Missing Y'all.

[swestrup]

Being here in Silicon Valley where I know next to nobody has been far more isolating than I like. Oh, I knew what I was getting into when I took this job, but that doesn't mean that I don't intensely miss the folks I've left behind.

The first couple of weeks here were okay, as everything was new and exciting and different. Then I went through one of those phases where I kept thinking that I was spotting people I knew. There were doppelgangers of pythonian, denizsarikaya and even Margaret Heelan that I thought I saw. I find it strange that I would spot dead people 2:1 over live ones (unless there's something pythonian hasn't told me), but that may just be a statistical fluke.

Other than thinking I'm seeing folks who aren't actually here, I've been finding all sorts of reminders of my friends, everywhere I go. I thought I might list out some of them, so y'all will know you're not far from my thoughts.

First and foremost is taxlady, of course. With her its more a question of what doesn't remind me. We've been so close for so long that being here without her feels like I've lost a limb; one I keep expecting to be there, but isn't. We do try to stay in touch with phone calls and IM chats, but LD relationships are always rough. When I'm feeling moody I listen to my music on random shuffle, as I'm sure many folks on my f-list do. Some songs I associate strongly with certain friends (yes, most of you have theme music), and I think Linda scores highest for the number of songs that make me think of her. Off the top of my head there's "Diamonds, Diamonds" by Max Webster, "Try to Catch the Wind" by Donavon, and Bob Seger's "Night Moves" and "Turn the Page".

I'll mention kalkuly next, mainly because she's the person that I've managed to most stay in touch with. We chat two or three times a week, and so manage to keep up on each other's doings. As a result, whenever my computer beeps or pings, I think of her.

I think the person I next get most reminded of (is that even English?) is azrhey. She (like Kelly) doesn't have a song I associate with her, but there are plenty of reminders of her with me. At my going away party she gave me a lovely card with a very touching message inside. I wanted to take the card with me, but it was HUGE, so I transcribed the message verbatim into my laptop, and I reread it when I need my morale boosted. She also once gave me a Dr. Who t-shirt which has become one of my favorites, so I brought it with me. Its not one of the ones I wear to work but one I lounge around the hotel in, or wear to bed when I have a cold (like I do now). And, of course, it always reminds me of her. She also gave me a book of crossword puzzles to keep me occupied while here, as we used to sit and work on crosswords together when she'd come over to visit. I usually do a crossword every night before bed, and it too always reminds me of her.

Unlike everyone else I've mentioned so far (except for Deniz and Margaret, of course), thebabynancy isn't someone who I got to see regularly while I was in Montreal, as she's stationed in Gatineau. Still, she seems much farther away now (maybe because she is). The song I have that reminds me of her is "Where No One Knows Me" by Jann Arden. The other thing that reminds me of her is Nachos, as I well remember how she likes having that snack while out on the town. I'm now living in the land of Nachos, where they're as common a side-dish as french-fries, so I'm reminded of Nancy quite often. Quite often I've wished she was here to share a plate of them and some beer with me. One other reminder is a broken bathroom here at the Hotel that I occasionally have cause to walk by. Its got quite an unpleasant odor to it, and my inner ear often hears Nancy's voice proclaiming "It smells like Ass!" when I have to pass by there.

I don't know why, maybe its because so many of my friends are absent from my life right now, but I've found I've been missing denizsarikaya a lot lately too. The songs on my computer that remind me of her is the theme from Cybersix, an anime she was quite fond of, and (as I've mentioned before) John Waite's "I Ain't Missing You". Also any references to Red Dwarf or Strongbad that I come across, remind me of her.

I suppose I could go on mentioning folks, as I'd love to see Liz, Tim, Adria, Christine, Drew and a large number of other people again, but the list above is pretty much all of my closest friends and the ones who I consequently find I miss on a daily basis, other than, you know, sps, who is actually here, so not giving me as much reason to miss him...

Comments

[pythonian.livejournal.com]

I can confirm that I'm not dead, at least not yet. :-)

I will neither confirm nor deny any rumours regarding cloning, teleportation and/or secret societies of immortal beings either though.

[joenotcharles.livejournal.com]

Hey, now that you're settled in down there, any chance you can join us on Skype from about 4:30pm to about 8pm your time on Wednesdays? I remember you saying you usually go in early. (We're scheduled to start at 7:00, but it's usually 7:30 before everyone's logged on and ready to start.)

[swestrup]

I'll look into it. Certainly won't manage anything by Wednesday, but I'll get myself some headphones and sign up for skype, to see how that goes.

I'd have to go in extra-extra early on Wednesdays to make up for leaving by 4:00, but I may just do it...

[azrhey.livejournal.com]

I miss you too! Pooh!

And the SPS person. We need to arrange for you to bring him back when you come back! I will start looking into appropriate luggage for that!

[thebabynancy.livejournal.com]

I agree with this comment! :)

[thebabynancy.livejournal.com]

LOL @ It smells like Ass!

I miss you, too! :)


P.S.
Do you think they do cheese curds and gravy on nachos? :D

[swestrup]

I've actually seen cheese curds as an option a few times while here. I've not seen them mixed with gravy though. I'll keep a look out.