banjos and xylophones

i arrived to seattle-esque weather. quintessential murky, drizzly, black overcoat and umbrella toting weather. quite nice. supposedly it lasts for the next two months but it seems to have a calming factor on the kids out here - something everyone could use from time to time i suppose.

my trip to san antonio was great. great. although i fought with my mom a bit (how surprising), i was able eat my grandma's waffles, make fun of my brother for having a quasi-girlfriend and visit the city of austin.

was able to see mario, reena and ran into cory. dammit i miss those kids - find myself constantly laughing, constantly at ease with them. and being that reena and mario are students and from far away places, i probably won't be able to see them in dec/jan so it was good i came down when i did.

was also see the lovely diane, and we all know, words can never express how i miss/adore her. blah. was also able to hang out with amanda (twice!) as well as with rupa and meisa - all amazing women. we drank the night away, wondering how such a fine collection of strong, smart, beautiful women could really be so perfect. i hope that each of you, when times are rough or wonderful, remind yourself how fantastic it is to have such a strong group of women-friends to help and laugh and drink a gin and tonic with you. listen to each other. you're all real smart.

i wish i was making money here so i could:
1. visit reena in india next year
2. have a reasonable health insurance plan
3. save money for a house. a house.
4. not consider orange juice a delicacy

with every trip home, im surprised by something, miss my family even more and tweeking my 'friend list,' so to speak. without my recognizing this before i started moving around, this far away business has allowed me to identify (in a sense) who i trust, who i believe in, who i adore, who i am incredibly thankful for. and each time i go home, that list is widdled down, added to, readjusted. and it's nice. sad sometimes, but good.

my grandpa had knee replacement surgery today and it went well, thankfully. hip hip *fist in air*

reading 'notes from underground' and its excellence is kicking me in the pants.

back to the not so gloomy gloom. take care out there.