Two topics for today: First, the past remembered, and second, am I too busy to be neurotic?

1. I've been in the OC for a little over a week now, and have met up with a few different people, having a generally great time. Monday was graced with the quintessential Orange County moment as I drove down PCH with a coffee in one hand, the ocean to my left, and Mike Ness blaring on KROQ. This was followed on Tuesday and Thursday by long walks through an area not designed to accommodate pedestrians. The week was thus able to put me in the proper teen aged mindset to see a good friend of mine from high school. As likely happens with everyone, even though we're both adults with full lives and plenty to say, we ended up talking about people we knew back in the day. This created the first inkling I've ever had to actually find out what's been happening with any of these people. Maybe I will end up going to my reunion when it finally happens. We'll see.

This brings up the funny part about coming home. There's a disconnect between the past and the present. The OC is not a part of my future, and I feel very much as though I both belong here and don't at the same time. It is tempting to move back here and reconnect with people I knew in high school. I guess it plays into the classic model of becoming a teacher, getting married, and popping out kids in the suburbs. It's safe, it's tested, it's expected. It's not what I want. Is there any way to have all of the things I love about current life AND everything I miss about SoCal? Not likely. In the meantime, I'll stick with my decision and realize that regardless of what's going on with the ex, or how old rivals are doing, or what's happening with friends that never made sense to begin with, they're just not a part of my life as I'm living it. Oddly, though it feels so recent when talking over the details with an old friend, in general I'd just forget that high school happened. Funny how time conspires to keep bringing it up.

2. This will come as no surprise to anybody that knows me, but the past couple of months have been rather hectic, and the next month promises to follow suit. On one hand, it's been hard and stressful. However, I'm not unhappy. This makes me wonder if I'm happier when I don't have the time to overanalyze everything that comes my way. My mind is busy, so there's not the opportunity to get neurotic. Where this has made itself most obvious is with the lovelife. Though my schedule has prevented a whole ton of progress, I've been able to relax and let things flow. I'm still too cynical to fall head over heels, but I like this guy, and that could be in the cards for the near future. What ironic here is that the free time that would allow me to see more of him and get to know him better would also give me the opportunity to overthink the situation. In the meantime, my neuroses are on hiatus through February. This will also mean a continued lack of juicy content for the old blog, as I'll still have nothing much to say. Happy and busy do not make for a good blogger.