Out and Aboot

I almost cried today.

Laughing, that is. You see, I walked past a fine (heavy sarcasm) establishment outside of the stadium, and ran straight into a figure from my past- Or rather, a figure from my present in its youth. You see, there were a line of hats, identical to my own, except that they were bright (BRIGHT) blue.
For those of you who aren't aware, my hat is death grey. And it is only a year old. Needless to say, I am essentially a hat-murderer, as a mere year of my treatment turned it into a thing only I can love. And I'm not saying these babies were just blue, they were fucking blue. I mean, bluer than the fake, died water at our town's local mini-golf course. Yeah, that blue.
You may understand my dissapointment, then, when I discovered that I was actually looking at completely the wrong hat. Turns out I bought a darker version, showcased directly next to the blinding blues. Suddenly I felt like an idiot for almost laughing my ass off in public.
I never really liked New York City. It always seemed so crowded, so loud, so foreign. I could never understand the people that loved that city with all their hearts; It just seemed like a blatant declaration of "I AM A CITY" with all of its tourist attractions, massive business buildings, and hellish traffic that could drive you out of your mind even if you were taking a stroll on the sidewalk. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it has its charms, they're just not quite my style.
Here, however, I truly feel like Americans have constructed a near-ideal city. Sure, it's got its business complexes, and its tourist attractions (better traffic), but it just has such a small-town feel to it. When standing in crowded public transportation today, I got the feeling that I was surounded by pleasant, fun people. These people aren't afraid to get to know you, even if it is just for five minutes, but at the same time they'll leave you be if you'd like. I guess what I've found here repeatedly over the years is an outgoing nature that is lacking in a good portion of America. So much of our country is full of people who would rather listen to their iPods or read a magazine than give you the time of day (or ask for it, for that matter). People need to be less socially shy. At least some people.
Since last time I've been thinking a lot about summer. Or "summers", I guess. I think the key to having an exciting summer is doing new things. Last summer was a summer of new things for me. New family trips, new friends, Vger marathons, new house even. Everything was so fresh. This summer has had a good start, too, but that's all. Good. Yeah, I'm having fun, sure. Still, I want that feeling of adventure. So what do you say, friend group? Let's do something new, go somewere new, meet someone new?

Either that or we can sit around in the Batcave. Your call.

-OSK, new and improved- Ultra sweatproof, won't run into eyes and sting!