Life – Page 4 – dannypeck.net

The Living City

It’s strange waking up early every morning. No matter how early or how late I go to bed, I’m up at 7:30. That doesn’t mean I’m not a lot happier with coffee. But I am at least mostly ready to roll. Each day the sun comes over the volcano (and into our window) sometime about 6:45. It’s like God just instantly cranking up a natural dimmer switch and saying “Here’s a new day, use it!”

Quito is completely alive by the time I’m moving. I think what usually makes me aware that it’s morning first, even before the light and the honking cars (this country uses horns like no other) is the planes coming and going. Maybe 747s make a different noise than C-130s, but I’m surprised I’m not used to that over my head all the time.

At any rate, it’s like being part of an organism with all kinds of functioning parts. There are twice as many people in Atlanta as there are here, but the way the city is stretched out, you just can’t look at it and fathom a bigger place. There are people moving everywhere, walking, driving, biking, piling into pickup trucks like a bunch of gringos (yeah we do).

There is activity outside as people go to work and school. They walk their dogs, they sell food and phone cards and everything else imaginable on the street. Guards or policía can be found at most corners. There are just always people around.

There is activity inside the house as well. Someone is making coffee while until about 8:15 there are constantly two showers going. Adam is heading off for Alliance and the rest are preparing for QQ training and morning worship and Mr. Bagel (mmmm).

Everyone has something to do. The interns, the staff, the people around us in Quito. Those planes flying over are bringing people like us in and out of the country. The guards in the neighborhood are keeping us safe. The street vendors are keeping those around them fed and supplied and making their living. It’s like 1 Corinthians 13 about the Body of Christ. Each of us is different, each of us has a job to do, and every one is important.

That was actually the scripture for Cameron’s morning worship yesterday. And I can’t think about that verse without thinking of Mason’s exercise where we literally pick body parts that other people in discussion group seem to be. Although I feel like something vestigial many days (an appendix, perhaps, or the left pinky toenail) I know that God has a unique plan for me. That ought to be really evident today as we find out our parejas.

Each of us interns are different, with different gifts and strengths and abilities and perspectives. I pray that we’ll be able to mold those all together to compliment each other and be great leaders this summer and great hosts for our teams. Please pray for us all as we finish our (formal part of) training today and prepare for the jungle. Just three days, I can’t believe it.

Avoiding the Whale

Have you ever been asked to do something on very short notice? That was me tonight. Toni called me at about 5:35, giving me roughly an hour to come up with what she requested: a devotion and music for the worship at Benjamin House at 7:00.

Benjamin House is an incredible place. It is a group home for adults with various mental disabilities (seriously, click that link and check it out). It is a very beautiful facility full of warm, welcoming people with the love of Christ in their hearts.

I’m really not sure what I was expecting. I mostly just put my expectations aside (while I stressed about my message) and took it all in as it came. And although I was expecting excitement (Kevin, Mason, Toni and everyone else who has ever done anything over there has always talked about the love and energy they pour into worship), I was still totally amazed at the absolute enthusiasm that everyone shared.

I talked about Jonah. I’m sure everyone could tell it was a hastily-constructed devotion. But I learned something today, both through and about the written Word, and through speaking about it. The last verse in Jonah chapter 1 says that God “…provided a great fish to swallow Jonah.” The whale didn’t eat Jonah because the dude was unlucky, or at all because of it’s own free will (I guess only we get that). God provided it for Jonah- Jonah, who was only out in the sea in the first place to avoid God.

I’d never caught that single word before. In fact, I looked in three different translations of the Bible for one that would highlight that very provision a little less (my original planned message was going to go in a bit different direction that what I ended up). But each one, despite other differences, used the same exact phrase: “God provided.”

So there I was at First Baptist Church and Toni asks my via phone from Fayetteville to lead worship on short notice. I didn’t know it, but I was learning from Jonah already. And then, there I was giving a message an hour and a half later pretty much out of my head, and thinking “no way” could I have come up with this alone.” Oh- and I even asked Adam his favorite Old Testament story, hoping he’d give me something easier to work with than what was already circling around in my brain (Jonah). But guess which stubborn, seafaring Hebrew and eponymous, 4-chapter, single-story book he said? (If that didn’t narrow it down enough, the book, story and man in question are Jonah).

Once I’d squeezed all I could from Big Daddy J (as he was known to his homies in Galilee), Adam and I broke out the guitars and Toni’s Beach Retreat/Benjamin House songbook. I would have played all night if they’d kept calling them out. Nobody cared when we screwed up the chords, or the words, or the melody, or the harmony, or any of the other ways one music major and another ex-music major managed to massacre the music. The eight or nine that live there, plus Sam and Billy truly made a joyful noise. This tiny chapel was louder and had more hands in the air than I’ve heard and seen at most hundreds-members sanctuaries packed to the rafters on a Sunday morning.

When we finally played/sang/worshiped with “Sanctuary” and no one immediately shouted another number, I closed is prayer. Something I mentioned and lifted up to God was our desire to show the world that we are Christians (like the song says) by our love. And the people and Benjamin House certainly showed us. with their love for each other and for 3 total strangers they welcomed with open arms and hearts, and the love for Christ shown through those same acts and through genuine enthusiasm for worship and for Christ.

After Benjamin himself dismissed us from Chapel, he, Bart, and a couple others showed us their rooms, and we got a general tour of the place. We talked about football and wrestling and cars like we were all old buddies. We even got a hip-hop dance lesson.

I’ve been thinking since going to Ecuador last summer about the marginalized people of society. The poor, the homeless. The handicapped of all shapes and sizes go on that list too. I wonder if everyone could see the love, life and energy at Benjamin House if they would think differently about those who are different than them. We tend to ignore people who don’t measure up to us in status or wealth or intelligence of ability. Hut I have been trying to look at peoples’ faith and friendship and simple existence as human being and children of God and not judge them at all.

Jonah was the scripture of the night, but if there were books of the Bible of Bart or Benjamin, they would be my favorite. Because the hero of all three is God.

Favorite People

Today was the Elizabeth City District United Methodist Lay Rally. Basically its the anual conference of all the non-clergy district leaders and anyone else, lay or clergy that wants to attend. The district youth praise band played before the service (most of it anyway, which only included two actual youth). So I got to jam with Toni and that was cool. After the service we went upstairs to the youth room and I got to play a little more music with Marlowe and Elanit. Also always a pleasure.

When I finally left and dragged myself to First Baptist (exhausted after having preached there this morning, played guitar all afternoon, and being sick) I just sat in the congregation. I did stand up and play bass so David could sing “That Where I Am There You,” but otherwise I was just a regular guy at the service, which was a nice change. No preaching, no praying out loud, no singing or playing, just a chance to be a part of the worship service, which I needed. And I just generally had some good conversations with Becca and later David and Steve and the Winslows and the Saunders.

Overall, the thing that stuck out to me all day was just getting to see a lot of random and very special people that I don’t usually have the opportunity to spend a lot of time with. And that’s a blessing in and of itself.

Quito Quest

So I found out today that Jerry and I have been accepted as interns with Youth World this summer! I’m so excited because I finally know for sure that I’ll be there, and I’ll have a buddy.

For those of you who don’t know, Youth World is an organization in Qutio, Ecuador which exists to identify, teach and equip leaders to impact young people and families to be disciples of Jesus Christ. I was in Quito last summer with the mission team from Christ Episcopal Church and I had such a wonderful/eye-opening/transforming experience that I knew I had to come back. So this year I’ll be leading teams all summer as an intern, and, as they call it, “trying ministry on.”

Pray for me and for Jerry as we go about the fundraising and other start-up procedures. And this will be my main place to update anyone and everyone on what’s going on with that.

PRAISE GOD.

Me? Are you serious?

Quito-

Early. That’s my summation of the first three hours of my morning. I got up at 6:30 when Edla came in the room and I was pretty much a zombie all the way to Mission Reconciliation.

We got to the church earlier than pretty much everyone and got to greet them all as they got there. It wasn’t as big a crowd as I expected for the Presiding Bishop to be there, but maybe that was the point. Lots of important clergy I’d never heard of and the girls danced (which was actually really great).

It probably wasn’t as important to me as I was the only one in the group who was both a non-Spanish speaker and a non-Episcopalian, so I had doubly no idea what was going on (can you double no idea?).

After that, Mission Emaus for lunch, presentation of the stuff (TV, amplification system, blender, DVD player) that they were able to buy with the team’s donation, and finally the VBS.

Anita was great with all the kids. She had this whole room of children totally silent and still. Then we did music. In the States I would have considered it a disaster (Julie: “I don’t sing!” Danny: “I don’t speak Spanish!”) but the way it worked out, I’d say I was pretty proud and it was successful and fun, especially considering we translated all the songs like 20 minutes before.

Then it was the “whole world in His hands” project. Not enough glue, not enough directions, TONS of fun. Little Jefferson was who I mostly hung around with the “help” and it was nice just to chill with him, not even really having functional conversation, but a super-functional relationship.

When all was said and done we took probably a thousand pictures with everyone. We’ll get to hang out for a little bit tomorrow, but it felt like good-bye already. I’m going to seriously miss Anita and Maria José and Jefferson and Don Rodrigo.

Finally back to the hostel for 40 minutes to rest before dinner. We tried one place but Dario, Angela and their group were already there. We talked to Dario for a bit and then went about two doors down to Pincho’s. We’re such Americans. Half of us ordered Cheeseburgers and Coke and Coleman got 4 orders of ($0.99) BBQ wings.

Cameron and Roberto came halfway through and we had lots of fellowship.

Then back to the hostel. Debrief was pretty cool. Everyone talked about what they learned about God and about themselves. We pretty much discussed how much God can do through us even though we can do so little on our own. And of course the old man with the guitar was a big topic. (This 83-year-old man at Emaus played classical guitar and he and his daughter sang Ecuadorian songs for us. Most of us had no idea what they meant, but he opened up to us about how our gifts of time and effort inspired him and reminded him of the love of God).

Overall, not much work today. But I have a different perspective on life and faith by actively looking through others’ eyes and at how they can teach me.

Oh- and tomorrow I’m going to be a Godfather for Luis from Mission Emaus when he is confirmed. Big deal, kinda scary, and puts me back in the contemplative mood. Wow.

The most guilty super-sized drink of my life

Quito-

The day isn’t quote over but I feel like we’ve done so much. This morning we had La Red orientation and learned about the youth ministry training that goes on here. Fifteen people will graduate from the leader program tomorrow, so we decorated the Youth World office for them.

We spent the rest of the morning buying shirts etc. from the Youth World store, crafts from a family (that I’m not sure how they are connected with Youth World) and eating lunch at a restaurant close by the office. (In Edla’s words, “We’ve been here five days and all we do is eat!”)

Then this afternoon we went back to the office for Dump orientation. Basically there is a city dump in Quito where people used to live and scavenge for money. This guy Pastor José started a day care there as part of his ministry to help the people there. About a year and a half ago the dump was closed for a year, but now it is open again as a receiving center for garbage and recyclables and the former inhabitants have government salaries as workers there. Day care still functions for their children.

Three kids and two adults from Emaus joined us there and we did a bilingual orientation. Cameron read some pretty startling statistics. The most eye-opening of them was about how 45% of the world lives on less than $2.00 per day. Most of it was about our responsibility- the goal was not to fee guilty (because guilt tends to be pretty useless) but aware. She asked us to calculate how much our clothes we were wearing are worth. I’m not even into clothes or shoes, but my total was well over $100.00 and it’s sobering to realize that 18% of Ecuadorians could live on that amount of money (for clothes, food, shelter, entertainment and savings) for nearly a quarter of a year. There were a few bits of the conversation that Roberto didn’t even translate (TIME WARP- we found out later that Mary, one of the women with us, was one of those people who lives on about $1.00 a day).

Before we got to the dump, we stopped at the Market. There were 20 of us total (12 team members, 3 Youth World Hosts, and 5 from Emaus) split into 6 groups with roughly one Spanish speaker to a group. Each group was given $10.00 to bargain for as much fruit as we could possibly get (which is a LOT at an Ecuadorian market). Bradham, Carrie, and I pretty much stood back and let Vanessa do the bargaining. Overall result: van FULL of fruit for the day-care at the dump.

We rode to the dump and met Pastor José and he told us a lot about the history of the dump and the people who work there. Then we went in to play with the children.

I almost immediately learned something. People who do short-term missions and such always say “We held orphans/children,” not “We played with them.” Granted we played with them. In fact we played with them a lot. But the second we walked in(Literally the moment they saw us) these tiny little kids who had never seen us before ran up to each of us with outstretched arms, wanting to be held and picked up and carried and touched and hugged and physically loved-on.

They trusted us instantly. They’d let us hold them and swing them around and up and down. They climbed on us and hugged us. They say in out laps and played. Then they had a meal/snack of bread and juice. The children sang a prayer and we held them while they ate. A four-year-old boy and a probably year-old little girl say in my lap on the floor. I asked them their names (which I couldn’t pronounce or spell if I tried) and how they were and if the bread was good. That was pretty much all the Spanish conversation I could manage. But it was all they needed. Attention and love.

We played outside for probably an hour but it felt like no time at all. Then we had to pack up to take off for the mall with just a minute to unload our fruit from the market to a very appreciative Pastor José.

Arriving at the mall, we split up with the five from Emaus. When we got our directions and $5.00 each for food allowance Roberto explained why: too much cultural/economical difference to let the Ecuadorians join us or even see money being handed out. (Already that responsibility speech kicking in and making us think). So even before our over-budget (thanks to Katie saying “Si, si!”) meal was rung up at the Spanish Deli, I already had a more realistic idea of how much money Deborah had placed in my hands.

I journaled the first half of this entry at the food court in our alone-time. Then we headed home for debrief.

We started with everyone’s highs and lows of the day, which were consistently the children/the Market and leaving the children/going to the mall respectively. Holly talked about how we act at home, ignoring poverty like the people in the mall, just five miles away from the dump. Coleman talked about justice and how it seemed unfair to be so blessed. And Katie got us all thinking about what’s important in life and where our priorities are.

Good thing we started debrief at 7:00(ish) because it was still around 9:00 when we finished, said goodnight to Cameron, Roberto, and Deborah, and started planning for VBS tomorrow.

I actually (sorta) finished writing my song for my part of that and Julie helped me translate the chorus. And by “helped” I mean she translated and I watched.

Overall, exhausting day and it all starts again at 6:30 AM.

Appreciated inadequacy

Quito-

We spent our second day at the church today and it was such and incredible experience. I think everyone was ready to go even this morning. After all week being awakened at 8:10, I found myself out of the shower and dressed at 8:08. I required a lot more coffee, and so did everyone else (especially after most of Coleman’s ended up on the floor) but the morning and the trip there were over in a flash.

Everyone was so excited to see us. They were lined up by the door and the energy just radiated out of everyone. It was also cool to greet people I actually knew and had worked and worshiped with yesterday.

We started off with devotion and it was really cool. Bible verses and “Purpose Driven Life” excerpts in back-and-forth Spanish and English. Then Anita and Julie did the same thing with a “letter from Jesus” while I played guitar and finally Roberto and I played 3 Spanish praise songs and “Trading My Sorrows” (which I ended with “Si Senior, Si Senior…” so it was pretty sweet).

When we broke up into groups, I started with Don Rodrigo, Bradham, and Coleman building a table. The gringos were terrible at it. Rodrigo would saw off pieces in three strokes and chisel and hammer like he was working with cheese instead of wood. And then we’d go behind him and totally screw it up. Eventually the table got finished but I feel like he could have done it in a quarter of the time without us.

After that I went back to help Julie and Hinter with the posters and got commandeered to get lunch. The kitchen was all torn up because they were preparing toi put in cabinets. SO a couple of women had cooked potato soup at their home up the hill. Coleman, Bradham a couple of kids from the church, and I trekked up (and it was pretty tough climbing before we had to carry soup). Then we end up going down with one person on either side of each of two gigantic pots of soup. We managed to make it back to Mission Emaus without spilling anything but our backs and arms were killing us. And here I am complaining about it when I don’t even live there and have to do stuff like that all the time.

Lunch was fabulous! Potato soup with avocado and (I think) little bits of chicken. Not like potato soup at home. In fact it really kind of defies description beyond “delicious.” We ate all interspersed, Ecuadorians and North Americans, and they even let Julie and Edla help serve. In fact, they had something else planned for lunch and Cameron talked them into the potato soup because the team loved it so much last year. Doesn’t sound like too much of a big deal if you aren’t familiar with the culture, but they were both big steps for a group that wants to serve us so much and has very different ideas firmly in their head about what is proper and what your place is in the world.

After lunch, Deborah and Maria conned me into playing soccer. The field was halfway back up the hill and there were two pigs and a cow there (and Deborah didn’t even come- what a hater). I played for a bit and spent a lot of time walking back and forth from the field to Anna on the hill with Priscilla dragging me by the arm or riding on my shoulders. Then we ended up sitting and talking with the boys asking Sophia and me about school and our names and what we wanted to do with our lives (“Mismo Lourdes” and “Come se dice…?” pointing to teeth to try to get across “Chaplain” and “Dentist” was pretty hilarious).

When we went back we played some games and the girls had some dancing lessons. It was great bonding even though I didn’t feel like I actually got much physical work done.

Finally we sang again and said good-bye. Don Rodrigo shook my hand, gave me a hug, and mimed playing guitar with a smile on his face. Even though I was so terrible at construction I felt like we could both appreciate each other’s different gifts. Pretty cool.

We came back to the hostel after dropping off Roberto for band practice. We hung around for about ten minutes and then Cameron came over and took us to this BBQ Express place to get shish-kebabs. (Seriously). They were really good, and so was the rest of the food (potatoes, corn with cheese and garlic sauce, cheese-stick-like-thingies, etc.). I actually sat and talked to Betty for the first time and that was pretty cool.

Then at last we came home to debrief. It’s become a pattern that we just laugh for 30 minutes before we get down to business. Conversation went from “de-thonging” to “underwater panties” to “Pikachu in the Christmas pageant” to a horrifyingly hilarious accidental inquiry into a group member’s virginity to finally actually about what happened today.

We talked about the warm, open culture here. How “besitos” affect our relationships. How we are surprised at the people’s faith and they are surprised at our efforts. How we feel inadequate but appreciated. How important relationships with little children, soccer games, and serving people food can be.

I got my two cents in, but I particularly enjoy listening to Sophia and Cameron and Deborah and Hunter. Especially their perspectives on the same things I notice or wonder, or how there are so many little connections like Sophia and I talking about getting outside our comfort zones and her talking about really trying to do that today.

Overall, I’m emotionally exhausted, and have a ton more pictures. Tomorrow we’re going to the Dump, La Red orientation, and the mall. I can’t wait.

"Do you have any liquids?"

Quito-

We’ve just said our good-night prayer here at the hostel in Quito. It’s been an amazing day already even after sitting on planes for most of it and not really doing anything productive.

We started the day early at Hunter’s house and already had a story by the time we got to the Norfolk air port. Poor David and Holly Wright had to listen to Hunter’s travel alarm going off in her luggage in their back seat all the way there.

We got through our check-in pretty smoothly. I didn’t really want to let go of my guitar, but otherwise it was fine. We had pretty much two hours to kill before the plan was supposed to leave at 10:45- which turned into noon. So the whole group had plenty of time to eat breakfast/coffee at Starbucks, check out the airport shops, and relax.

So then we all start heading through security. We had to take off our shoes and I set off the metal detector with my belt. Katie was behind me and as I was finally getting my stuff, the security officer comes up to her and asks “Is this your bag?” to which she timidly replied “Yes…?” And the guy just grins and says “Come with me,” in a tone that seemed to say “This will take a while,” as he began to sing to himself. I just laughed and went to tell Sophia her mom was in trouble.

Edla, Carrie, Hunter and some others started trickling through the line, each giving us an update on the situation (and the contraband in Katie’s bag). Bug spray was a liquid and not allowed. 1 bottle of Pepto-Bismol, larger (by a significant amount) than the 3 oz. limit also would not pass. Neither would the second bottle. Then out came the brownies and in inquiry as to whether or not they were “funny.” This resulted in an offer for a trade: bag of brownies to the security officers for 1 bottle of Pepto allowed through. Response: adamantly “no,” (probably a good thing in hind-sight as a liquid-bomb-building terrorist would have chosen the Pepto and aroused suspicion). Brownies returned. It was then reported that Katie wanted to chug the Pepto down to the three ounce limit. Ultimately not entirely true, but hilarious enough that we pretend it was.

Finally she made it. Lots more hanging around and then at last we boarded the tiniest passenger plane I have ever traveled in. You could feel every bit of speed, turbulence, take-off, and landing. I watched out the window and slept for most of it, except for a roller-coaster-like descent which left my mouth open and my eyes firmly shut, Edla’s hands clasped on her cross, and Julie’s arms clasped around Edla.

Arrival in Atlanta was pretty chill. Kinda like being home for me. Interesting after reading Genesis for Old Testament class and God commanding people to return to the land of their birth. Spiritual connection on the trip already.

Lots more hanging around and a gazillion-mile hike. Yes, seriously. A gazillion. We had lunch at a food court in Concourse E and felt like we were in the middle of an Army camp. We took the opportunity to teach Sophia about military uniforms, resulting in a half-hour debate about whether the flag really would be backwards if you carried it on a pole and ran forward (yes, if it was held to your left).

Much less security the second time around and first real passport check. We were mostly together on the play. I got a window seat again with Edla, then Julie next to me and Sophia, Betty and Bradham behind. When we took off (after being 11^th in line on the runway) I actually saw the air go over the wings like the show you in 6^th grade science class.

In-flight movie: Premonition. Good message, weird ending. I do find it obnoxious how movies can talk about religion and faith and even the priest won’t actually say “God.”

I happened to look out the window while we were over the ocean. All you could see was this floor of clouds stretching to the horizons in all directions and several hundred feet beneath us. I just wanted to get out and walk on them. I know it was a really simple thing. In fact stuff like clouds doesn’t usually get to me. But I think the fact that they were so perfect and everywhere, I was on top of them made me realize that it wasn’t something you see or experience every day. I hope and pray our whole trip will be like that: a new experience that I can’t have every day, and something that will make me think.

So after that most of the flight was pretty chill. My contemplative mood lasted through several stupid television shows, a surprisingly good chicken dinner, and finally flying smack into the middle of Quito.

The airport is seriously crammed into this miles-long metropolis with buildings all around it. It’s in about the only really flat place in the city: the dead center. You just feel like your are scraping the top of every building as you descend. And the whole city was lit up and we could see it miles and miles away.

As we started landing, the first sign I saw on a building say Xerox. Also not something I expected. Maybe it just shows globalization or Americanization, but aside from being cynical it felt like I was at least a little connected to home because of a big bright red English sign.

Disembarking took no time at all and before I knew it I had a stamp on my passport, a guitar and a bag in my hands, as was walking toward a jumping, waving South American man with three super-excited women.

As I guessed, it was Dario, the multi-lingual Youth World host who everyone met and loved last year. I could tell why immediately. He was so energetic and knew who I was the second Julie said my name (“Oh, you’re the musician!”) Pretty soon I met Cameron and Roberto and had Ecuadorian people kissing my cheek and somehow we eventually ended up on a bus and at the hostel. Quick briefing and some snacks and it was time for journaling and bed. Don’t feel extremely productive, but definitely excited, spirit-filled, and completely exhausted.

"You don't HAVE a smoke detector on your phone" (or "Old people and technology")

I spend a lot of time around old people. And just so that if any of them read this, I use “old” as a relative term.

I know I’ve grown up with technology and I have an advantage when it comes to using it or figuring it out. And sometimes I feel like constant use of cell phones, instant messaging, e-mail, etc. has given me an edge in communication skills in general. So I found it hilarious this afternoon when a certain individual I work with and a certain client at the store tried explaining their mobile phones, phone service, and accompanying technology to each other.

I’m not really sure when smoke detectors entered the conversation (it was hard enough to try to keep up with two different people with two totally different topics in one single conversation) but the first quote in this blog entry’s title was actually spoken, exactly as I have typed it above.

No further profound statements. I think that says it all.

Sappy Realization

So you know the main character’s group of amazingly tight friends on your favorite T.V. show and how you always wish you had 4 or 5 people constantly around you that all of you can finish each others’ sentences and say hilarious stuff and make your problems totally better in the span of 30 minutes? (I love that you’re looking back to make sure that was all a single sentence and deserved a question mark at the end.) Yeah, so I’ve discovered I’ve already got that group of friends.

You could make a sitcom out of the drama and general hilarity I deal with on a daily basis, even though not everyone is still in one place together all the time anymore. How many times does anyone else get to console someone whose boyfriend cheated on them with a man? Or play beer pong with somebody AND their dad? Or have friends who actually let you play beer pong with a designated drinker (or five)?

Thanksgiving was in many ways unresolved, but in that Kevin-Arnold-I-Learned-It’s-Okay-At-The-End-Anyway sort of way. The girl of my dreams is still sticking to ignoring me. Two more of my friends have thrown morals and common sense to the wind. My sinuses still hate me because of the massive amount of Black & Mild smoke four days ago. But somehow in the course of the last six or seven years, the group of people I still hang out with has changed from a baker’s dozen or so slightly dorky teenagers trying desperately to fit in even amongst themselves into a group of relatively respectable young adults that are extremely comfortable with each other. One of them even spent most of an evening last week caressing my chest. She probably doesn’t remember, which is probably good for me since I sorta let her. That’s pretty comfortable.

There’s so much we didn’t say to each other in high school. There’s so much we don’t have to now. But no matter where our paths take us, how far apart we are, it’s nice to be able to just pick up where we left off whenever we are together. I don’t always participate in everything some of you do, nor agree with it. But even when I’m driving 3 more people than are legally allowed in my car at one time on a public road to 7-11 at 3am and complaining about it all the way…

I appreciate my friends. So thanks.