The always-opinionated They like to tell you that some people have to learn the hard way. Okay, that’s true enough. But why is it that we often have to relearn the same things over and over again? That’s sorta lame. Now, I’m not about to get into some sort of super-deep existential musing here. It’s not anything that serious. I just seem to keep having to learn again and again that I am happier, more fulfilled, more energetic, more productive, and more inspired when I spend time with people. I am inescapably extroverted. I find ways of hiding it—mostly by reading and chilling at my apartment—but eventually my need for human interaction simply cannot be denied. The funny thing—and the thing you’d think I would remember—is that every time I have one of these periods of social near-hibernation, my emergence into the social realm is so refreshing and invigorating.
Today was a near-perfect day for me. My main job right now is working for New Vision Inc., a local non-profit, as a Home Study Writer. When families want to adopt or foster a child, I go conduct several interviews with them, go through paperwork, and ultimately write a review that goes to DCS recommending the family for approval or denial. I don’t have the final say—fortunately. Personally, I think that would be too much responsibility for a single, 22-year male with no children. It’s a really cool job, and it combines my two favorite skills—writing and interacting with people.
One of my cases is a single mother with a deceased husband. Over my three interviews with her we have developed a real rapport and she says every time that she doesn’t talk about a lot of the things she’s experienced in her life and just by going through the process of evaluating her background for the Home Study she’s been able to talk to someone about really difficult memories from her past. I’m not a counselor, and I don’t try to be, but it is amazing and humbling to have people I barely know open up and tell me about the defining moments of their lives, the things that shaped them into who they are. Today was a great interview.
I got home and had all this energy, so I did more cleaning around the apartment than I’ve done in a long time. Wiped down some counters, did some laundry and some dishes, went through my closet and through some stuff away. It was nuts. I was a machine. Then I started up my Retrograde Travelogue blog and got the first post up there. I even got to have a brief but lovely chat with a very dear friend on the loathed Facebook chat (I hate you, Facebook chat).
Around 8 I drove to Lipscomb for some poetry reading organized by my very awesome friends Amy McLaughlin and Colin Sherfield. About a dozen people showed up and we spent an hour reading a lot of very nifty poems. Eliot, Berry, Plath, Poe and a lot of wonderful submissions penned by my talented friends. It was nerdy, it was English majory, and it was awesome. Y. Awesomey. I tend to read poems and sort of hear the voices in my mind, without actually vocalizing them. Not the same. Hearing poems read and reading them is so much better and more fun. I’m very glad this is looking like it will be a semi-regular occurrence. Not only will I get to spend more time with fun people who bring tasty tea and coffee, but upcoming poetry readings will encourage me to find the time to read and potentially write more poetry, and there ain’t a darn thing wrong with that.
Apres that, I went and hung out with my dearly beloved cuz, Claire, and her roomie Miranda and watched the 2nd half of Parenthood. I had mistaken Parenthood with the show Sofia Vergera is in, which is actually Modern Family, but I still enjoyed the show. I got to catch up with my cuz and tomorrow we’re doing lunch. I got a call from the Blakester, who joined us at Claire’s apartment. It’s funny, Lauren’s apartment is probably about 200 feet from mine, but I haven’t seen her at home in over two weeks. I’m pretty sure since school started we’ve seen each other more at Lipscomb than at home.
I had just about gotten back to my car when I saw two of my sophomore friends, Sonata and Ashley, and as I was talking to them Dr. Briley walked up. I got to chat with him for about 15 minutes and it was wonderful. Every time I talk to Dr. Briley I am reminded that he is simply one of the nicest people I know. I spent one week with him when he visited my Vienna group for our trip to church sites in Rome and Florence, and he’s remembered my name and who I am ever since. As we were catching up Paige Woods joined us and we had a miniature Vienna reunion.
Finally I returned home, then hung out with the Blakester for little longer. I’ve spent my whole day with people, and it’s the best day I’ve had in a while. I have energy and enthusiasm, I am happy and content, and I’m motivated to actually DO SOMETHING for projects like my blogs. I’m going to try to make the socializing and being productive and creative more of the norm for me and the isolation/solitude more the aberration than the rule. Let’s see what happens.
