A long time comin...
A lot to update on, and none of it is work related. What's really weird is that work is almost more of a side interest right now. I know I have it good when I can say that. No stress, no drama. Just Good Morning, how are you today. Finish that project? Ok. Whenever you get around to it. Here's your check. Have a good weekend, etc. etc.
But things have been very interesting elsewhere. I won't bore you with the intimate details of Rasee's visit since She and Staz have already done a much better job than I ever could. But I will say that I had a lot of fun having guests come stay with us; Guests that were fun, and gracious, and kind, and thoroughly interesting to talk with and hang out with. I think it illustrated to both Staz and I how much we're missing out by not having any real social circle here. But we enjoyed this opportunity to connect with others immensely.
The week between that weekend and the next weekend is kind of a blur. All I know is that last Friday I went to work for half a day, then hauled ass to Lansing, Michigan (Yes, thats the capital) to see my twin brother graduate from college.
I have neither the words, nor the patience to truly do justice to the relationship between my twin and I. It has run the full spectrum of love, devotion, admiration, annoyance, jealousy, hatred, and indifference. I have no intention of going into that here.
But I will say the weekend went extremely well. I couldn't be more proud. He received his Associates in Art, taking approximately 8 years. Not exactly a PHD from MIT, but if you knew the hurdles that were overcame in the process, you'd be proud too. I was astonished to find that he was Suma Cum Laude. (!) Then my mom told me that it was because he would take classes over and over again until he got his 4.0. Hey, why not? Just takes a little longer. Anyway, we hooped and hollered when his name was called, much to the annoyance of the people behind us. They actually got up enough nerve to tell us to shut the hell up. We apologized and then kept doing what we were doing anyway.
We went out to dinner at Bennigans (didn't know there were any of those left) where the whole family talked well into the night. At least my sister and mother did. My brother and his wife were noticably silent, but they kind of always are. I had a really good time and the only dark spot was when my mom started telling tales out of school about Staz, which I promptly put a stop to very politely. Staz is a very private person and would not like us talking about her. Mom, her MO being the wounded martyr, was immediately embarrassed and angry at the injustice of my treatment and vowed never to talk about others again. Sure.
But mom is a subject for much more discussion at a later date. I stayed that night with my brother in the city. He lives with two other guys. I will say this. I lived with 3 other guys in a 2 bedroom apartment my junior and senior year of college. It got dirty. But it never was unsanitary. This place felt unsanitary. There was food and dirt everywhere. But there was a big screen tv and computer in the living room. You gotta love guys.
My brother's room was not much bigger than a closet, and just as messy as the rest of the house. I'm glad he plans to move soon. There was no spare bed, and no linens. He could have mentioned that BEFORE I offered to spend the night there. So I slept on the floor. Not the most comfortable, but hey, I can fall asleep anywhere, including the lower shelf at Meijer.
The next day, we were supposed to meet everyone for breakfast. Knowing my family, I had my doubts, and they were confirmed. My sister's family bailed because she had several fires to put out at her job, which she is doing CONSTANTLY, and she had to get back home. My brother's family + mom wanted to go to a museum and although it was not said in so many words, my brother and I weren't really invited. Which is fine. I had more fun with my brother without them. We ended up working on his car, which has not run in 2 (!) years. I introduced him to the wonderful world of Autozone, after which we had an egg Mcmuffin breakfast. Despite sitting for so long, all the car needed was a new battery and alternator. Total Cost: $130.00 Ouch! We split it between the two of us. Amazingly, after some wrenching and bleeding knuckles, it started right up, which made me very happy. I think he was surprised too. Now he has to go buy insurance and gas though. Sucker!
I left soon after that, and made my way home. It's funny that Michigan didn't feel like hime all of a sudden, just a neat place to visit.
I keep trying to call him to see how he's doing, how the car is doing, but he's very difficult to get a hold of. No luck. But for what it's worth, I really enjoyed myself and feel like all of the past darma may be just that. Past.