I'm finding it more and more difficult to make it to Mass every week in Minnesota. I don't know what it is. Perhaps it's just that St. Joe's doesn't exactly feel like home to me... and I suppose that makes sense. There are a ton of things I really dislike about St. Joe's. For one... I hate how no one holds hands during the Our Father... it only emphasizes the lack of community there and makes being the new guy an even more uncomfortable experience. I'm also weirded out by how the Eucharistic Ministers all douse their hands in Purell before giving communion. I don't like the huge pillars in the middle of the church, making it impossible to see anything if you're sitting in the wrong spot. The priest, however, is an excellent homilist. But it's just... weird. I don't like going there every week because I don't feel welcome and I don't like sitting alone in a room full of people I don't know who I'm not constantly interacting with, you know? I don't mind going to Mass alone at home or at St. John's. I don't even mind going to Mass at the prison (in fact, I prefer it over St. Joe sometimes... ha). Maybe it's the lack of the community... maybe it's the small town... I don't know. I just don't really care for it. And today, for the second time all summer (and before that... for the first time since at *least* elementary school), I woke up for Mass, only to decide that getting more sleep would be more worth it than going to Mass. I don't like that about myself.

In other news... "The Hangover" is way too amazing for words. Holy cow. I don't really know what to say to that other than "Thank You" to whoever thought up that movie for providing me with one of the most entertaining experiences in my life so far. Wow. If you think your life sucks... watch this movie, and you'll feel better about yourself. Imagine having all of these ass backwards, straight out of left field-things happen to you, and you don't remember any bit of how it happened. Wow. That's all I have to say to that one.

I really, really miss bus driving. I definitely don't like this new job as much as I like bus driving... but I'm still finding that I just want to work more. Even if I don't want to be there... I would rather work all day long up until the minute I have to go to bed than not... mostly because my lack of a social life is really starting to take a toll on me. I keep trying to reassure myself that I would be even lonelier at home, which I have no doubt in my mind about... but still. This really just sucks. Maybe it's them. Maybe it's me. Maybe... it's Maybelliene.

In other other news... I bought the Sims3 on Friday. It's amazing. Totally worth the $50 I splurged on it. It's the birthday present I'm giving myself... since I'm pretty sure no one knows/will remember my birthday when it happens, with the exception of my parents and sister who will be travelling up here for the occasion. It would have been the same story if I was at home... it's just I guess being up in Minnesota makes the experience that much more lonely.

In other other other news... I just looked up at my desk and found this quote that I have tacked onto the wall... "Music is your own experience, your thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." It's from Charlie Parker. I just realized right now that after taking the History of Jazz, I actually know who Charlie Parker was. Hah. I've had that quote for years.

Anyway. Bye.