Happy Anniversary!

Well, like all anniversaries I missed it be about two weeks, but, May 29th marked the 1 year anniversary of this blog. Time to do a recap and take inventory on what my life has gone through in the last year....

This time last year I had just moved back to Tualatin to live with my parents, and was waiting to see if my paper for REL325 would receive a grade, and would shortly find out that it didn't matter anyway and would have to take special means to graduate.
It would also appear that I was deeeeeply bitter about one thing or another, and had a lot of pent up frustration about a great many things. I also hadn't been laid in a long long time.

Now, one year later, I live in Japan, have graduated, have gotten laid at least once (3 times, for the record), kind of have a girlfriend (sort of), largely have nothing to complain about and for the first time ever in recorded DZ history have money enough to last me between pay periods.

I developed and kicked a hard drug habit, continue to smoke, took out the wrist piercing I got shortly before starting this blog, and cut my hair to a stylish and socially acceptable David Beckam style. I've dropped a considerable amount of weight that I was starting to gain when I moved last June, from 190 at my peak in the summer, to my lowest recorded weight here of 167. I'm probably around 175 now, but that's just a guess.

My friendships have largely held up under the stress of such great distance. There are a few people, notably Whitney, who I haven't spoken to pretty much since leaving because they're scatterbrained or never use the internet. Jordan fits into this category as well, who has a wedding this summer but won't tell me when.
But for the most part, the friendships I had when I left Eugene still hold, and for the most part I think at least as an a priori concept I still exist in the hearts and minds of people in America. In all reality, I've actually rekindled more friendships since being here than I had prior to my leaving, in spite of the large number of people to fall back into my life after 6 years thanks to The Facebook and MySpace. This trend continues, as I have fallen back in touch with friends from high school that I really did miss, without having thought of in ages, notably Stephanie R, and Marty S(now L).
I finally kinda laid into Liesl a little bit and afterwards we seem to have patched our differences, or at least agree to let the past be the past. We were talking actively for a little bit but that seems to have kinda faded.

In terms of my goals for being here, I've accomplished admittedly little. I've moved to a better apartment, and I have the things I want, but, I'm not saving any money, and I haven't travelled anywhere near as much as I want to. This summer though, with Tyler coming and good weather, I think more travel will be in order. I've got time here still, so, I can make that happen.

The focus of my life has changed significantly, in what seems to be three distinct periods: the summer, the winter, and the spring. Wow. What are the odds that life periods coincide with seasons?
Summer: The focus of my life was definitely graduating, introspection, and other than that, partying. Dealing with impending seperation.
Winter: Money. Money Money Money and the marked lack thereof. Little room for anything else, aside from a little getting used to work.
Spring: Interpersonal relationships. With people going home, being incarcerated, and holding my hand, this seems to be the highlight of the season.
Summer: In progress, lemme get back to ya.

With that, I'm gonna call it a day on this belated anniversary entry. The questions though that must be asked are:
"Is my life better now than one year ago?" - Yes.
"Are you closer to where you want to be?" - Yes.
"Do you have any idea where you want to be one year from today?" - No. Probably still in Japan.