Island Life is Real Life

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φιλια

Philia is a Greek word for love. “Love” can take on so many different meanings, depending on whom you’re speaking to, how you feel, and what you are trying to say. The love expressed in the word “philia” is a platonic love. For example, Philadelphia is known as the city of brotherly love. This is the kind of love I find myself owning quite often. It’s not the same as being in-love with someone, but you can love another very deeply, yet have no proper way of describing it in English. Philia is the word I want to use, because when most say “I love you,” if you’re not speaking to a member of your family, you express a more intimate sort of love, even if you don’t mean it that way at all, but that Greek word is "eros."

Some people say, the fewer friends you have, the better those friends are. I would like to disagree with this. I think making more friends continually increases your chances at finding a great friendship. What is a great friendship? It’s not an ordinarily friendly relationship. A great friendship is filled with philia, and I think when people surround themselves with more love each day, they are surrounding themselves with more opportunities to be happy. While you are not guaranteed to be happy, you cannot find happiness without love, and you cannot have love, or philia, without reaching out and finding friendship in the people that cross your path. I know that not all of my relationships with my friends are great friendships, but I do not think I would have found any great friendships without creating these opportunities, and letting myself care about all of the friends I’ve made the way I do.

Good-bye is Such a Definitive Word

I prefer the phrase “see you later.” I hope all of my good-byes this past week have just been little see-you-laters. Actually, I more than just hope for it. I promise to make sure of it. I said good-bye last night to one of the best friends I’ve made in this city, and this morning I had to say good-bye to my roommate, which is different.

Don’t get my wrong, before last night I said good-bye to so many wonderful people, wonderful friends, and wonderful experiences. But I know those experiences are not over. I will be back one day, even just to visit… but one day. The past week has been so nostalgic. After going on a California journey taking in everything I could of that state before I left, I came back to LA to soak up as much as I could in my final days. I’d have to say it was quite productive.

I spent Saturday night with close friends, closer friends, classmates, and pals. It was quite enjoyable, and though a few people couldn’t make it, and I didn’t get to say good-bye, or rather, see-you-later, to everyone, the time I got to spend with those who could come out was great. The night ended almost rather typical actually. Carson offered to drive me home (hah, home, I guess I can’t quite call it that anymore) and decided to be lazy as usual and drive to his and Rob’s apartment to offer his couch to me, as per typical. In any case, the night ended up being a very interesting one.

Sunday night our group of USC grad students/friends had our fantasy football draft. I am very excited to be included in it this year, especially because I am gone, because it will give me even more of a reason to not be lazy and keep in touch with these people. The last four days were busy. I had to go back and forth to school to print forms for work, prepare for my relocation, get rid of my car, and fill out paper work for my new degree objective. The benefit, though, was that I got to see a few more people. I had lunch with Patrick on Tuesday. The end of lunch was tough for me, of course he had to go back to work, but that meant another see-you-later. He is a good friend to have, and I am so glad we became friends, and I will surely miss him.

Tuesday night I had dinner with Carson, and last night I saw him one last time. I think I finally figured out how to say what I want to say. Five simple words work best: “I’m going to miss you.” That wasn’t so hard, but the hard part was yet to come… walking away. It’s going to be so strange not seeing my friend as often as I used to. He is a great friend, and we have a truly great friendship. I will always be thankful for that.

I packed all night and reminisced with my roommate all the antics of the past year. It beyond doubt was an incredible year living together. I couldn’t have asked for a better set up. I hope he knows how amazing he really is, because I don’t think I would have gotten through this year of graduate school, my quarter life crisis, and being so far away from everything I ever knew… without him. I hope he really does come visit ‘da aina’ (‘the island’ in Hawaiian) for spring break.

Leaving isn’t easy when you’re so happy where you are, but I will live. And to quote a memorable character in a great Disney film, “Living would be an awfully great adventure.”

Hendrix

Not Jimi...

Jesse got a new dog on Sunday and I've been playing Auntie Ashley all week. It's really been a lot of fun. He is the cutest little pup. Pure-bread Basset Hound at 11 weeks old. His ears are so floppy and his paws are so big I expect him to grow a bit, but for now he is just too adorable.

It did make me realize though, that unless I have the time to commit to stay home all the time and train a puppy, there is no way I can get one for myself.

Just one more thing I have to say goodbye to when I leave tomorrow... oh my gosh I'm leaving tomorrow!

I should keep packing...

Google Headquarters!

In the middle of my trip around California, I made a spontaneous pit stop in Mountain View, CA to visit my LLDC lover Lisa Hummel. It wasn't far out of the way, and I get to see Lisa far less often than I would like. Well when I got there we were thinking about what to get for dinner. Oliver, Lisa's boyfriend, is currently an intern an Google. The decision was easy. We got dinner at Google, and Olly gave me a tour of the campus. It was absolutely awesome. The Motherland! We took bikes around, Google bikes. We posed with a giant Android, and took a slide from the second floor down to the first. It was incredibly exciting. I think the most exciting part was being in the same general area (read: Google's ginormous campus) as Larry and Sergy. I was nearly star struck, but I didn't get close enough to lose my cool. Overall, it was a very exciting detour, and I am so glad I made the trip. Time with Lisa is always time well spent. In the morning, Olly made us crepes with Nutella and whipped cream. They were, too, amazing. The west coast US chapter of our friends was fun, but I wish I could have also seen Anna, Lauren, Kathryn, and Brittany!