The Comfort of People Like You

[hi david.]
Facebook is a life-sucker, isn't it? But there are some really good things that come out of social networking sites. Like getting back in touch with the past, with old friends. For me, this makes myspace and facebook totally worth the cost (for the most part) in the time I've spent on them.

Recently I decided to search for some old friends from my childhood on Facebook, my bygone childhood, lost in the south, never to be confirmed or denied by anyone. Except maybe my sister, my parents, and the actual house (which seems to hold nothing of me. I went there in 2004. Our soul vapors weren't there. But some of my memories were. But things were different.) And I found these old friends! And it's so interesting what happens in my head as I look at their photos, because ... they seem ... at least superficially ... just like me ... !!!

Ah, the comfort of people like you. I'm looking at these 3 girls, who I last saw when we were all about 8 years old in Houston, Texas, and they look "normal." They're not plastic women with slick hair, perfect bodies, well-done makeup and tailored clothes. They are naturally good looking, but don't appear to spend too much time on their appearance. Is this a learned behavior of growing up in CA? Is that why my sister and I never quite fit in? (At least one of the reasons, I'm sure.)

I always wonder what I'd be like if we'd stayed in Texas. Part of me reverberates with the idea that I'd be me -- I'd be the same -- except maybe Christian and maybe Republican. [??? is that possible ???]

Another trip and a half is that while nearly everyone still lives in Texas, one of my childhood friends lives in the Bay Area, just about 2 hours away from me. Wow!! Crazy.
I guess we have to go see her!