A life, Jimmy, you know what that is? It’s the sh-t that happens while you’re waiting for moments that never come.  – Lester Freamon, “The Wire”

Last night, I had dinner with one of my oldest friends and his fiancee.  It was my first time meeting her, so of course we talked about a few (not too embarrassing) stories from our past.  Our mutual friend ‘the Player’ was there, so he was a good counterbalance to the two of us, who’ve clearly changed in obvious ways from when we all met many moons ago in Lawrence.

Today I’ve been part of a back and forth discussion with my Trojan brothers about how we’ll take care of our season tickets for the 09 season.  When the ‘group’ started, I was the sub who would sit in on Saturdays when someone else couldn’t make it.  The first year we were three rows off the top of the Colisseum, every year since we’ve gotten steadily closer.  Now it’s quickly become part of our shared L.A. sports fan tradition. 

Last week this time, I split a meal with one of my fellow March birthday mates.  Another friend from school (but a different ‘friend’ circle), we talked a little about business, but mostly I confided into her some of my private thoughts.  I had some optimism about the direction some things were going, and her enthusiasm made me more enthusiastic.  It was endearing.

As life has played itself out, I have a ton of people I’m cool with, a lot of really good friends, and three best friends.  In retrospect, I can probably point to a specific moment/episode where I recognized it, but really it’s a lot of little things that have added up over time.  (Look up my ‘Relationships’ blog for more on this theory.)   If my passion topics are race and sports, I see fairly eye to eye with them in that regard.  They’re all married, so I’ve become pretty friendly with their wives as well.  Those three ladies have informed me on a conscious and subconscious level on what I’m looking for in that regard.

When I was a teenager, I was obsessed, obsessed with movies.  One of my best friends (the one in L.A.) will tease me to the day I die about my unchecked ambition when I was younger.  But, if you believe in the opening quote (which I do), then I’ve come to appreciate the newfound balance I’ve tried to give myself.  Still not all the way there, but the intent and effort are real (which all the people I’ve mentioned here have picked up on). 

The profession I planned for, the friends I didn’t.  So, well…read the above quote again.