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11-13-09 // 7:07 pm islands are mountain tops Oh god, so it's Friday night after a crazy long week at work, one where I worked my butt off and got a shit ton done. Got back into a tight gym routine, too. It all felt great and I was productive but I'm tired. Mentally and physically. So I'm digging into a big pint of Boont Amber (possibly my favorite beer in the world), my first beer in a week, and it's damn tasty. St. Louis may be Beer City, USA (and come on, it so is), but I've got a special place in my heart for the NorCal craft brews. I'd wager the three best beer places in America are the STL, Northern California, and Oregon. And maybe Michigan, oddly enough. But I digress. So Ryan S called me at 4am (my time) the day after I was all forlorn about his disappearance. I think my last email made it perfectly clear to him that I wasn't trying to interfere in his life or anything, just that I wanted to touch base and float a message in a bottle across the ocean. I gave him a ring back in the morning, on my way to work. He wasn't particularly talkative, but he wasn't hostile. He sounded peaceful and calm, and wary, and busy, and happy. He just didn't sound like he felt like associating with people, if that makes sense, and he even said as much. Which I of all people completely understand. He filled me in on a few of the details of things...things fell apart with the woman he'd been involved with on the island, his divorce is going through with seemingly no complications, he got the job he was after and for the first time in his life he's in proper charge of something. Which is good, he's skilled and he's a crazy hard worker. He also said he'd be surprised if he came back to the States anytime soon, if ever. Which stings, 'cause I'd hate to spend the rest of my life with such a great friend so far away, but at the same time, despite that it took such a messed up arc to take him where he's ended up, I think it's the best thing that could've happened to him. And he sounds happy and satisfied, which is all I want for the people I care about, and I told him that. I told him that I missed him tons but that I was happy he found his niche, and really, isn't that the meaning of life? To find where you belong and then live the hell out of it? Good on him. In any case, I only had 15 minutes, but it was good to hear his voice, find out what's new with him, fill him in on me, and sort of do that head-nod, "we cool?" type of thing. But it was solid. I guess maybe now it's time to start saving for a Japanese holiday...
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