I know that I am an incredibly lucky human being. I mean, for starters, I have more than enough food, water, shelter, and clothing. I don't worry about where my next meal is coming from. I have a job. I have a degree that my parents paid for. I have more THINGS than anyone should ever have, really. My room is FULL of just... stuff. I feel guilty, sometimes, for having so much. Does anyone need as much perfume as I have? No. Absolutely not. Does anyone need 30 bras? Nope. Sure don't. Does anyone need hundreds of books? Nope. Does anyone need 20 sweatshirts? Probably not. So I feel guilty for having all of these material things. But then I'm lucky on a whole other level. I have a family that loves me unconditionally, and that would do just about anything to make me happy. I have a boyfriend who doesn't beat me or belittle me or make me feel worthless... and on top of that, he's just a pretty amazing human being. I'm honored to know him and to have him like me back. And what pretty much prompted this post... I just have unbelievable friends. I believe that I am TRULY so incredibly blessed in this life of mine to have two groups of just... unbelievable friends. The fact that I have two decently large groups of people to run to when I'm sad, or to run to when I'm ready for a good time haha, is just... wonderful. This evening I hung out with my friends from home. We didn't do anything mind-blowing... we literally just sat around and talked for a good 4-5 hours. There is something so reassuring about friends from home. They understand you and where you come from. They just get things about you that people from school couldn't possibly comprehend (although not possibly for a lack of trying). Some people at work were kind of dissing people that still hang out with their friends from high school, saying that you must be pretty lame if you're still hanging out with your high school friends because that means you haven't made better friends at college, blah blah. I was just shocked. I'm sorry you had shitty friends in high school? I mean, seriously. I LOVE my high school friends and I am so glad that we're still hanging out and enjoying each other's company. They are just... home. I am so comfortable with them and I love love love knowing that they'll always be there for a laugh or a cry or a Wendy's run or a night of just watching tv and gossiping.

And then I have my Miami friends, who just continue to put smiles on my face even though we're not at school together anymore. Tonight was the first night I've gone out where I realized that I should have been going out at Miami instead, if I hadn't graduated. And it just brought back a whole flood of memories. And then I came home and had an email from Erin waiting... we've had an email chain going where we just all email each other updates on our lives and what we've been going through, and it honestly gets me through the day sometimes. Anyway, the email from Erin was just so... wonderful. I mean, it wasn't all happy... in fact, a lot of it wasn't, but I found myself just thinking that I am SO proud to get to call her (and everyone else) on the email my friend. I truly have been introduced to some incredible people in my life and I can't believe I've actually been able to be friends with them. If you're reading this, chances are you're one of the people I'm incredibly thankful to know :)

It's just hard to think that I won't ever get to stumble home with Jamie, throw some popcorn in the microwave, and eat the whole bag while snuggling in her bed, laughing about the nights' events and whatever's on tv. I won't see her pour herself a DC or put salt on just about everything, including pizza. It's hard to think that I won't be living with Kiley anymore after 4 straight years of doing so... not only that, but I won't get to see her antics. I won't get to see her folding herself over the top of the couch anymore, or slapping her thighs together, and I won't be cheered up by her constant optimism. Tim won't be around anymore to talk to about tennis, or to play tennis with. I won't get to use his spotless bathroom anymore (because clearly, who would choose to use Zach's disgusting bathroom?) and I won't get to listen to his pure sass on a daily basis. I won't get to see his standard pose... shoulders raised up a bit, hands shoved in his front pockets. And I won't have Zach to joke around with and complain to about whoever is annoying us at the moment... I won't be able to have fat nights with anyone now that he's not around. Late-night McDonalds won't ever be the same. Luckily Erin and Alyssa will still be around so I don't have to bother with being super sad about them :) I love them a lot and I cannot wait to spend the next year hanging out with them and continuing to build our friendship that blossomed out of Oreos and peanut butter.

I just... am in a reflective mood tonight, I guess, and although this is really long, all that you really need to have gotten out of this (if you're still reading) is that, since you ARE reading, you are probably someone I consider to be a wonderful friend and I am extremely, extremely thankful for your friendship. I love you!

Taco Huts

I would like to publicly express my gratitude to whoever came up with the idea of the TacoHut. I mean, yes, I am assuming it was someone with Yum! Brands... but for real, whatever individual decided this would be a good idea was absolutely correct and should be thanked. Where else can you get a steak quesadilla and Pizza Hut breadsticks (two of my all-time favorite foods) in one stop? Sigh.

I think I'm going to campus tonight to meet up with Alyssa and her PT classmates. Should be fun! I'm gonna have to leave relatively early though, due to my 10 AM start time at work tomorrow. Boo. Work has a tendency to ruin the fun things in life.

Facebook

I'm officially disturbed by the large number of relatives on Facebook. This is a very recent discovery, and it has left me feeling kind of uncomfortable. It all started a few days ago when I came home from work and found an email in my inbox stating, "Lisa Peters has added you as a friend on Facebook." I literally YELLED downstairs, "MOOOOOOMMMMM. YOU'RE ON FACEBOOK?!?!?!?" to which she meekly replied "Yes..."

Then, through viewing her friends, I discovered that my 12 year old sister and 13 year old brother ALSO have Facebook. Why? Honestly. Why would you possibly need to be on Facebook? You don't need to keep in touch with anyone because you are STILL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL! Gahhhh!

Then today I paid another visit to my mom's profile where I discovered like, a million more relatives. I was obviously already friends with all of my cousins that are near my age. Turns out, however, that numerous aunts and uncles are ALSO on Facebook.

I'm just waiting for the day when my computer-illiterate Grandma gets Facebook. I'll probably die.

In other (sad) news, everyone is leaving. Jamie left already, Donny left today, and Kiley leaves Saturday. I tried my hardest not to cry when Donny left because, let's be honest, this is literally the fifth year we've done the long distance thing. However, my poor attempts proved unsuccessful. I'm such a girl.

Kiley and I had a dinner date at Due Amici tonight. They have a happy hour where, for $10, you can get a (huge) (and delicious) pizza and either a well drink, a beer, or a house wine. Not a bad deal. Here's the best part: we didn't get carded. Probably the first time in my life I can make that claim. Needless to say, I was very proud of us.

The next few weeks of my life are going to be full of trying to get in as many hours at work as I can until my last day on August 27th... it can't come soon enough. I'm planning on going to Pittsburgh on August 28 to visit Donny on his birthday weekend... then I'll just be hanging out and packing and getting ready to move into my new apartment! I am SO excited about that... I'm nervous but really looking forward to living on my own. I feel grown up :)

For the present, however... I'm just looking forward to going to bed sort of early tonight, and sleeping in tomorrow. No work tomorrow :) Huzzah!