106

I have 106 friends on Facebook.

This is a strange world in which we live. This friend count is more or less accurate. Some of these people I haven't seen in years, perhaps decades, but I do know all of these people.

I guess where I run into problems is that word "Friend." I think that friends are something that are all too often taken for granted. I have a Facebook friend in San Francisco, a Facebook friend in Mexico, and other Facebook friends all over. I really don't think you can cultivate deep friendships with people across these massive expansive distances, even when connected electronically.

I have very few friends I hang out with on a regular basis, and that's kind of the way I prefer it. But at the same time, I lament the distance between many of the other friends who I only ever see on Facebook. I'd love to be in Istanbul with my friend Shay (totally heart you, girl) but I am willing to settle for browsing through her holiday snaps on her Facebook page.

Instead of the classic telephone call, I suppose Facebook really is the new way to Reach Out and Touch Someone.

The Return of BioMom

I ran into Cindy at Firefly Coffeehouse. It's funny how people look so much the same, but somehow different.

We hadn't seen each other in probably five years, and it was an instant transformation back to my mid-twenties. Cindy, aka BioMom, was part of my klatch of companions who united to form a motley group of non-traditional students, headed by a former professor.

Those were the days when I traipsed around town doing very esoteric activities like watching a moonrise, and normal stuff like going out for coffee, or to a movie or bookstore.

I miss the camaraderie that came with college.

What have I done for you lately?

The answer is, not a whole heck of a lot.

I have been lazy and selfish this weekend. I forked over $75 for my allergy meds on Saturday morning, and then I picked up breakfast at the BK. I have to say that the sausage croissanwich is still the bomb. Their new BKJoe line of coffee seems to be pretty good.

Then it was off to mom and dad's for my grandmother's 91st birthday party. Oy Vay, so many relatives. I got rolls specially made from the Bagel Station. They were the rosemary parmesan style that Henry's serves. I finally left about 3:45 p.m. and headed home. I forgot the leftover rolls and my iPod, so I called my mom and asked to pick them up today.

Last night, I had tickets to the Philharmonic, which was ghastly. I left with a throbbing headache from the screechiest violin concerto EVER. Then it was drinks at my friend Larry's until 1 a.m.

At Larry's I connected with a lesbian best friend of an acquaintance of my best friend. My Diety this town is sooooooo small. Anyway, Sara the lesbian regaled us with tales of gays openly serving in the military, which was heartwarming in a way. There are apparently several "stress management" support groups in which everyone is totally cool with you being homosexual, so long as you are physically fit and aren't a sissy. That leaves me out. Twice.

Then today, I slept in because of the headache from the symphony and the obscenely cheap wine. I watched a TiVo of Doctor Who from last week that I hadn't yet gotten around to and then I went to brunch. I then headed out to my parents and I explained how bad the concert actually was. I was after all using their tickets. I explained that I probably spared them a fate worse than death because it was not a good piece of music. The violinist is a regular and I knew from before how good he was, but I had to warn my parents to avoid anything by that composer ever again.

I got home and started working on articles for the newspaper. It's going to be hard getting everything in for tomorrow, but I got it. I also finished my essay for my philosophy of art class and watched a surprisingly decent episode of the Simpsons. They have all pretty much sucked out loud for the past two years, but this one saw homer get a stomach stapling, so it was funny.

Then I sat down and read Radar magazine.

today's grammar

I'm in a writer kind of mood today. I actually worked on all three stories I've got in the queue at the newspaper tonight. I found another job site to which I am posting my résumé, journalismjobs.com

I am not pimping them, just myself, really. I am taking a chance on Google AdSense, simply because I might actually get enough people where I'd get a $5 check every six years.

Anyway, I've added Katie, Katie, and Andy's blogs to the links below. You should check them out. (So long as you aren't Katie, Katie, or Andy. That would just be creepy.)

So it's the end of Day 2 for this blog. I'd like your input, is the possessive + noun too pretentious? I kind of like it, mainly for its specificity.

(Oooh, "specificity" that word makes me tingly. I love phonics. Remember "sounding it out"? Isn't it cool how words actually get spelled correctly when you remember phonics? Just don't get me started on asinine words like "women" (wymin) and "thoroughfare." You do not want to get me on the pro phonics train.)

Anyway, let me know about your thoughts. I have to do the dishes.