No Squares Allowed

I was devestated by my first few days of school. I thought I'd gone too far out over the summer and that school was going to completely lose its appeal to me and I was going to spend the next eight months in agony. I know that I have been on the right track. If there's anything this past summer has taught me is that yes, I am where I'm supposed to be. I'm meeting the people I need to meet who will teach me by example how to be a stronger individual, and I've been finding meaning in the smallest details of every day life. That kind of existential harmony is a Sign. I don't want to vomit anymore philosphical bullshit on you because I think I'm not educated enough in that area, but I will admit that light has been much brighter these days and the air feels much lighter.

Last Thursday night, after Ryan and I had a long talk about my future and my foray into advertising, I asked "god" for a sign. I asked Good Fortune to show me the way. And immediately, the following day, I found what I was looking for: PR. Public Relations. If there was any profession out there more suited for me, I have yet to hear of it. I love "communicating" - and I find it easy to talk to most people. Old people, young people, short people, tall people... the only people I can't talk to are people who are so narrow minded that they won't talk to you unless it's about one of the things in their short list of conversation topics (i.e. the OC and shopping - yes I've discovered that people like that really exist and that they are completely oblivious to the fact that they are retarded). For the most part though, people enjoy talking to me as much as I enjoy talking to them. And I'm a great listener. Not that many people are, but I can listen quite intently for hours. I will take the information that I've absorbed and ask pertinent questions and consequently get pertinent answers. It's not an easy task, but my mom's a real talker, so I've got some good experience under my belt in that area already.

PR is all about two-way communication. It's to understand what A public wants and offering THAT public the answers in a Language that THAT public understands. I'm good with Languages. If you want legalese, I can put on my lawyer hat and tell you exactly what your legal position is in almost any situation. If you want artsy, I can talk to you about lines and shapes and colours and movement. If you want scientific facts, I can draw a diagram with a list of points and only give you the details you asked for. If you want philisophical - well, as you already know I can wax philisophical til the proverbial cows come . If you wanted dance - fuck I'll pull out my giant piece of cardboard and act it out for you. Bottom line, whether it's written or verbal, I can carry on a pretty good dialogue even in the toughest of situations. Ever have to sit through a lawyer's session with a to-be divorcee? Emotional, intense, touchy. But divorcees were my specialty when I worked in the law firm. The women became quite attached to me, always called to speak to me, usually just to get something off their chest. I was an 19 year old girl with the problems of a 38 year old on my mind. That definately had something to do with my premature aging (OK Cupid says I've got a 38 year old inside me - bah!), but instead of letting it turn me into an old lady, I'm trying to be a wise young woman.

I got to see Datura and Corey today at work. I walked back and forth from Dominion and The Roastery twice. But it's worth it because they are two of my closest friends now and I want to make every effort in keeping our friendships strong. Datura especially has made a big difference in my life. She brings out all the good things in me, my artsy-ness and my spirituality, and she does it so naturally because it's so much a part of her. I think we groove on each others creative vibes and she inspires me endlessly. She's so intense and sensitive, I think of her as a little bird that you have to show her different heights to fly and once she gets there she soars. And that caging her doesn't break her spirit it only makes it stronger and more volatile. Perhaps it's wrong of me to talk about her like this as a lot of people who read this blog know her personally. But this is what I think of my BFF Kellie, and I love her for those very reasons and there's no point in hiding it.

Corey is like no one I've ever met. To the outsider, he's just another stoner graphic artist. But he is one of the smartest, wisest people I've ever met. He embodies a clarity that allows him to know himself and see through others around him. Though we are different, he allows me to be who I am without making me feel like a square. He's like a big brother to me in some ways and I really miss our daily coffee runs when we can share ideas and experiences. Since the first day I met Corey, I knew I liked him despite the fact that he is a Leo.

I've never had a lot of friends, and I never understood why. I'm not unattractive and I have a decent personality, but for some reason, I've never been good at making real friends. And now that I've made some, I'm so grateful that I met them that I'm not going to take them for granted. Friends are too rare and too precious to neglect. Like everything else in life, friendships need to be nurtured with time and attention, and that's definately not too much to ask for the kind of special relationship you get in return.