Tuesday, September 23, 2003
"I've never been one that's good at keeping touch -- especially when I don't see you in real life and it doesn't seem like we have much in common with our lives much anymore. That and my life so (comparatively) boring, so it seems like I don't have much news to dole out."
Got this in an email from yet another friend who I tracked down after about 4 yrs. Looking at my phone list, it seems like everyone has become a "once in a while" friend, updated only when there's news. It doesn't quite seem right somehow--when we were in each other's physical presence, there never needed to be an excuse to hang out or find something to say, but the extra trouble of calling someone on the phone or emailing someone is too much for some unless there's a reason...IM doesn't seem that way and neither does text messaging based on my experience in Japan because it's realtime and spontaneous, though still not capturing the essence of that person as well as their physical presence.
In a sense I feel exiled. Certainly I feel more grounded these days than when I was in college, but it's still kind of weird being surrounded by people who barely know you. In a sense, that makes visits back to Chicago or to NCSSM reunions all the more special. If my life was a sitcom, it would be on a different network with a different set of supporting characters every season these past few years. At least it hasn't been cancelled :)
Got this in an email from yet another friend who I tracked down after about 4 yrs. Looking at my phone list, it seems like everyone has become a "once in a while" friend, updated only when there's news. It doesn't quite seem right somehow--when we were in each other's physical presence, there never needed to be an excuse to hang out or find something to say, but the extra trouble of calling someone on the phone or emailing someone is too much for some unless there's a reason...IM doesn't seem that way and neither does text messaging based on my experience in Japan because it's realtime and spontaneous, though still not capturing the essence of that person as well as their physical presence.
In a sense I feel exiled. Certainly I feel more grounded these days than when I was in college, but it's still kind of weird being surrounded by people who barely know you. In a sense, that makes visits back to Chicago or to NCSSM reunions all the more special. If my life was a sitcom, it would be on a different network with a different set of supporting characters every season these past few years. At least it hasn't been cancelled :)
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