Friends

I love my friends. This is a pic of ONOE: One Night Only Ever!
We learned three songs and played one show for our other friends. Unfortunately, one of our members moved away and our band is now disbanded. If you missed our show, you missed out!

Photo Credit: Dan G.

Conversations 14

Two weeks ago, I was playing ultimate frisbee and pulled my calf muscle. I could walk, but I was profoundly limping and was sore for about a week. When the muscle pulled, I felt a popping sensation in my leg. Later, I realized that the muscle popped one of my veins. I had a very nice bruise on my leg as a result. My friend Jason was there when I hurt myself:

Me: Jason! I'm glad you're here! I totally wanted to show you my awesome bruise! (I put my leg up on his chair and pulled back the cuff of my jeans)
Jason: Wow. That's crazy. I don't even want to think about it. Put that thing away!
Me (after a slight pause): What, you don't think its attractive?
Dave: Well, I was about to offer you a ride.
Me: Thanks Dave.
Scott: It's okay Jason. I wouldn't have gotten the hint either.

Last Weekend

I had a great weekend last weekend. I got to spend way more time than usual with people I like. That's what I miss when I'm in school. It started with opera on Thursday night. I had four friends come. I am always so appreciative when people come to my performances.

Then on Friday, I went to the mall for lunch with a bunch of friends. Then I took my cello in to get fixed, and found out that the shop would do it for free because I bought it from them. It had a loose seam which was creating a percussive buzz.

Then I went back to the boys house that night and we played Apples to Apples. I love that game and it was a lot of fun. Hilarity ensued. On Saturday morning, I went to play Ultimate Frisbee, but while I was playing, my calf muscle popped. It hurt a lot! I am still stiff and I noticed yesterday that there is a lot of bruising on the back side of my leg. I was bummed that I couldn't finish the game because it is one of my favorite things to do and it is good exercise. After Frisbee, I went to the movies with my sister and then we went to dinner with the same guys I hung out with on Friday. I have been trying to have my sister meet these friends of mine for some time, and I'm glad that she was finally able to meet them.

Lots of jokes about my gimpy-ness were told. I was definitely hobbling around. I'm still limping a little, and my muscle is really tight. I'm hoping that I'll be able to work around it to do some cardio on Friday.

Musician Face-Off!

Actual conversation with Mikey, the drummer, this morning at church.

Week in Review

It has been a long week. I just finished my Master's Degree in Library and Information Science. It has been three years coming. I am feeling good about being done, but discouraged about the job market. A few weeks ago, I had a librarian email me to see when they could set up a conference call with me. I followed up yesterday, and turns out that they have many more qualified applicants. I was also chatting with one of the admin assistants where I work. They have two open faculty positions in their department and had over 100 applicants. The job market in higher education is kind of discouraging.

I feel that I'm such an average candidate. There are so many people out there who have way more experience. I am afraid that I will succomb to just taking a job because I cannot get a job that I would really love.

I am also playing in an opera this week. I have never been more disciplined with my time than I was last week. I had so many things I wanted to do last week, and still had to find time to finish my Master's project. I had to set goals every morning and stayed up late almost every night of the week last week in order to get things done. I wanted to have some time last weekend to spend with my friends.

So in addition to playing the opera on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, I also played ultimate frisbee on Saturday morning and went to a party on Saturday afternoon. I had a lot of fun and I'm really glad I went. I totally took a short nap before heading over.

This was the party wherein my "band" ONOE (One Night Only Ever!) played its one and only show. We had practiced four songs together. We only had one rehearsal and then we played for our friends. At the party, we played three of the four songs. I'm still waiting to see pictures from the party. I'm sure they are pretty funny. I also debuted a song I wrote two years ago called Simple Autumn and the response was positive. It is a song about change. One of the audience members noted that it could have been Barack Obama's theme song.

I feel really tired right now and kind of overwhelmed by the process ahead of me--facing the future. This should be exciting, but I'm feeling rather pessimistic at the moment. I am looking forward to a good break from school, spending more time with friends and family as well as playing our last showing of the opera on Thursday. I have a few friends coming and I'm hoping that we'll play well. I'm expecting that this show will come close to selling out.

Banding together

I have a group of guy friends who all live in a house close to where I live. They LOVE games. All kinds. Computer, video, board games, and card games. They enjoy playing rock band, which is what they play when people come over. Two of the guys liked the game so much that they decided to learn how to play actual instruments. One of them got a bass guitar and some lessons, and the other acquired a drum set.

We have been talking about having me come over to play guitar and jam with them, so on Friday night, it actually happened! I brought over my guitar and we set things up in the garage! I taught the bass player how to play Run-around by Blues Traveler and a song called Unwinding Cable Car by Anberlin. It was fun to teach someone how to play a song. Meanwhile, all the other guys at the house got curious and stopped in to watch and listen to what was going on. We even had a "roadie" who set up a computer for me and found lyrics for Run-around! It was awesome.

I'm going to a party this weekend and the invite said that there would be a live band. I'm thinking, "That's great! I wonder who the band is?"

After talking to the host on Friday night, I was informed that I was the band! Apparently, the drummer is so excited about playing that he volunteered us to play without really talking to me first, which is funny considering I'm the guitarist and singer. I'm not sure that we'll be able to play more than the two songs I taught the bass player, but I'll definitely bring the guitar and we'll all jam. It might not be a true "performance" but more hanging out and playing music.

I have realized lately that although music is something I'm passionate about, not many of my close friends are musicians. I spend a lot of time playing music... at least four hours a week, if not more than that. So it is fun to have a set of friends that is interested in jamming for fun! I might be encouraged to write more songs.

The only bummer is that the bass player is moving next week. Anyone else want to jump in?

Friends

I have realized that when it comes to friendship, I'm sort of like a cat. Somewhat independent, I come and go as I please, get a attached to people but I don't fret when things change. I guess I see change as sort of an inevitable thing.

I am blessed to be able to say that I do still have friends from long ago, and I love the fact that I'm now able to keep in touch with them through technology.

I'm still in touch with Sonja, whom I've known since Kindergarten, Kim and Anne, who used to live down the street from me... their mom is like my second mom...

And then I was reflecting about my college friends, and who I spent the most time with--Laurel, Ryan, Jenn, and Kristi. I do not talk to anyone all that much anymore, except for Laurel, but I just chatted with Kristi today online. I realized today that we spent a lot of time together senior year. I do not remember why. But we had a lot of fun together. Kristi got married pretty quick after college, and now has two really cute kids. I hope I get to meet them someday.

I'm really not so great at keeping in touch with people, but I think I am going to resolve to try a little harder.

A new band?

I've been playing music with this guy over the last month or so. I've really enjoyed getting to know him and playing with him this summer. He is so endearing. He is really worried that I don't like it or that I'm just going to up and quit on him. This is because I haven't fully committed. I can't.

He is a big dreamer and I think he has talent. He is definitely investing in his music. I think I'm walking into this situation with a little more aloofness and skepticism than I did the last time. I also think that this guy I've been playing with is more sensitive to emotion than a lot of guys I know. He is probably sensing a bit of my aloofness. I'm also a very different kind of girl and I think he may also be having difficulty reading me. These two things alone I think would be worrisome.

He wants me to play a show in the middle of August. That's what we've been working toward. I have one song down for sure and one that's almost ready.

Music

At the last show I did with my former band, I met a guy who was vitally interested in talking with me about playing cello for him. He emailed me last week and we met up after work yesterday to just talk about music. It was really good and somewhat affirming.

Weekly moment of comedy

My life yesterday resembled a sitcom yesterday and here's why. A guy friend of mine first sends me an instant message (names have been changed):

this is random... you know jane smith? musician?

54 minutes

12:29 PM me: yes.

12:30 PM we have played together many times.

12:33 PM F: cool

12:34 PM me: where'd you meet her?

F: long story

is she cool?

me: totally.

F: hip?

me: why?

F: smart?

cute?

me: check, check, and check.

why are you asking about cuteness...

do you like her?

12:35 PM I think she's cute, but I'm a girl.

F: well, technically i've never met her

gross

jk

me:you know what I mean.

I just rolled my eyes.

F: nice

me: we're friends...

F: crazy

12:37 PM small world

me:I'm now very curious.

12:38 PM F: just a random connection

me: friend of a friend?

F: yeah

me: did they date?

or something?

F: um, i don't know

more like friend of a friend of a friend

12:39 PM me: ah. 3rd degree connection.

or 2nd if you use me as one. :)

I see her a lot.

we talk occasionally.

she's a good musician.

12:40 PM I'll prob. be seeing her tonight at rehearsal.

F: crzy

don't say anything, that would just be random. she doesn't know who i am

but i thought i would just ask

me: yeah I won't.

12:41 PM F: ask who she is

nice, thanks for the randomness

12:42 PM me: yeah. no prob.

I enjoyed it immensely

That same evening, I run into Jane....

J: Robyn, I HAVE to talk to you. Do you have a minute?
R: Yeah what's up?
J: Okay. So my friend R met her boyfriend on Craigslist and she convinced me to post an ad and give it a try. I was getting all these responses and they were all mostly from guys named "snake." But there was one guy who seemed really cool. I stalked him online and saw that you were friends and I didn't know if you were just online friends or actual friends.
R: That is so funny.
J: So do you know him?
R: Yeah, we're friends.
J: Is he nice?
R: He's really nice, loves God, loves people...
J: Really? So you think I should meet him?
R: I think he is a friend worth having.
J: Okay, I don't know what I am going to do. Don't tell him I talked to you, okay?
R: That's cool.
J: Do you think I should tell him I know you?
R: That's up to you. If you don't want me to say anything, then I won't.

This is so amusing. So they both know that I know both of them, but they do not know that they have both talked to me. I also know that they have seen each other before, last year at a wedding I played in. They were both present. They might have even been briefly introduced. I am so amused.

At least I can vouch for each of their characters. That is good. I'm trying to convince Jane to hang out with me at some kind of social function where the guy would be present. That would truly make it a sitcom situation.

My long lost friend: Part 2

I got to spend some time with my long lost friend yesterday. It was like we were never apart. I love friends like that. I went to her place after checking out the chapel at the Marine Corp Recruit Depot. What a great place! I'm playing cello there for some friends of mine in about a month. They were both there yesterday morning. It was fun hangin' with them. Since Dave is a marine, they are doing the traditional sword arch at the end of the ceremony and so the friend in charge of it was there too. He was such a cool guy. He's the kind of guy that gives me hope that there are still nice guys out there. Anyway. After that, I called up my friend Rachel (the formerly lost friend) and we spent the afternoon catching up. We took a nice long walk to get ice-cream, and talked the whole time. It was great. We have so much in common. When we got back to her place, she got out her guitar, and I got out my cello and we played together for a bit. I'm so glad she's in town and that we're back in touch.

Rachel has been all over the place and lives out of two duffel bags. She works mostly as a server for a cruise line and when she's off the ship, she decides to go to different places and live there for short periods of time. She also worked at a summer camp as a ceramics instructor. It was great to see her again. I'm glad she's in town.

My long lost soul sister

I cannot even remember my trail of thought that led me to find a friend that I have not talked to in ten years! We went to Africa with the same group and of all the people in that group, I think she and I were the most similar. I love the free spirit in her, the strength of her faith and her mad guitar playing skills. One night, we sat around and did beat poetry with these bongos that some of us had purchased at the marketplace. So funny. Apparently, I have the gift of rhyme, and she and I had everyone laughing over our "poetry." I think she is my long lost soul sister.

Well, I found her through a social networking site, which is amazing considering she is not "friends" with any of the other friends of mine that went on that trip. I was just thinking about her and remembered that I had an old email address for her in my old email account which I retain as a "junk" mail account. So I looked her up by name and found her.

And in her profile, it says that she just moved to San Diego. My response: Are you kidding me?

I really hope she messages me back or gives me a call. I'm wondering how recently she moved to San Diego and whether she has any friends here yet. If she does not, then this is totally a God thing because it can be so lonely to move to a place where you do not know anyone.

My Birthday Party

It was my birthday today, and it was a really good day. My coworkers threw me a Napoleon Dynamite party, complete with tator tots, dang quesadillas, and a cake--built by Pedro. So funny. I also received a shirt that says, "I got skills" with numchucks (sp?) on it. (Yesssss.....!)Then I threw myself a birthday party. I had a lot of fun people come over. We ate food, sang songs, and played Nintendo. I managed to get most of my guests to sign the guest book, for which I provided prompts. They had to answer one (or more if they wanted) of the following questions:

1. If you called a radio station and dedicated a song to me, what song
would you dedicate and why?
2.Write a mathematically based word problem that involves you and me.
Solve the problem, showing your work and the answer.
3. What is your favorite memory of you and me?
4. What goal(s) should I try to accomplish in the next year?
5. Do you have any words of wisdom for me? What are they?

I got some great responses. I love my friends!

Walking

Someday my friend,
We'll go walking again,
Talk about where we've been,
What we've seen,
How we've grown,
What we've learned
As we walked alone,
And how much better
It is to walk together
No matter where we go.

Red Robin

I went to visit my parents last weekend on Saturday. My mom and I ate at the Red Robin that used to be where my friends and I always hung out when we were in high school. It all started with my 16th birthday...My mom threw me a surprise party for my 16th birthday. I was at my dad's house, when my mom knocked on the door. She said I had left something in her van. So I went to check it out, and all my friends were in the van. We drove to Red Robin and had dinner.

There happened to be a cute server serving us that night, and I didn't think he was that cute, but all my friends did. The result of this was that we continued to go to Red Robin in hopes of seeing this guy, which eventually led to one of my friends getting a job there when she turned 16 in November of that same year.

Well, she's still working at the Red Robin. I ran into her with my mom at lunch on Saturday. It was so fun to catch up and hear what's up in her life, and in the lives of my other friends from high school.I was always the independent one. I was the only one of that group to go away to college. Everyone else stayed in town. They all still hang out with each other. I don't think I could have stayed there, but I'm glad that I'm slowly reconnecting.

New friend?

So I had this gift card to Olive Garden. I received it for teaching a swim lesson to some ladies at work that are competing in a triathalon. I coached and taught swim lessons for about 7 years in the summer until I had to get a "real" job, so I am good at stroke analysis, technique, and coaching people to improvement.

Sorry, got sidetracked. So anyway, I hadn't seen my friend Ryan G. in awhile, and made plans to have dinner with him. Ryan and I have a fun history together because we grew up together. Our parents went to the same church, we went to the same schools, and he used to hang out with my step-brother. Then he ended up coming to UCSB, and we were involved in the same club, and spent a summer overseas with the same group of people. We lost touch a little after college, but then he moved to SD, and well, its fun for us to hang out because we know a lot of the same people.When we were talking about where to eat dinner, I remembered that I had a giftcard to Olive Garden. So we decided to use it.

We were starting our conversation when all of a sudden there was this guy with a loud booming voice who introduced himself with a VERY australian accent, "Hi, my name is James, and I'll be your server tonight..."James told us that he is half-aussie, and half-american, and let me tell you, our experience just would not have been the same without him. He was courteous without being obtrusive, the service was excellent, and he was both fun and funny all at the same time. It is obvious that James loves people, and Ryan and I agreed that we would come back, just because of how great our experience was. The most interesting thing about it was that James has no prior server experience, and this was his first week on the job.People seem to be afraid of getting to know each other these days, it is rare to meet those who are willing to try. I think we found ourselves a new friend. And to think, I never go to Olive Garden, and never would have gone if I hadn't got a giftcard.

Life, perhaps...

On a journey…

It has been said that the path is straight and narrow,
but this road I have taken has unexpected turns
As it clearly lies before me
The asphalt undisturbed
Someday this path will lead me home
Because I know that God has guided me
To this one lane road

---

So Ryan tells me:

Okay this has nothing to do with your post. I was just thinking if life is a journey and God is in control, are you taking detours, or is God leading you through the scenic route? Enjoy the beauty of the day and the trip as it will be a long one :)

Yes, the journey is long. I think God is in control, but I can't help but take detours sometimes. I always wonder, am I making the right decisions? Or is this all a part of God's plan? Can God use me in spite of myself? In spite of my bad decisions? Or bad choices I make in life?

I really do think that God can use us no matter where we are, and brings us back to the correct path when we make wrong choices. Hopefully I learn from my mistakes, and continue to walk more confidently on the road he has set before me.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path...