The transition back from Mars has been a little rough for me, and I guess that's partially expected. I'm definitely not feeling the same toward a lot of things as I used to. And I'm glad of that, but it makes relating to people a bit different.

Not to help things too much, my friends are all somewhere else. Everyone got a job or internship or a research position or married. They are all living in different places. Of course this spreading of friends is not helped by my living in Texarkana AND Conway, thereby creating a gap anyway. It's awkward, and I really wish I had someone to just sit with and be. It might help me to acclimate a bit better.

That said, I am looking forward to the next week or so. I'm going to be traveling with Cowboy to the Dallas area for the Professor's birthday on the lake party, which will be held on Saturday. After a couple days we will go from there to San Antonio for the tail end of our responsibilities as wunderkinds. The year has been rough. I just realized that I have yet to eulogize it. Maybe soon. Maybe after I've told those in the know what they need to change. I don't know.

Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing my friends again. I feel a bit like my relationships that grew over the last entire calendar year have been weed-whacked in a few days to stubs. It's hard to move on from that and graft back into positions I don't quite fit anymore.

A few things I've noticed that have changed in American culture:
Kathie Lee is employed again
Leeza Gibbons is the host of Millionaire
Regis and Kelli still aren't funny... or real people
Regis is hosting another game show thing
Colby something or other. I have no idea who she is, and this feels like a handicap.
The Counting Crows have a new album
So does John Mayer
The View is still a bunch of biddies complaining about being biddies
Texans still can't drive worth their licenses
Everyone still wants a newer/better computer, phone, car, house, job to pay for it all

I guess those are my observations.

I got a free cup of coffee the other day at Starbucks because they were really busy and I just ordered regular coffee. Apparently it was not worth their time to make me wait to ring it up. Sweet action! Take that, multi-national corporation of death/the only place that made me not feel like an alien for the past year.

T