Friday, April 23, 2010

Hang out time.

For the past few days I've been getting back into the flow of visiting people. It has been really good to finally get my feet wet with different groups and to figure out where I am in terms of connection. Basically I'm relearning my friend dynamics and seeing who likes what/who now. Mostly just figuring out if I'm going to step on any toes and what subjects have become taboo with some.

Essentially I've been having the easiest time getting back together with people. Any confusions are cleared up within hours and all the drama that television and books say I'm supposed to have is nonexistent.

A fair few number of my hangouts have involved the game a question of scruples. (2nd edition as the first edition was just to full of random cards, hard to take it seriously in several cases). It is an older game from the 80s so there are a few cards that have been removed by us for just being far to offensive and out of date. No in fact you can't do that because a law has been passed and court cases have been fought over it. Very fun and gets conversations going in new and interesting directions. Like the question game but with less pressure.

I've been spending lots of time with friends from highschool. Joc and Meg who I hadn't really seen all that much in University, with Joc being away and Meg being busy. I've been going out with them for coffee, movies, and working out. Estelle I got the chance to talk with on the phone as she lives in another province. Now just to make sure that we connect again before the end of the year! We have these great long chats and then life snatches us up. And I'm keeping in contact with Sarah a great deal but not nearly enough with Emily, which makes me rather sad when I think about how I'd feel in her position.

Spending time with them has really made me feel happy in knowing them. All such great women who are absolutely fantastic.

But even with the old crowd I still have managed to meet a new person. Through Joc at a coffee shop on the 20th and then meeting him again last night as our server at a restaurant. This might be a good start to getting to know the city again and building up my status as "knowing everyone". This is a long term goal that I need to decide if I'm going to go after. If I do, I'll feel like I shouldn't leave the city and moving anywhere will seem harder and scarier. "But I won't know anyone!" Yeah a silly excuse not to move and one that my frightened self is really keen to pump up to unreasonable proportions.

As for my short term goals, today I'll be putting away clothes and seeing if there is anywhere to get raspberry canes and Saskatoon bushes in the city.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Spring has come.

I was pleased this year not to be caught off guard by the release from winter's grip. In the past I would be running home after classes, not have the time to observe, with a brain full of stress about deadlines and exams. I'd go out in the evening on occasion and feel like spring would never be seen again as the dark would steal any warmth that had built up from the day. But that's just a symptom of living essentially in a desert. Then it would hit me that the weather was getting better and I'd always wonder how I had missed it.

This year has been special. I've been taking many more walks during the day watching the snow slowly melt with not a care in the world (me, not the snow... then again it probably could be said to not have a care too...). I saw my first lady bug of the season just a day or two ago and realized that I see them as a true indication of spring over any robin song. The world around me is getting a break. Everything can finally stretch out and breathe.

Yesterday we had a Good Friday BBQ out in the park and I was amazed by the perfection of the day. Our whole way of life is coming back, geese breaking through the ice and carving out a place to swim, beavers chewing on trees and not caring at all that a bunch of people are coming by to look at them. Everyone was so happy. The sun was shinning and as I looked around I wanted this feeling to last longer than it possibly could.