The New Bob

I read somewhere that there are only so many types of people in the world and you spend your life encountering those same types in different shells. It is supposedly why so many people remind you of someone you used to know. I had a friend for several years - more than 10 - named Bob. We met while we were both in college and working at Pizza Hut, became friends, tried dating, and then went back to being friends. We remained friends for many years and stayed close until a couple years ago when life took us in different directions. I've missed Bob in a lot of ways since our friendship ended but I mostly think that's because I didn't have a replacement "Bob" to fall back on. That is until now!

The "New Bob" isn't really named "Bob" but he might as well be - they are two peas in a pod. The New Bob is so much like The Old Bob that it is uncanny. They have similar senses of humor, are quick-witted, can have intelligent conversations with many tangents, know of obscure television shows to turn me onto, have no fashion sense, and rarely leave the house if they can help it. But my favorite part of The New Bob is the same thing that kept me friends with The Old Bob for so long - he finds me hilarious. You see, I sometimes have trouble finding people to be around that are similar to me in that I look for the joke to crack, the witty turn of phrase that the occasion begs for, and often say it without thinking. Not everyone enjoys that aspect of my personality and few people actually do the same and vie to get their wise-ass comment out first. I love the competition of who is funnier. Because even if I don't win I still end up laughing. The New Bob is a fierce competitor too, which keeps me on my toes.

Don't get me wrong I have several witty friends- JJ and KC immediately come to mind. However, they are both female and whilst I thoroughly enjoy spending time with them they do not have a male's mind. Men, like Old Bob and New Bob, don't usually hold back when engaged in witty repartee. Sometimes that means something that clearly needs to be said to you is said - usually quite harshly but with enough wit that you still laugh but pause to examine the point. Men with this personality are also quick to point out when other men are lame. Which is a helpful thing to have in a friend.

I like The New Bob - he's a good addition to my social circle and makes the day at work go by very quickly and humorously. Makes me glad I took this new gig and got to meet a personality I'd been missing.

Outside Adventures

So, I was able to leave the house finally! All of my pox scabbed over so I am no longer contagious. Nothing really exciting happened I am just joyous that I got to go OUT! Still feel like I have the flu but I should be over that in a few days - a week tops. Feeling better is the greatest!

A Pox Upon Me

From now on I think instead of using vulgar language to emphasize my distaste for someone I'm going to say "a pox upon thee." Now I won't mean it in the tradition of the sixteenth century curse - which wished syphilis upon someone. I will mean it in more modern day terms. As in, I hope you get the chicken pox or some similar virus.

You see, I was diagnosed yesterday with such a condition. They can't say for sure if it is chicken pox or coxsackie virus - both are common childhood illnesses. The test to determine which would take weeks, if not months, because it would have to be sent to the state lab. Either way I should be better before we'd be able to get the test results and the treatment is mostly the same. If I end up in the hospital they'll rush the test and determine how best to proceed but until that time it's unnecessary. It's always a bright spot in the visit when the doctor suggests that your illness could involve a trip to the hospital. Why is it they never involve trips to Hawaii? I'd much rather possibly to go to Hawaii if my condition worsens than some hospital.

But, alas, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I'm highly contagious so I can't go out of the house. No grocery store, no Target, no trips to Starbucks for coffee. My Saturday has been a dismal day of bad television, naps, and medication. All the while trying hard not to scratch. I have a fever, an awful headache, a sore throat, and so many itchy, disgusting, did I say itchy, spots I lost count. What I don't have is enough anti-bodies to fight this disgusting virus but while I stay home they are supposed to accumulate. Although I look like someone quite unattractive I still have an overwhelming desire to leave the house. All because I am not allowed.

I think, given my current state, "a pox upon thee" is a better way of telling someone how distasteful I find them than any other phrase. Now if I could just find the person that cursed me!

Facebook

So, I like many people in the world, have a profile on Facebook. Facebook is amusing on it's own - you can play games, challenge your friends to trivia contests, throw odd things at people, and find people you have lost touch with. I also find Facebook amusing for it's soap opera qualities. There are often things posted on some of my friends' walls that tell what kind of drama they have going on at the moment. Very amusing. But, today was more than amusement available to me it was an interesting look at how we think.

I should start by saying one of my friends on Facebook is my 15 year old cousin. Today she had posted under the section that tells people what you are doing "wants to know why I likee you so wen you're just a waste of my timee." Truer words were never spoken, especially at 15 years old. At that age you discover that you like someone that you know is a complete waste of your time but you can't seem to let go of the like. What's more you really WANT to know why you like someone that's a waste of your time.

I didn't have the heart to tell her that those feelings don't go away as one gets older. There are still inappropriate people that cross your path as you age and inevitably they will be the ones you find most attractive. It is a cruel joke that the universe plays because you never really discover why those are the people you find most attractive. Some things are better left discovered for yourself and not told to you by someone older and wiser. Besides, at 15 she's unlikely to believe me. I wouldn't have believed it at her age.

Amusing Obscure Movies

So, I had some free time this afternoon and I ended up watching a movie on Turner Classic Movies. It was called "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" and it starred Shirley Jones, a very young Ron Howard as Eddie, and some guy I don't know. It was very amusing and an enjoyable movie overall. One of the funniest parts to me was when a woman in the movie - Shirley Jones' rival for Eddie's father's affections - stated she wanted to stand beside a man and not behind him. His response was "you should be happy with the vote because I doubt that will ever catch on as a national revolution." I laughed out loud!

This movie was released in 1963 and I seem to recall in 1963 there were predictions about the future. These predictions included things like hover crafts and a "Jetsons" like existence. But the screenwriter of this movie couldn't imagine a time when women would be equal to men. Where women could actually have a partner in life and stand beside that man and not just be the backup singer to his starring role. That is hilarious to me. Hilarious that he was so short sighted but also because the heroine of the movie, the one you root for all along, is a divorcee with a job in a time when divorcees were not looked upon favorably. Seems the screenwriter, one Mr. John Gay, was conflicted about his views of women.

Freedom

As a citizen of the United States I lead a largely unfettered life. I am able to travel freely about the country, pursue any life path I desire, and wear almost anything I choose - it just has to cover my naughty bits when out in public. I guess because I don't really experience any kind of oppression as a U.S. citizen I find a very simple thing oppressive. I hate it when I have to work on my birthday. I largely choose not to work on my birthday. I did so this year - I had planned on taking a vacation day anyway so I just made yesterday my last day of employment.

It isn't that I dislike working and I'm really not that into hoopla on my birthday. I just view my birthday as the day of my deciding and I think it should continue to be the day of my decisions. I decided to make my appearance into the world on that day and it didn't matter that I was supposed to stay put for another month and wasn't quite finished growing. That, in some ways, has helped to shape my personality. I make my own decisions, and although I take other opinions under advisement, ultimately I do what I want. From big to little things if I have a preference, I take it. That's why working on my birthday bothers me - there are times when working is not what I want to be doing and doing it on that particular day, if I don't really want to, goes against my being.

I like to choose what I'm going to do on my birthday and usually like to spend most of it by myself. Sort of a celebration of the only person I'll ever honestly go through life with - me. Today was no exception and I had a fantastic day. I slept in, with George happily slumbering beside me after KC left for work. Then when I did get up George and I played for a while. He's such a happy dog and I like having him around. Then I was ready to hit the road and left for Carolina Beach. I stopped at Caribou to get my free b-day coffee and it was delicious. Then it was onto the beach where I relaxed by the ocean until I went up to my room and got in the jacuzzi. That's right I got a good deal and my room has a jacuzzi. I chatted with people who called to wish me a "Happy Birthday" and generally had an awesome afternoon.

For dinner I met a couchsurfer from Wilmington. He chose a yummy Tex-Mex place that was so good I'm thinking of going back for lunch tomorrow. He's an interesting guy and he's had lots of adventures. Plus, I usually enjoy meeting new people. Not to mention, I rarely hear a story that starts with "so, we decided to go to the whorehouse." Can't beat dinner conversation like that! When I left to head back to the hotel I decided to stop at DQ and got some birthday ice cream. Mmm, ice cream!

Now, I'm just finishing relaxing on the balcony and watching the waves. The door is still open and I hear can hear the crashing surf as I type this. In a few moments I will put the computer away, change into pajamas, and fall asleep listening to the ocean. A truly perfect day. To me that's what freedom is - the ability to have a day like this if you so decide.

Notice

I quit my job today. I officially turned in my notice. They accepted my resignation with some hesitation but it appears they will let me work out my almost two weeks. I have a couple vacation days due to me and I was planning on taking off for my birthday anyway so I made my last day March 26, 2008. They're seemingly on board with my working until then.

Not to worry I have a new job lined up and ready to go. I won't start it until mid-April though. I need sometime to get my house back in order. I don't mean that figuratively either. I have a few things I'd like to do around the homestead and I've been unable to since I've been living like a nomad.

I'll update more as it gets closer. There should be lots more updates from here on. As it looks like I will have more free time for reading, writing, blogging, and general merriment. I am tired of working all the time and quitting this job is step one on the road to a less stress life.