I'm back home for a few days during my week off from work to see the folks. Now that my sister is off living her married life, the house feels a little empty. There's still plenty of things packed away, though - bits and pieces here and there of things I'd long since forgotten.



My parents have little in the way of entertainment. The cable TV doesn't work particularly well and there's no internet, so I've been rummaging through the piles to see if I can find anything interesting.

In a green box in the corner of my room was a barely-used stationery set. I'd bought it during my sophomore year of college to write to a friend of mine at a different school. We knew of each other from high school, but didn't become friends until I visited her with another buddy during one of my breaks. She was working at a Japanese restaurant on campus, so she ended up buying us a huge plateful of sushi, then we went over to her apartment and helped blow up an inflatable Bears chair that someone had given her. I think I really liked her. We ended up exchanging a few letters, but just sort of lost touch after that. I don't know where she is now, and, I know, I know, I could join Facebook and write on her wall and all that, but that was over a decade ago, and I think that's where it should stay.



I've been trying to use my time to study, but it's hard to be efficient when, for once, all I have is time. I've been spending some time at the Barnes by Myung's house. It's not particularly busy, there are available wall outlets, and there's a cute barista at the cafe. That last part is probably more detrimental to my focus than anything, but it's cold outside, the days are short, and I am okay with it.



Time, won't you slow your pace, just a bit? You're leaving me behind.