2010-09-13
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Cousin Dave
In true form to my impossible-to-predict nature, I�m going to put the (first) tangent right at the start of this entry. I�ve always really liked Sade�s music. It�s smooth, sultry, and heartfelt. A few months ago she put out a new CD called �Soldier of Love�, which I�m sorry to say left me feeling very disappointed. I don�t hate it, it�s got a catchy tune or two, but mostly it�s just�stale and bland. Bummer. In other news, I�m just back to Spokane following a 3-day stint in Denver. Normally I would go home for 4 days, but I�ve got a standing meeting every Monday afternoon, and The Girl has work and School on Thursday, so there�s no real benefit to me going home on Thursdays. I�d rather spend some quality time than just hang at home. Still, it�s very nice to sleep in my own bed, even if it is only every other weekend. On Labor Day weekend I spent about 8 hours in the car, driving to Hamilton, Montana to visit my cousin, Dave. Dave and I had lost touch in the early 80�s, and found one another last summer, thanks to Facebook. Facebook is very commercial, is always trying to sell me things, and I pretty much have had to block every single game and bullshit application so that I don�t have all the spams from them in my data stream or on my wall. Tangent. I found out that Dave was only about 230 miles away, and from Spokane to Hamilton is truly a spectacular drive. I�m pretty sure that I mentioned that we went to a Demolition Derby last year during Labor Day weekend. It was the County Fair and all. I had never seen a demolition derby before, and it was one the most redneck, America! Fuck yeah! Sort of events that I had ever been to or could imagine. I had a blast. We were going to attend this year too, and I was really looking forward to it, but they postponed it at the last minute. Damn. So I went out anyways, but only for a day. We pretty much just went out to eat and hung out at his place, but that was fun. Oh, and we put a new filter on his fish tank. Good times. Dave and I were so long out of touch mostly because we hadn�t spoken since we were kids, and since we grew up in different states, we never really knew each other. Plus I knew that he was (had been) in the Army, and didn�t even know where to begin looking. Once we found where the other was, however, we had some phone conversations and I can tell you honestly that I couldn�t wait to �meet� him again. After arriving last year and our sizing up of one another, updating our memory-misted mental picture of what the other looked like, I met his wife and we commenced with laughing, joking, talking, feeding off of each other and all in all having a great time. One would expect that after 28 years, it would be a little awkward. It wasn�t. Brittany (Dave�s wife) was absolutely incredulous that we were basically strangers. He�s just 2 years older than me or so, and for that reason we had a lot of things is common, especially music. Way more than that though, our behaviors, likes and dislikes are really well-aligned. We think alike and there is just no doubt that we�re related. I honestly feel closer to him that I do to my actual brother. Weird. Dave doesn�t get on well with his side of the family, but it�s really no one�s business why. Everyone has his/her own life to lead, and Dave�s relationship with everyone else has nothing to do with me. My relationship with him is what affects me, and he�s a great dude whom I get along with well. Oddly enough, just about everyone in my family has been pissed off or at odds with other members of the family at some point, but I�ve always been able to get along with everyone. I know that every person has their own issues, secrets, peccadilloes, idiosyncracies, and the like. I accept them � they�re my family! � and just don�t hold grudges. I wish that this attitude went out to everyone, but alas, it does not. Side note: I�m writing this on an airplane and the flight attendant just told me that I can�t use a wireless mouse on the plane. Really? Come on, people. I can�t take over the navigation systems with an optical mouse. Or can I? BWAHAHAHA. So, to wrap it up, I�m back to work for a while. I�ll write back if something eventful happens. Ta ta!
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