i know this just sounds trite now and it may seem like a bunch of empty words - i will understand, either way, regardless. during the majority of ike's reign over houston, i was battling a nasty sinus infection and did little more than leave my bed unless i was going to work. but during that entire time, i thought about you. and your family. even akela. i wondered if everything was okay, where your family had gone to, where you were, whether or not the giant truck had survived or if the little honda was okay. i thought about all of it. i know you're only a phone call away. or a text. it didn't really occur to me at that time. it was more like - okay, get better, then get in touch with sarah. now that i am better, i'm afraid to call because i'm afraid i'm one of those worthless friends. truth is - i know i probably am. i know i haven't really been there for you in at least the last two years. but you were always a such a huge part of my life and i will always think about you and your family. you guys took me in and made me feel such love. i doubt this will change much and i'm not asking for anything. i just want you to know that you guys were in my thoughts the entire time. i saw the images on cnn while i was in bed and it was horrifying to think that i was worried about a sinus infection while you guys worried about whether or not there would be a home left. but i'm glad you're okay. i'm glad the family is okay. and i don't know...i guess that's it. i'll always love ya, kid.
 

You know, the thing is that it’s not even about checking up on me during a hurricane anymore. Sure, that hurt a little, but I can understand getting wrapped up in your own life and forgetting about people you haven’t seen in three years. It happens. It’s just that if something were to happen in Columbia, or Chicago, or wherever, I would have taken the time. For anyone I was remotely close to in high school, just because that’s the type of person I am. But I know that not everyone is like that, and it’s fine. The post wasn’t even necessarily directed at you, although I can see why you’d relate- my aunt and uncle didn’t bother calling my mom, either, and it really hurt her to know that her own siblings didn’t give a damn whether she was alive or dead. Our house is falling to pieces around us and it’s friends, not family, who have come in time of need. It was a real eye opener.

Regarding you and I: people drift apart. It happens. We live completely different lives and are not the same people as we were in high school. No one can expect us to have the same kind of friendship that we had when we were teenagers, because it isn’t logical- teenaged me might as well be a stranger. I've grown and moved on. It wasn't a hurricane that left me without your call- it was life. I've just gotten to the point where I'm tired of being the one responsible for maintaining communication. I'm tired of putting effort and emotion into things where I don't get anything back. Perhaps I'm at a selfish point in my life, perhaps not. I am at a busy point in my life, though, and I don't have the time to chase people around, trying to get them to pay attention to me. Would I like to remain friends with you? Sure. One day if I'm passing through Columbia or Chicago or wherever you are, I'd like to stop in and share a cup of coffee. Don't be afraid to call. I'm not going to tell you that you're a worthless human being, because you're not and I'm not the sort to be that rude. I'd like to stay at least somewhat connected to my past, and you are part of that past. So if you're going to call, call. And if you aren't, then don't. But I'm tired of being the one sitting around waiting for someone else's call.
 

fair enough. and i agree with all of that. you will always have such a huge place in my life because even though i've grown leaps and bounds in the last two or three years, i did a lot of growing in high school. and middle school even. i'll always want to know about important things in your life - things with school, career things, etc. so even though i may not call often, if ever really, i'm glad to know the option is always there. and sarah, girl...you know that if you ever pass through columbia or chicago and we DON'T have a cup of coffee - i will find you. and mame you.

and this is a completely unrelated but totally related to you story that's kind of long, but here goes: the central missouri humane society is really, really broke and they may have to shut down if they don't start raising money, which means killing all the animals they have that don't get homes and that makes me super sad. so they had a fundraiser called "pawsitively inked" where one of the tattoo shops in town was doing little 2-inch tattoos of like, say, paw-prints or cat/dog outlines, etc., for $30. half of that went straight to the humane society. i wanted to do it but i couldn't think of what to get because...well, i'm not too fond of being known as a crazy cat lady. so i didn't plan on doing it. then all of my co-workers did it and i got tattoo envy and then it hit me. so i drew up my little picture, took it down there and now i have the fucking spiral kitties logo tattooed on my ankle.

fucking spiral kitties. if anything, it will always be the most hilarious tattoo i will ever have. and i immediately thought of you, jessie and kara when it was done.

so yeah. think about that for a second.
 

oh. my. god.

career news: i am no longer referred to as a college student but as a "pre-service teacher". hells yeah. i want business cards.
 

ps i still like barley and hops.
 

just kidding i've always hated barley and hops.

my mom just tried to get me to drink some of her beer and i was like bitch plz.




true story.
 

you know, i used to really hate the beer. have you ever gotten down with some wheat beer? if they have any kind of leinenkugel's in texas, you should find some sunshine wheat. tastes like a blueberry muffin. once i started there, it opened a whole new door of barley & hops goodness.
 

I would feel the same way about Denton or OKC. We all love you. CC
 

I just want to say thank you for taking the time to make sure that myself and my wife were still alive. You and all my friends from B&N took that time to make sure we were alive and well. It meant a lot to me that you would fly down to houston to get us out of harms way. Having a hurricane bearing down on you makes you rethink a lot of things in your life, especially about those who you consider to be your friends. I felt a lot of love and compassion from those around us and I really am thankful for all who checked on us during this scary time in our lives.

You rock my dear friend and I look forward to a new challenge on guitar hero with you!

Kent
 

you mean you look forward to getting TOTALLY DOMINATED.
mwahahaha.
 

you guys are sadly mistaken. maybe all that flood water has seeped into your brain and made you crazy because YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME. I PLAY ON HARD.
 

hey babe, just wanted to let you know that i am okay, and that i made sure your family was okay asap. :D miss you bunches!

b