i met up with liz (liz from berlin, liz) tonight with some mutual graphic design friends/acquaintences for dinner and a slideshow. it was nice catching up with people and hearing news about other people. i guess you could just call it gossip. a couple people are now engaged. a couple people are now single. i feel like i'm disconnected from the rest of the graphic design kids. i guess i've been hit with a double whammy. after looking at liz's pictures, i realized that there was so much she had done after i left that i missed out on. and at the same time, i missed out on so much back in minnesota while i took the year off.

now i kind of feel like a lone soul floating around in a vast pool of social disparity. this past year has been a trip; literally and figuratively. i am grateful that i was able to go to so many different places, yet i really can't relate to anyone cuz a majority of the people haven't been to places in eastern europe. what's with everyone hitting up england and france? and i've grown up. i know i have. i think i have a lot more on my plate, at least financially, than most people my age do. and i'm proud of the fact that i'm pulling this all off.

i talked to beth tonight, who, like liz, just got back from germany recently. we talked on the phone for a good half hour and caught up and laughed. i haven't spoken to her on the phone/in person since january when we spent my birthday weekend in prague. isn't it funny how unforgettable some peoples' voices are? i remember beth's vividly for some reason. all summer i've been catching up with old friends, and even though we haven't seen each other for close to a year, i love how easy it is to catch up and get back into the groove.

i've been to the hardware store three times in the past 24 hours. i recognize the sales people; i'm pretty sure the recognize me as well. the last time i went there i went in my little crafting clothes and i felt so cool. like a little weekend warrior of sorts. the door/desk is coming along slowly, but swimmingly. i'm hoping to wake up early on sunday and get the thing painted and inside on its legs.

work tomorrow. work saturday. basically work sunday. work monday, tuesday, wednesday, friday. and then it's basically time for school again. man...