Hello again,

I guess I haven’t posted in awhile.

Basically what happened was Flamenco finished, and volunteering finished and suddenly I was faced with a vastness of uncharted days with nothing planned and quite frankly, no drive to do anything. Volunteering ended with a potluck dinner and it was so lovely, it made me sad to think maybe I wouldn’t see these people again. Because, they work and most have kids, so really, English is the last thing on their minds. Will they come back in September? Unlikely. Will I be back in September? I don’t know. I want to but with school and work, I’m not sure if I can even dance let alone volunteer. And that makes Shari sad.

In the end it was good that everything ended because I was feeling very burnt out. Mostly it was work that was burning me out but everything compiles and I internalize everything and if I don’t do something about it, something bad happens. The last time it happened, I had to be taken home in a cab from a restaurant that was exactly a block away from my house. So, I try to avoid getting to that point now.

I took a week off work and puttered around. I got my hair done. Got my eyes checked (great sight!). Went and talked to the manager of the school where I will be going in September. Went to a Canada Day Wine and Cheese party, which was a little depressing seeing as each and every male there seemed to be in a relationship which was neither here nor there seeing as they were all gay to boot. But, on a more positive note, I’ve developed a licking for wine. I managed to polish off a whole bottle myself. Okay, maybe it doesn’t seem like a positive note to you, but I’m sick of being the person who says no thank you to a glass of wine and then has to explain why I don’t drink it. So I’m on a wine program. It’s going well.

On Thursday I headed to Vancouver. Shannon was back from Japan and I was off to see her. I find it strange to see my friends from Japan in Canada. It’s like the context is wrong. The stories and mutual acquaintances are far away. But we had a lovely visit. It’s weird because she is in the position I was in 1 year ago. And it makes me realize that I have come a ways since I stepped off that plane last August. Plus, I like to hang out with her because I think she may be more of a hippie at heart than I am. And I appreciate that.

Friday I went with Nadine and Arne to a Jewel concert. Which was fabulous. Nadine and I went a few years ago at the Queen E and it was probably one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. This was as well with the notable exception of the concert being at the River Rock Casino and us being 6 rows back. Arne was taken with how “stunning” she is. Nadine and I just dig hearing our favourite songs.

Saturday I headed to Nanaimo. It’s hard to believe but I was facing my 10 year reunion. To be honest, I really didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to hear about people who were married and had kids. But I was talked into it. We went to Tamara’s first with just the girls and had some drinks because to quote Bonnie “there is no way in hell I’m going to this sober.” A few hours later we walked into the pub and boom, time trip. I made instant eye contact with Jeralynn, who was my best friend in elementary school but never talked to in high school (we were in different groups) and lost touch in the intervening years. It was nostalgic. She told me how she remembered playing the dark game with my dad which I had been telling Tammy about a few months early. It’s nice to know that memories that mean a lot to you mean a lot to other people who took part in them.

Judy told me that she enjoyed my blog. I didn’t know that anyone read this thing. I believe I said that I thought only my mom read my blog which was one of my drunken lies (I lie a lot when I drink, go figure), seeing as my mom never reads my blog. But anyways, Hi Judy, if you are reading this.

I talked to people I basically haven’t seen since high school and I’m proud to say, even though I was sloppy, sloppy drunk drunk, I remembered everyone’s name. Except one. I talked to her for awhile and it wasn’t until Alina came over and got her name did I find out what it was. Anna basically had the same life as me for awhile. Got a degree in anthropology. Went to Japan. Worked for Peppy. Hell, she even lived in the same prefecture that my Grandfather was from. I guess that means we should have been best friends with her in high school but I was too busy being a sports jock. Alas.

Seeing the pictures from that night all I have to say is… I’m pretty sure I made an ass of myself. But then again, some of the guys creeped me out, so we’re pretty much even.

The next day, I hauled my very hung over ass to Tamara’s bridal shower. I think it very odd that half of the people there were Tamara’s friends and half of them were Tamara’s mom’s friends some of whom had never met Tamara. Maybe I’m just cheap but I wouldn’t want to buy a present for someone I hadn’t really met. Or maybe it’s just that I’ve never been to a bridal shower before. Maybe it is for the mothers. The stagette definitely promises to be for us girls. But Tamara seemed to have a good time which is all that really matters.

Now, I’m back and recharged for my last 2 months at this job. Only they don’t know that yet. Heheh.

S.