Once A Ram

Staying In Touch

The longer you are away from a group of people the more, I think, you realize the people you really want to see, and the people who you feel a little more indifferent towards. I don't know why it works out that way, but the further you are removed from people the more easily it becomes to differentiate who you really miss.

Tonight I got to see some old friends and while I do appreciate and miss everyone collectively, certain people just stand out more and luckily tonight it was a small crowd and it was pretty much the people I'd really want to see. I still wish a few others had made it, but it makes it easier to catch up when it is a small group. When you only see people every 6 months, trying to catch up with 10-15 different people at a restaurant during happy hour is tough. Typically you end up covering very little and repeating yourself a lot.

I have had many encounters like this and was pretty much prepared for that tonight. Instead, we had a small crowd, it wasn't loud in the place and we just really all got to talk and catch up for a solid 2 hours. I am really happy with how things worked out and I am glad I got to see some of those friends.

Moving

A very good friend of mine has been talking about moving away for a while now. Initially it was immediately after finishing college. He graduated in December, but was still here in the spring. The next date was June. He is a filmmaker and can't leave until he finishes his movie. As of June there was still a lot of editing to do.

Tonight we met up at the diner. I have been spending time and seeing friends of mine at the Llanerch Diner since Junior Year of high school. It has changed management, changed decor, changed menus, and even customers. No longer do we see our mini celebs like Denim Gandalf sitting at the counter. Friends of ours that used to be regulars with us have too ceased coming. Still, there remains a few core people who I can count on to get a cup of coffee at 11 pm and talk movies, music, and whatever else we can ramble on about.

John told us that the movie is done. He leaves August 5th. This is not just some short distance move. He is not moving back to Boston (where he went to school) or New York. In a few weeks John will be relocating to Austin, TX permanently. I think because I have been so busy, so wrapped up in my job that not seeing people much this summer has not felt at all strange. I've made several NY trips and have had visits as well. As far as seeing my home friends, my high school friends, goes - there has not really be much time for it.

I knew John would be leaving soon, but again with my schedule, having not seen him since my first week home after graduation, I felt like I had plenty of time. Now knowing that he'll be gone after a few more outings, I am really upset. Reasons to relocate to TX for grad school just got another one in it's column. There is no one else who can tolerate and engage my film ramblings quite like he can. If we had the money and the time we would spend a full 24 hours straight in that diner just chatting film and theory. People like that are few in my life and worth keeping close.

Anyone else up for Texas?

May 22nd, 2010

I remember when today seemed like the most distant point that existed in the future. But like anything, you are left sitting here, the date being at hand or over, reflecting on all the times you imagined it so long ago.

I'm doing my best to hold it together. I'd love nothing more than to just spend time with the people that matter and have made my college experience, but that is not a choice I get to make - for better or worse.

College. Well, that went by fast. And in that fashion, the next stage of my life begins immediately. No time to dwell, no time to reflect. Chop, chop - you're in the real world now.

Oh, god.

Hypocrite

Recently I played an open mic night at the coffee house down the street from my apartment. I got upset, and posted on twitter how I was not happy with a certain friend of mine who did not come to it. I was annoyed that, knowing he was doing nothing else, he still did not come to show support.

I realized tonight how much of a hypocrite that makes me. A good friend of mine and his two brothers play together in a band. They are all friends of mine, and people I played music with at one point. I have watched them go from just enjoying to play music, to creating music, to recording a cd, to growing as musicians, vocalists, performers, etc. And in all of that, I felt close to them, apart of their growth.

Tonight, I realized after talking to my friend, that despite being a part of all of this, seeing them play on campus, and at house parties, I have not been to a single show of theirs. I have been invited by them, personally, and through facebook, to over a dozen different shows of theirs. Each time one comes up I either cannot make it, or don't go. Several times I have opted not to go out of convenience or having no one to go with. I don't think that there is more than two occasions where I have an actual reason for not going.

It's really upsetting to not only have that as the truth, but to not even realize it. These are great dudes and each better musicians than I am at anything I do. I am not making excuses anymore. I can't pretend to support them and never see them play. And I can't hold anything against anyone who does not come to see me when I, so often, neglect to support them.

Christmas on Belmont

Maybe its the procrastination, or may its the snow but I felt inclined to work on getting the Christmas Party pictures together. Here are a few highlights from the night:

happy thanksgiving part 2

thanksgiving was great this year because i got to celebrate it with friends last weekend (ranging from recent friends to ones i've known since before i could form memories) and with family this weekend. it's such an awesome holiday.