I should have written an entry last night to recap the weekend, but i was much too tired so i'm going to try to piece some of it together now. I don't want to get that detailed only because it would take too much typing and it's something i'd much rather talk about, so i'll just list a couple things. It seems fitting that i should make notes for myself to prepare for similar situations:
1) When going on a business trip you can never ask too many questions about your specific role and responsibilities. Large companies although very efficient in making money seldom care about the individual and, learning from this experience, will thrust them into a complicated situation with little instruction. I for the most part took matters into my own hands and did what i thought was appropriate, but the improvisation was a stress i could have done without.
2) When faced with a very short amount of time to be with friends never, never, dwell on the length of time. Worrying about messing something up or leaving without proper goodbye's or what conversation is more important to have, given the brevity of a situation, is all a waste of precious time. You just have to enjoy it. The time i valued most during this trip were times when it seemed like i was at home simply enjoying my friends. During those times i wasn't productive, wasn't worried about whether i was talking about something important, or trying to make an individual happy, i was just content with the interaction and company of others. This is a special thanks to derek james and chad. The day in new paltz was perfect and it assured me that although distance fucking blows, i'm not completely alone in the world.
3) When someone who has jerked you around before starts jerking you around again, fucking leave and don't feel guilty about it. I wasted a night on someone who is for the most part lost, and it was nothing but a frustrating experience. She may be a good person, but damnit she needs to figure out what she wants in life, only then will she stop wasting other people's time. I should've spent that night with a couple girls that i neglected because of my own insecurities. When someone tells me i'm cute, even though it's happened a couple times it's always like the first time and i am paralyzed by such a compliment simply because i'd accepted it wasn't true a long time ago. And this leads into the next.
4) Only spend time with people that make you happy. Everyone else isn't worth a second. I maybe a dick for saying this, but right now i'm really picky with good friends. I was a person that would do anything for anyone without question, but i'm slowly realizing that this mentallity only causes stress for myself and life is just too short to be around people you don't enjoy.

That's about it... It was overall a really good weekend and although i didn't see everyone i would've liked to (past residents of v4) my resnet buddies made me feel like i had never even left. You guys, seriously, priceless. This is a personal plead for you all to move down to richmond so we can fucking rule the bar scene.

On a side night i went to a little coffee shop tonight in hopes of finding a place to just sit and read with a cup of coffee. As soon as i entered people responded like i was from fucking mars. I asked for a coffee and got a response like nobody ever asks for a black cup of coffee. And, upon finding a quiet corner where the light was in the right position to read the bartender put on a song which had a chorus of "go home you damn yankee." What the fuck... I don't even know what happened but god damnit does this place fucking suck for people from the north east. But, the book, "the age of reasoning," what i mind trip. James gave it to me and it's seriously the best thing i've read ever. So James, thank you.