YET ANOTHER SOURCE OF GUILT

....is what this blog has become. I come home, tired after work, numbed slightly by my 50 minute commute, and walk in to the apartment. I toss my bag on the table, slump down in the computer chair, and start my day's surfing. (Some days I can surf a little at work. Some days I can't.) And always, that "blogger link" beckons.

"When are you going to update me?" asks my blog.

"Soon," I promise, emptily and with a sigh...

So much has happened in the past three weeks. My friend Cameron and his girlfriend Chassidy (note the correct spelling - unlike in an earlier post) were here. We had a lot of fun going out and hanging around the city. I think I averaged like 40 dollars per night (minimum) on dinner while Cameron was here. One night he and I went to sushi and dropped 130 bones for the two of us. Not bad, eh? (I had some Uni that night - good Uni too. And yes, you read that right)

Cameron and I's "move" is to go ahead and break down philosophically two things. The first thing is the concept of being physicians. For hours we talk about the job, what we think of it, how it affects are lives, how different it really is vs. what we thought it would be, did we make the right choice, what did life used to be like, etc. We'll sit over beers and Cameron with his cigarettes (yes, many doctors smoke) and we get into a lot of "what is it REALLY all about?" type of conversations while some Zeppelin song (oh, let's say "Over the Hills and Far Away") blares on the local bar jukebox. Then, about 4 beers in, we have a revelation or two, and maybe, just maybe, share a moment regarding the whole thing. Sometimes Cameron is down on the job, and sometimes I am. Sometimes we're both up, or sometimes, of course, both in different directions. Regardless, I'm glad I have him to bounce stuff off in this regard. We used to do the same thing regarding "being a med student" back in the day in New Orleans as well. I find that I incredibly enjoy our conversations, and am prone to try and find succint meanings in the whole concept of being a doctor. Good stuff.

The second thing Cameron and I talk about is relationships. Oh, sweet, sweet relationships. We all have 'em. Cameron and I are very similar in our views on that stuff. We have similar committment issues as well. And, we're in pretty similar situations currently, all of which made his trip timely as well as fun. Cameron is 34 years old and has stories upon stories about relationships and about women he's dated and such. I suppose, that if I don't settle down, I may have the same sorts of stories at his age as well. But part of me definitely doesn't want to be "that guy" who dates and dates and is wise and such but also fundamentally unhappy and alone. I don't think Cameron is either of those things, but I do think he teeters close to that edge sometimes. Hell, I do it myself. And I'm only 28, dammit.

So during Cameron's trip, he and I found this bar called Shorty's in Belltown, Seattle. It's a smoky old bar whose schtick is that its full of 1980's stand up arcade games (plus a few modern ones). The line up includes Asteroids, Galaga, Ms. Pac Man, Robotron, Space Invaders, Qix, a few others, multiple pinball machines and best of all JOUST. Cameron was some sort of Joust legend back in his day, and during his time here he graciously apprenticed me to this classic gem. Much like Rude Dog did with the original Donkey Kong back at our laundromat in New Orleans, Cam showed me the ropes and then we went to town. We'd buy a pitchter, then a second, and we'd stand there, drink, and play Joust all the while talking about being doctors, having relationships, and deciding that in some crazy way life was like a winged warrior who was merely trying to be above the other guy when he collided. Or something like that. Anyway - good times with old Cam.

(And for the record, Joust is a great game. It's a two player team work game, but if you're not careful you can kill your buddy (and thereby destroy trust). Cameron is pretty effin' good at it, which I find hilarious. I remember when I was young, I was always enamored with the mystique of the "older kid" who rocked at this game or that game when I was but a wee lad cruising around the arcade at the mall, barely high enough to see the screen. Now I'm good friends with that "older kid", and somehow that means something. Somehow - it's important. Oh, and there's always Rude Dog and Donkey Kong, yet another master and his masterpiece - some day I'll have to tell that story as well.)

So it was good to see old Cam again. And I liked his girlfriend. Someday I hope I live near him again.

More this week.