Y'know, I'm really kinda getting irritated at my neighborhood. Or maybe just at the fact that I've lived here for so long. It's gotten to where I really can't go anywhere without running into someone I know ... someone I work with, used to work with, someone I used to hang out with or who works in a place I used to hang out ... crimeny, just from the place I used to live in there's a frickin army of people who'll recognize me and take offense if I don't spend a bit of time schmoozing with them.

Really, it's kinda hard to do the loner thing when you're so well recognized.

But, I am doing it. These days, my phone only rings when it's telemarketers or family. Well, the occassional acquaintance, but by and large they're all so used to being blown off at this point that they don't bother. Yep, except for working in a place that forces me to socialize and living in an area where way too many people know me, I've really carved out a pretty solitary existence for myself.

And is this a good? Well, as I believe I've quoted before, "if I must be lonely, I think I'd rather be alone." Which is to say, simply knowing people so that I have people that I know is no longer enough. Really, seeing as I enjoy my own company, I can only see it as moving into the negative to be around people who ultimately displease me.

And yet, is it not the nature of human relationships, that people will disappoint? Meh.

I'll tell you what I do know: Having a dial-up connection that randomly cuts out on you really cuts down on the updating of the ol' online diary.