Last week, My short-term girlfriend and I broke up siting differences. That actually wasn't that big of deal. Just a day or two of sadness and then I was back on my feet. The bigger issue is finding other people to date, which I'm learning I'm not good at. Meeting people face to face is slow, so I turned to on-line dating. And basically it goes like this: Read through dozens of profiles and look through a hundred pictures before you find a handful of people that you're interested in. Send them a message and maybe about 10% reply. It's entirely tiring and not terribly fun. And, as a guy, nobody contacts me. It seems like all the women on the site that I use just wait for people to contact them. Either that or there is something wrong with my profile and pictures.
Girlfriend got stuck in Huston on the way back from Costa Rica. And I've spent all day running around trying to put the finishing touches on your Christmas presents. Thanks a lot Nigerian extremist. I wonder if these aspiring suicide bombers ever consider that their actions might have consequences that are not to their liking. Maybe they kill another Muslim in the act. Or maybe they don't actually get 40 virgins when they die. Or maybe they cause a very lonely person to not to be able to see his girlfriend.
Christmas this year was less than desirable, with the exception of getting this really sweet TV. But I would have rather been home with my family, no matter how different they are from me.
That, and the news that my father has prostate cancer, has made for an exceptionally sad holiday season. But life goes on, I guess.
Christmas this year was less than desirable, with the exception of getting this really sweet TV. But I would have rather been home with my family, no matter how different they are from me.
That, and the news that my father has prostate cancer, has made for an exceptionally sad holiday season. But life goes on, I guess.
Headlines in the news today: A 34-year-old, trampled and killed in a Wal-Mart. Two shoppers shot each other dead in a Toys "R" Us. And I slept in, waiting until the sun was well up to get out of bed and begin my day.
I read all of these things as an outsider. Being back in the States for only 6 months after a vacation from modern society that lasted over two years gives me a strong feeling of being detached from society. I hear of parades and "50% off" shopping events and I think, "Oh yeah, they do those things here." You've gotta wonder: why is it that we feel the need to work so hard to buy a videogames, cheap clothes, or something that we know won't last very long?
Mob mentality in the States can be equivalent to consumer mentality.
It's an odd thought to think about possibly being an outsider in your own culture. Still, I love being back in the States. I love the conversations, the arts, the opportunities. An ex-pat life is definitely not for me.
I read all of these things as an outsider. Being back in the States for only 6 months after a vacation from modern society that lasted over two years gives me a strong feeling of being detached from society. I hear of parades and "50% off" shopping events and I think, "Oh yeah, they do those things here." You've gotta wonder: why is it that we feel the need to work so hard to buy a videogames, cheap clothes, or something that we know won't last very long?
Mob mentality in the States can be equivalent to consumer mentality.
It's an odd thought to think about possibly being an outsider in your own culture. Still, I love being back in the States. I love the conversations, the arts, the opportunities. An ex-pat life is definitely not for me.
