutual-friends-from-college hang out there. It was quite the evening! In addition to myself we had Ian, Matt, Cassandra, Patton and Melissa altogether in one place for the first time since college graduation, more than six years ago. We went out to dinner and came back to enjoy a quick game of Settlers of Catan.
Once again, like the reunion with Stephanie and Christie a couple weeks ago, it was almost like old times. These back-to-back impromptu college reunions have reminded me that, although I may be 29 on paper, I'm still young and that with some good friends, time and distance don't exist. Patton, although he lives here in Portland, we don't see very often and haven't actually heard from in years. But for a few more moments last night, it was like no time had been lost at all and we were back in college. We all seemed to pick up right where we left off. It was excellent. Ian had to leave and get to work before we were able to take a truly proper group photo, but the photo we did get is actually really good! Here it is! From left to right, Matt, Melissa, myself, Patton and Cassandra.
The dog, named Bowser, is Melissa's and is along for her road trip. He was quite the calm pooch, too! Oblivious to the journey ahead back to LA. That's a pretty good attitude to have, when you think about it. Not that we need to be oblivious about the challenges and unknowns on the metaphorical road ahead of all of us, but to be calm and relaxed in the midst of it. We all had a blast last night and although it happened to be my birthday, I tried to make sure the night wasn't about me. Not a bad birthday none the less!
This will be my last entry from Redland. My time house sitting here in the country is ending. In less than 24 hours, I'll be packing up my car and heading back to civilization. I'm actually kind of relieved! The two dogs here, which are the most important aspect of my job here, are getting restless. It's been raining for days now and I've had to seal up the house much to their dismay. Without having the acreage here to roam about, they almost don't know what to do with themselves. But truly, I am ready to get out of here and free myself of the care of another family's home. It'll be nice to get back to normal!