On Friendship

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Over time you start noticing that some people just aren't worth it anymore!

***

I found this quote on Pinterest but without a source so if you ever come across the source let me know.
Maybe it's just something someone once said, in a conversation, rather than some major philosopher. 

Either way, it is fitting.

Don't worry, my favorite person and I are still together.
We are happy. We make it work.
I cook. He cleans. He cooks. I clean.
Very simple. Ha!

We all live different lives.
I have a diverse group of friends.
There's the good old Americans, the born and raised Californians, the born and raised American from the South, the Persians, the Europeans, the Turkish, the religious, the non-religious, the slack-offers, the determined ones, the enthusiasts, the creative ones, the famous ones, the inspiring ones, and the traditionalists.
It's a mix of everything and everyone.

Some of my friends get along with others and some just don't.
That is completely fine.
The ones I thought would get along, or I thought I would still get along with just do not work together. 

I made the decision to move on and live my life according to my standards.
I tolerate other people's paths, standards, morals, and what not so I would like to get the same respect in return. That is all I am asking for. I don't want to hear nasty remarks that are halfway muffled down one's throat that just make me question my friendship. I don't want to hear "oh let's get together more often because I miss doing this" and then nothing happens but a huge walk (and probably also talk) behind my back. I tried to ignore it but it hurt.
For my birthday weekend I made the effort but that one remark just had me say NO. 

So,

I respect the friends I have chosen to keep in my life.
I tolerate their lifestyle, and their being so to speak.
We may not always see or hear from each other on a regular basis, and we may have our differences, our fights, and we may even disagree at times but that is very normal. 

We are all adults, and we should accept one another just the way we are. 

Do not try to change me and do not make me feel bad for following my heart, and my intuition. 

That is all I am asking for.

I am blessed to call friends family.
Blog friends have also become friends in real life whether very close or not, it is better than what I went through for the past year. I won't shut that person from my life, but I won't tell that person about my biggest moments in life either. I would rather share the news on the blog...literally.

Anyways, that's my thought of today.
Friendships are needed.
I miss my friends in Europe, and I miss my friends in Southern California (sans one of course).

You have no idea how much.

xoxo

The time I almost cried over my lost data...

...remember a couple of weeks ago when I told you I had lost my whole essay? That problem I solved by writing the whole damn paper again. Not that it was 300-pages long but no matter how long a paper is it is a hassle to write it all out again and to remember what was cited where and how and why. 

I did it. 

Well, on Thursday in the middle of some reading and studying I decided to update my phone and link it to my computer and was told that something went wrong. 

My phone and my computer did not recognize each other. 

Both were plugged in, both were functioning but they seemed to hate each other. 

Then I got an error message.

 I swallowed hard. 

Deja-vu is an understatement.

I was about to throw a fit.

I was done.

I looked at the dogs. They thought I was crazy.

I looked at the screens.
Nothing.
I freaked out.

Out of nowhere I got dressed...

(not that I was naked, but I wore my PJs in the afternoon - don't judge!)

...and headed to the nearest and dearest Apple Store. 

I had no appointment.
Who cares.
I had a problem.
My phone was dead, and my laptop didn't recognize the device.
I wanted help. Pronto!!

And help arrived.
We had to restore everything.
LITERALLY everything.
My phone was empty.
iCloud didn't work.
Yes, it was installed.

It just decided to hate me that day.

I handled my loss quite well.
I mean, ten months were literally erased from my phone.

Can you imagine that?
Can you?
Because I could not at that moment.
But I handled it gracefully.

 

I walked home trying to look at my empty, brand-new looking iPhone.
No contacts.

No texts.

No emails.

No notes.

No music.

No real apps.

And most of all...

...NO PHOTOS.

I died on the way home.

And yes, I was walking.

Again, I handled it with grace. 

I think.

I didn't cry.
I didn't yell.
I didn't scream.

I just walked.

The second I got home I updated the WIFI connection.
I set up my email accounts.
I set up my alarms.

I downloaded apps I used to have on.

I literally punched in all phone numbers I could remember.

And...

I stared at my blank photo stream.

I stared at my laptop.

I stared at the dogs still thinking I was a lunatic.

I had a brand new phone.
Empty as hell.
My whole past ten months erased.

Great.
Terrific.

I needed a drink.

Never thought I would feel so weird about it.
I mean I thought I was okay...

...but turns out I was not.
We have become so dependent on these little gadgets it's incredibly scary.

Honestly I didn't really care about losing stuff because I'm not that materialist.
But it still felt like I was punched hard in the face, or the body or the brain.
I felt helpless.
I was mad.
I was devastated.

So I drank wine.

Just a glass don't worry.
I never go overboard, I still want to enjoy it all.

And then I was like...

...screw it.
I'm alive.
No one died.
It's just a phone.
It's just photos that might have meant something...

...but it's a higher power telling me I should pay more attention to whatever else there is in life.

Probably.

Whatever.
I was still mad.

So, Friday comes along...

...I'm still working on school work watching my favorite shows online.

I'm ready to link my phone and my laptop again.
I have to.
The guy at the store said so.
I'm dreading it.
Literally.
I'm so scared.
But I'm doing it.

It says it's not recognizing anything and needs to be restored again.
Awesome.
Really?? 

Why????

So, well, what can I lose at this point?
Nothing.

So I restore it all.
After all...I have no photos on my phone.

And those phone numbers I punched it the night before...heck I can do that again.

It gets restored.

Funny.

ALL of my photos are back.
Every single darn picture I took over the past ten months.
Not sure why.

All of my contacts are double now.
All of my apps are back.

All of my music is back.
Heck, I don't care why but I'm stoked.
I had to drink a glass of wine again.

Could not say no to that.

Don't judge!

I was beyond happy.
I cannot even tell you how.

Can you imagine losing all of your data?
All of your info?
Yes, most of us have experienced this.

One way or another.

I was just beyond excited to see funky looking, almost scary photos again.
To see all of my lovely contacts and email addresses again.
I wanted to dance like Ellen DeGeneres does on her show.
I wanted to celebrate.
Really.

And so, I hugged my laptop.

I also hugged my phone.
And the glass of wine of course.

Lesson learned?
Not sure.
I mean, I did everything right.
Not sure what went wrong...

...but even the backup to computer whatnot we are all promised may at some point fail on us.

So, moral of the story is...

...if you think you are automatically backing up your precious photos, contacts, apps and whatnot...

well, think again!!!

Because it may not be doing it.

Even if it says it is.

Trust me.

My weekend was just fabulous...at least it started "fabulous". :)

Happy Monday!!!

Yes, linking up with Leeann, Sami, and Dana.

*I am fully aware of that fact that there are people out there having nothing, and having lost a lot thanks to Sandy, and other natural disasters or just have more important things to talk/write about than lost data. I am fully aware of this.

 This post does not mean I don't care. This post does not want to rub it in either. 

I care.

Regardless of what people go throw and have to face now after disasters, after health issues, and whatnot...there has to be time for all of us to go throw "fun" moments.
I could write a sad story about how we need to come together and help out and whatnot...

...it wouldn't be unique. It would basically be redundant because we all know we have to.

A fun, quite dramatic post was needed.

And after all, this is my blog. :)
Just saying.