Saturday, December 06, 2003 CONGRATULATIONS, HOWARD AND GWEN! THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED TODAY!
Call you later
I met Tiffany and her friend Jessica at Celebration Station, to do the batting cages. Tiff and I had ran into each other uptown, earlier this week and I found out that she was gonna be leaving the country. So I decided that we should do something together. Usually when we run into each other we talk for a bit and catch up, then exchange contact info, but never call each other. Nothing wrong with us hanging out, it’s just that we both work and go to school so there is little time for 4th of 5th string friendships. What do I mean by “4th or 5th string friend ship”? Glad you asked.
We all know a lot of people, but we only like some of them. That “some” we like is the group we would like to be friends with. There is not enough free time to be good friends with all of these people. Thus we must figure out who we would like most to spend our time with. Or we can be friends with lots of people but most of the friendships only have a hint of involvement. Now let me state that the following is not necessarily valid with respect to family, girl/boy friend, husband/wife, or what ever you call that special someone. However it is possible that some of the above could be included
Definition of key term:
Involvement: the amount of emotion attached to an individual in addition to the amount actual knowledge you have about that individual. E + K = I
I have broken down these levels of involvement in to strings. This is a cold, rational measurement of involvement with individuals. You should keep in mind that this is all relative to me.
1st String: These are the people you want to see and spend time with, and have an emotional attachment to, the most. These are the people that know you, and who know you, the best. Small Group
2nd String: These people are the same as 1st string, but they live far from you. These people would be 1st string but they live in another city or state. Small Group
3rd String: These are the people that you enjoy spending time, and have very casual attachment to. They are fun and you care, but you are not too involved. Big Group
4th String: These are the people that you know, but don’t know really well. This is the stage you are at when you first meet an individual. Big Group
5th String: These are people that you have met but only see in passing. You have little to no contact after the first meeting. Big Group
With me recent change to a new job at a new location, I have found that I have left many of my 1st string friends behind. We try to get together but it is harder now. The crappy thing is that, it is my schedule that is the problem, and I can’t do much about it.
Tuesday, December 02, 2003 It’s fucking coffee
Loud lady: Oooooo, WHITE chocolate moca.
She orders then lingers in front of the order counter reading aloud each little item.
Loud lady: Chocolate covered GRAHAM crackers. CINNIMON twists. CRANBERRY muffins.
She kept putting emphasis on one word, as if it was a magical new discovery. The clerk gives me the nod to move up and give my order. I do so and the lady just slowly moves away as I order over/around her. I pay and get CLEAR.
Loud lady: Let’s see how you guys measure up. (long pause, then as if announcing the winner for best actor) I’m from Seattle.
This herald silences the shop. Well nobody was talking before.
Clerk: Nobody’s as good as Seattle. They have forgotten more then will ever know.
So here’s the thing. It’s hot milk mixed with strong coffee and different artificial flavors, not the translation of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Maybe the problem is that I have not cultivated a taste for such things. I lack the palate to note the difference.
Monday, December 01, 2003 Jonny and Elizabeth are moved into their new home.
I arrive to find the Boomerangs hard at work. Jonny was painting and Elizabeth was unpacking the stuff she had brought over that day. I offer to help but there is little for me to do at this point, except organize their pantry. Not gonna happen. I suggested that they just eat their way through all the stuff in the pantry till it is at level that could be organized. They quickly asked me if I was hungry and offered crackers, Crystal Light mix, and cake-decoration-sprinkles. I was not hungry.
The next day Jonny and I went out to get a rental truck and a few odds and ends while Elizabeth kept working on unpacking and waited for the work force to arrive. Once everyone had arrived we set out for the Apartment the Boomerangs have been living in for the last few months. It took one hour to load up the vehicles and empty the apartment. We unloaded at the house almost as quick. Then half the group (the men folk) set out for the storage. That took two trips, but we knocked it out quick. Those that needed to go went and those that could stay helped with odds and ends. Jonny and Howard where working of the washer and dryer, while Elizabeth and Gwen emptied boxes. I was lazy and laid on the floor out of the way of everyone. After a bit the guys moved out to the garage and started to organize all the stuff that had no home. I was hypnotized by the cable TV. I helped out a little but I think that after the big part of the move was over I was useless. Not because they couldn’t use me, I was just lazy. During the move there is a clear goal. Move items from point A to point B, this I can do. Arranging other people’s stuff is not something I do well. Because I’m gonna do it my way, if nobody tells me how they want it done, and I can’t stop Elizabeth every 2 minutes and ask, “where do you want to put the CD racks?” So being lazy is the simple answer for me.
I headed home the next day after we hung some window blinds. The holiday traffic was not to bad. I plan to go up to see them in January. This time nobody will be moving.
