New computer

It seems fitting that this is the first place I visit with my new computer. Call it a symptom of growing up in a society more concerned with technology than almost anything else, but my computer is very important to my life, partly because it is the vehicle through which I can access most of the important memories in my life. I felt like my old computer was a fitting symbol for the past seven years, with a heavy emphasis on "past". So much baggage, unnecessary pain and suffering, and outdated ways of dealing with problems of the present. A new computer means a new start, a literal blank slate just waiting for new memories to be recorded. I haven't forgotten the past seven years, which are securely locked away on an enormous external hard drive sitting right next to me, but those years can't be my focus right now. While I would have preferred to wait until I had a bit more money saved, it was definitely becoming urgent: The poor old Dell couldn't even open a Word document without completing freaking out on me, let alone handle what I needed it to do with Photoshop and Audacity. Computer rage is a really interesting phenomenon, and I imagine road rage is similar. There's no reason to be as upset about something so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but somehow, people always get worked up to the point of wanting to throw their computers in the lake. It's actually quite satisfying to have that option.
Maybe we like to break things so much because we enjoy having that power over the material objects that have taken control of our lives. Maybe it's nice to feel that humanity, and maybe it brings us closer to separating ourselves from the supposed "necessities" of our present age. Then again, some people just like to smash shit.

Mostly unrelated: I came out to two more people at work today, and I seriously think I made a girl's brain explode. It never gets old, at least when the good kind of brain exploding happens. However, I am finding it more and more difficult to be the educational voice ALL THE TIME. Sometimes I just want to talk about normal things like being pissed off at the Phillies, not having enough money to get all the cool things I want, and where I want to go on a vacation that I probably won't be able to take for ten more years. I don't mind talking about it, but I find that I am choosing to delay the conversation these days simply because I don't want to spend the next three weeks of my relationship with someone explaining gender theory and all that. And that can get pretty awkward for cash register conversation.

I feel like crying tonight because it feels so wonderful to just let go of the things that have been hurting me. It feels amazing to know that I have the ability to let go and that letting go does not mean giving up. I want to cry because I can't believe that it is getting easier, and I wonder if it should be doing so. Does it make me a bad person to stop caring about the things that once hurt me or affected me so much? If not, what does that mean?

Interjection about work: I got pretty confused when two separate customers decided to "joke" with me about being upset by saying rude things or making negative comments. I definitely did not think either person was joking, and then I became pretty embarrassed by it. It didn't help that the one lady kept laughing at me afterwards, but what can you do?

Also, don't get pissy with me when I ask to see your ID when you've clearly written "Ask for ID" on the back of your card. But this one just makes me laugh.

I still find it very strange that almost everyone at work hangs out with one another, even though there are about 50 people that work there, including my ex from high school, a kid who dated my friend in high school, the supervisor who used to play roller hockey with me, and the occasional formerclassmatecustomer that doesn't recognize me. I was invited to a party next weekend, which I'm assuming means I've infiltrated the social structure of store 342. Christ. I'm fucking weird. lol

I may not be on the verge of freaking out, but there is one thing I would like to have happen. I would like for the heavy feeling in my chest to go away. I've noticed that it's been a constant in my life for years. It's always there. Maybe there are those brief moments when it goes away, but I live in a constant state of anxiety. I never thought anything of that until I learned that most other people don't have that issue, at least not to this degree.

Jon called me out of the blue a few nights ago. At 1230 in the morning. I haven't had that happen--where someone just wanted to talk and didn't want something from me--since we broke up a few months ago. And before that, he was probably the only person that did. I'm not sure who came before that, but I suppose that's irrelevant. Whatever. It was NICE. It was nice to be the person someone could call just to bullshit. It was nice feeling like someone not only needed me but wanted me. Trusted me. Something so simple and so small made me feel important. I need to stop being scared of telephone conversations because if I feel this way about it, maybe some of my friends would appreciate a call from me just as much. A no-strings-attached call. If only I still had all of those numbers.

I am getting so excited for Boston. I haven't had a friend adventure in ages. Hell, I'll probably cry then too, but I've been crying at weird shit lately. Roller coasters, random pictures, etc. I tear up now more than I ever have. Maybe I'm just okay with that now.

I like not having to be anything in particular. But I don't like not knowing what I want to be.

I'm still working on that playlist. I need to make it just as long as the drive to DC will be, which shouldn't be hard since there are some very specific songs attached to my overall memory of Pittsburgh. Is this necessary? For me, yes.

Now, since I'm not able to sleep, I'll listen to more music. I might even get some performance ideas out of this that don't involve publicly humiliating someone else.

Night.