TheBanyanTree: Three Years(!?)

[Rob, The Human Generator]

I was reading through my old messages, and I just got Paul's talking about 
moving the list (which has now happened) and how the Tree was now 3 years old.

(Ironically, mostly due to my schedule, I think I have a few e-mail 
messages that are 3 years old!)

It really struck me, because I've been a member of the Tree (if not one of 
its more regular posters) since it was first planted. And I even go back 
(in fits and starts and, apparently based on this message, several sets of 
parenthesis) to the Spoon, so that means I've been reading some of you for 
almost 5 years now.

But even thinking about three years can give you some sense of how fast our 
lives are these days.

Three years ago at this time, I was getting ready to finish my Bachelor's 
degrees in English and Political Science. I had no idea what I was going to 
do with my life, and the fact that my college career was ending was a very 
big thing to me.

Three years ago at this time, I was still trying to get back together with 
a now ex-girlfriend. We had almost patched things up when, a little later, 
she met up with one of her exes, and then, soon enough, I was history.

Three years ago at this time, I would type these messages either between 
classes or in my bedroom at Gram's house. Those were a lot of late nights, 
chatting with friends on ICQ (does anyone still use that service?), 
especially those of the West Coast set.

Three years ago, I was still a few months away from meeting Liz for the 
first time.

Where am I, three years later?

Working in a job that turned out to be much more than I bargained for, but 
also not what I want to do with the rest of my life. So, I'm actually in 
the same place I am now that I was in three years ago, only I'm getting 
paid instead of paying for tuition.

I have a girlfriend of a year and a half, who has been a strong and 
steadying influence in my life. I have met HER ex-girlfriend, but that's 
because he happens to be a cousin of mine.

And I'm in my own apartment, which is currently far too messy, but I can 
have the computer right in the living room, all the better for watching 
sports while I'm chatting with friends (on AOLIM now), especially happily 
reminding my Clevelanders that their Browns still are bums. :)

Three years can make a lot of difference. I hope we'll all be around the 
Tree, hanging in the branches and passing notes, getting a chance to look 
back at the past three years, which start now.

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Rob McMonigal
twainfan at earthlink.net
http://www.livejournal.com/users/trebro
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"You can't spread jam on a solstice." -John Beck
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