It is nice to be ‘home’ with my family. It is strange for us all to be more or less living under the same roof again after so many years, but somehow it seems to be working out okay.
The weather has been amazingly beautiful after a first couple of clouds and drizzle. I’m sitting outside feeling a cool breeze and the warm 85 degree (higher?) sun on me as I attempt to get some work done.
So far, this time being home has not quite given me the down feeling that I often get from my childhood surroundings. Perhaps it is the Cipralex working or perhaps I am just more comfortable in my skin or perhaps it is a combination of everything. I am even enjoying the friendliness and ‘normalcy’ of the people and life here. Of course, I do not have to go to work or deal with the daily grind, which helps me to enjoy the life.
Despite all this, I still feel a little out of place. It seems to me that Americans talk a lot. I mean talk – about everything and anything. I am no longer used to this kind of social interaction as I hardly talk to anyone, let alone people I do not know at all. I have never been an overly talkative person to begin with, but it is rather interesting to me that people will tell me all kinds of stories and the real truth is that while I am politely listening, I am also wondering why they are telling me the information. Is it just to fill unfamiliar silence? Is it to make some connection to me? Is it to try to get me to share more information – quid pro quo style? Or, is it simply just the need for verbal diarrhea with no purpose other than to expunge energy and information?
I understand it is ‘friendly’ and ‘just what people do’, but it is taking some adjusting. I live in my head most of the time. I am generally surrounded by like-minded people by choice and so it is somewhat uncomfortable to be around people I have not necessarily chosen to spend my time with let alone have a fairly in-depth conversation with. π
In any case, it is still nice to be here. It is good to be reminded that there is a normal world out there still (meaning one I am more familiar with and consider to be civilized!). I sometimes forget that the world I am in most of the time is not really the ‘norm.’
-T π
