dcseain: Cast shot of me playing my violin in role of minstrel in the Two Gentlemen of Verona (Default)
I've told you a tad about the Bachmans. I shared the Summer of 1986 with you. I wrote a three-page essay about my father's death from my point of view - a page a year as it turned out. So, for a little greater context, a bit more of my growing-up years.

I met B when i was four, as told before. We recently reconnected thanks to Facebook. Through B, i've also reconnected with N, M, L, E, K, H, R, and others. Once i started school, i met M and L, who are twins. As the years progressed, the three of them remained core to my life, socially and emotionally. I met K in Elementary school, when her mother arrived at our school to replace my teacher, who was leaving for an other position with the county schools. K, her sisters, and mother, have been important to me through many years now. E, with whom i had a lengthy IM chat the other night, commented that she remembers almost endless walking in our teenage years.

I have a long history of walking - through the woods, along creeks, to the local mall, three miles each way to work, Dupont Circle, DC to Lee Heights, Arlington, twenty miles through the mountains, and more. In the Summers of Middle School and High School, back when we had no jobs, commitments and what, i'd walk down the hill, up the hill, around the corner down the hill, up the hill, around the corner up the hill, around the corner down the hill, around the corner down the hill to E's house. We'd mix tonic and sugar and flavourings to make sodas, after i quaffed ample water - it's hot and humid here in the Summertime.

Once i'd cooled down, E and I would set off up and down the hills, to the trail off of Birchdale Ave, along the edge of the two houses that aren't like, and predate, the others, over to a branch of Neabsco Creek, where we'd shimmy across a sewer pipe to Anderson Ct, where we'd meet R and H and A and others. We usually met at R's place, cause she had to watch her younger brother S til her mom got home. That, and the Mall did not open until we were 15, so aside from the Giant at Ashdale, there wasn't much of anywhere to go to.

We'd lounge in R's living room, listening to music. If S was up for it, we'd go for a walk; he was young enough, we couldn't just leave him for hours without someone to come to if needed. We'd talk, and listen to music. We'd make a simple lunch - sandwiches or deviled eggs or what. And R's mom would come home to her usual 'living room draped with teenagers' as she'd say as she came in each day.

For variety, we'd lounge at H's or A's house up the block instead. Mostly, it was R's house though. As the years went by, we, well they, started dating. Still we hung out. Then M, L, and i got jobs in the months after Potomac Mills opened. Still we hung out, walking, always walking. There's even sidewalks today on most of the way we walked in the dirt along the road back then.

Growing up in Dale City was a great thing. We made what have turned out to be life-long friendships, though we may go years without talking. We've been together through deaths, marriages, abortions, graduations, divorces, and more. Now many of them have children, and those children that i've met are a joy to be around. One of the best things about growing up in that when and where was the fact that no matter whose house we were at, the rules and expectations were the same. At age 13, our parents ranged in age from 29 to 57, and were of various ethnicities but, the expected behaviour was identical at every house.

That made growing up easier. Constancy helps, as many of you can attest. The colorblindness we grew up with made for some hard lessons for many of us as we got out in the real world and other regions of the country. At the same time, we know that the world we are raising our children in is, on that count, a better world that that in which we grew up. And that, on that count, the world that we grew up in was pretty darn good, not least for that then.

So, having reconnected with childhood friends, who now live here, Chicago, South Carolina, Baltimore, and other places, i find myself joyed and overwhelmed. Yet, i'm not nostalgic. Then was then, and it was good, in spite of everything. Now is now, and through our shared past, our yet-similar todays, we shall forge new relationships similar, yet entirely unlike what was before. For though the past is a base, life, relationships, and the world are not static, and there be only to move forward.

At age 29, i was truly grateful to have in my life people i'd know for a quarter century, knowing that there were people twice my age who could not say that. I pass no judgment at all on those whose relations are of shorter duration. I simply feel truly blessed with the lengths of my relationships, and the opportunity now to renew some that had lapsed for longer than is ideal.

Things

Aug. 7th, 2007 10:43 pm
dcseain: Cast shot of me playing my violin in role of minstrel in the Two Gentlemen of Verona (Default)
Tonight, various things. Mi comprensión oral de español mejora por mi trabajo, cual sea buena. My oral comprehension of Spanish is improving due to my job, which is good. Especially since they hired me for my Spanish skills. It's been a bit rough, as i've not had regular telephone practice with my Spanish since 1985.


I'm about ready to pick up on the cycle of poems i started in November. For some reason, only now do i feel ready to carry on with the project, which will occur over in [livejournal.com profile] seain_scribbles, the community i set up for my writing. I wonder if i should move my personal essays over there. Likely, i will cross-post them, as i have more readership here, and not everyone wants to be part of helping me edit my writing. I shall make some new tags in this journal to better group personal essays and poems.

I've come to realise that my personal essays, some of which are properly vignettes, are really some of my strongest writing. I find that kind of odd, as i'm not one to talk about myself, which some of my friends are discovering as they're being interviewed for my Level 2 Clearance. One commented after her interview that she feels she knows me well, but doesn't really know about me. That did not surprise me, as that's rather how i am in general. I'm really rather introverted and shy, despite the face i present to the world.

Not that i never talk about my homosexuality, spirituality, kinks, and what, i just don't do it often, nor to a very large audience. One friend was shocked at first that i'd remade acquaintance with a charming man with whom we'd both gone to HS on a kink site. Her shock turned to pensiveness, leading her to comment as to whether all of us from the first couple of classes of that school had turned out queer and/or kinky. I posited all but one person, quite maybe...hmm...make that two people on further consideration.


I'm falling into the rhythm of the new job and its wack schedule. I'm enjoying it, and like my coworkers, though one of them knows not what to make of me, though i'm guessing that'll change as we work together more. Either that, or we'll maintain our professional relationship and never gel socially, which is cool. One cannot be social with everyone, though one can be pleasant with [most] everyone. I've also come to learn that i must be in bed not later than 22 if i want to be rested, functional, and focused for work. Lack of sleep makes me highly unfocussed.


The cats are doing well. Bunbun's been a bit skittish of late, but he goes through periods of that. I said hi to him earlier when i went up to get the cat bowls to wash so i could feed them, and he shot off like i was a threat. *shrug* He's cute, and cuddly when he wants. Very rabbitlike. :)


Right now i'm tired, a bit antsy, and wanting social interaction. So, sleep, a walk, and a conversation, though likely not in that order, are what i want right now. Likely i'll read a bit, fall asleep, get up in the wee hours, brush my teeth and go to bed. Guess i'll see. Maybe i'll be all grown-up and brush my teeth and go to bed to read. Stranger things have happened.

Oh! I've tried a couple of the wines i received for helping [livejournal.com profile] bhanfhlaith move. Very nice so far, the ones i've had. Thank you for them. I've not yet opened the gallon of homemade mead. I look forward to that once the weather cools a bit, toward Samhain or so.

Oh, and a random tidbit: I was surprised to learn that my street address is unique in the US.

Peace unto you, my friend.

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dcseain: Cast shot of me playing my violin in role of minstrel in the Two Gentlemen of Verona (Default)
dcseain

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