Flashback to January - long hours during the week, in on the weekends. Ugh. At least it will not be for too long. I have about 2 weeks of this, and then probably time for a little relaxation ... or paranoia. I regret to say that I cannot yet here (widely) divulge the nugget behind this rather cryptic remark, but rest assured that I am not extremely happy at this moment (or any moment since Friday). Feelings of relief, disappointment, pensiveness.

My free (non-work) time this weekend was spent surrounded by friends. The hugs felt sooo good!

Every once in a while I experience great wonder at the world in which I live. Most of the time, it's when I look up or out and notice all the things that are out there (man-made, and natural). I see vast cities and mountains and forests, and it all seems so damned amazing. Times like that, I just want to jump in my car (or, more often than not, I'm already driving) and take off for ... anywhere. It's been a long time since I've had a good adventure, where I don't really know exactly where I'm going, or where I'll end up.

Steve just went driving one day and ended up in Alberta. Sometimes I feel like doing something like that, but I never have. Always some sort of responsibility in the way - work, school, appointments. Freedom, in this day and age, is the ability to cast off the accoutrements of modern society and/or successfully shirk responsibility and spend some time just experiencing things.

Now that I think about it, I and people I know spend quite a bit of time doing just that, but I still kind of want to drive off into the wild blue yonder for a while. I think I would need an accomplice, though; I don't thrive so well in the absence of companionship.

Random meanderings on a Monday afternoon. Somehow, I don't feel the weight of my responsibilities too heavily today. I do, however, feel a lot of love for my people. All that's missing is my damned passion - what and where are you?

To borrow an idea from someone else's blog, today I want to squeeze *everyone* i know all at once.