Good friends and Mental Health

 Friendship is a funny thing at times.  All of us through our lives have met hundreds or more people.  Sometimes they develop into friendships, other times that don't.  I definitely have more people that I have fallen out of touch with who were friends at one period of time of my life and I am sure this is very common.

Some things like social media are there to help you "reconnect" with these people should you ever choose to.  My personal opinion is that social media is toxic but I can't deny there is still some semblance of good about it.

Platonic friendship is defined as a type of love that is not sexual. It is named after the Greek philosopher Plato though he never actually used the word himself.  Platonic love as devised by Plato concerns rising through levels of closeness to wisdom and true beauty from carnal attraction to individual bodies to attraction to souls, and eventually, union with the truth.  (I may or may not have ripped those last sentences from Wikipedia lol)

Anyways, I feel platonic love like sisterhood and brotherhood is becoming more and more rare these days.  Drama usually ensues where 1 or sometimes both parties are at fault and they just cut ties and move on.  I'm very fortunate that I still have close friends that I have kept in contact with for decades.  Even though disagreements arise from time to time over things, the bottom line is that because our friendship has been going on for so long, we both realize that these are just trivial things.  We don't just stop talking to each other. Or if we do, maybe just a day or so.

This isn't meant to be a brag.  I feel extremely fortunate to be in this situation.  In fact, the opposite side of this is by far more common.  I feel like most people maybe have 1 or 2 really close friends that they discuss their life with, excluding family of course.

The crazy thing about all of this is the depression has robbed me of this before for a period of time.  I would isolate myself and by doing so, friends most likely either assume I am busy or they are busy themselves.  At those low moments, I feel like I am too much of a bother to contact them.  Let them live their lives, I'm insignificant.  This is clearly wrong and I recognize this now but there are several times where I did not see so clearly.

A snowball effect would emerge.  I would increasingly become more and more lonely the longer I would isolate.  Honestly if it wasn't for my parents, who knows how bad it would have got because they would be the only contact I would have with anyone other than limited stuff at work with co-workers.

One particular person has greatly helped me see this more clear. Jordan Peterson.  He's been maligned as an alt-right whack job by some but honestly, he is one of the more brilliant minds around today.  Taking out the political side and focusing on the human side of things, he is absolutely amazing.  

I know many people don't read books these days, some listen to them.  But his book the "12 rules for life" and his new sequel "Beyond Order" (Which I still haven't read yet) describe stuff like the human experience and the quest to find self worth.  I highly recommend to anyone out there interested to pick up a copy of either.  

Anyways, that's the gist of the point that I am trying to get across.  Friendship should be cherished. Take care fam.

Goals and projects

     So a lot has happened since my last post.  I may be moving soon.  Back to my childhood home in Sugar Land.  My dad has offered to gift me the house that he is currently renting out.  I have mixed feelings about it.  I do like the freedom of a house compared to an apartment.  Having my own driveway and yard.  Not worrying about loud neighbors above or next to me.  These are all good things.  But it is an older house, my commute to work will be much longer, and oddly enough it feels like kind of a step back.  When I look at this house, it reminds me of my childhood obviously.  I feel I'm at the point of my life where I want to forge my own future and start my life elsewhere.  What I probably will end up doing is staying in the house for a year or 2, and then renting or selling it and moving to my own house somewhere.  I am tired of apartment life though so I think overall I am excited for the move.  My lease doesn't expire until November at my place now so I won't me moving until end of the year or beginning of next year if I extend month to month at my apartment.

        I'm down 22 pounds since I started my diet in December.  But lately I have plateaued and even feel like I may have gained slightly.  I've gotten lazy in logging my daily calories on the app I use.  I've also had some cheat days and weekends that probably haven't helped either.  I'm hoping with the spring coming, I'll be able to add exercise and walk or jog at the park near my place.  I don't want to lose all the progress I have made.  I need to remain strong.

        I've also started a podcast with some friends of mine.  I've toyed with the idea in the past and now that its off the ground, I am very excited.  Even if no one listens, I think it will be fun just to hang out and discuss different topics.  

        My guitar playing has improved a little I think.  Currently I am focusing on power chords and switching between them easily.  Trying to learn some Nirvana songs.  It's also rekindled my interest in Kurt Cobain.  I remember watching MTV as a kid and seeing his funeral procession but not really knowing who he was.  I really didn't start listening to Nirvana until late high school like 98 or 99.  The longer its been the more interest I have in the band and in Kurt.  I got a book on my kindle written by one of his old managers that I have started reading and its pretty enlightening.

        I hope that this year will be better than 2020 with the pandemic seeming to improve slowly.  I'm cautiously optimistic.  Take care guys.