“Good friends are like stars. You don’t always see them, but you know they’re always there” ~ Unknown
I never can say goodbye, no, no, baby. I never can say goodbye. It’s the eighth and final season of one of my favourite television series, Entourage. As the premiere draws closer, I see parallels with my own group of friends.
In my group of friends, I’m known by many names and descriptions. I like to think of myself as the sensitive dude, saying this doesn’t imply weakness, but it does speak volumes to my compassion. I love these people, most of which grew up on my street since childhood. The others I later met in high school and we all remain close, ten years after the fact. It’s always fascinating when I bump into old classmates and they ask who I still speak to. I reply “Everyone” and they’re astonished. My personal belief is that good friends are hard to come by and great friends are a rarity in life, so I cherish the friendships I have cultivated to this point.
I have been fortunate to amass a small army of great friends, each of which has taught me something very important throughout our years. Certain personality traits can be directly linked to the people I have surrounded myself with, from Ratchford’s punctuality to Kelly Bee’s artistic spirit. Every one has imprinted a piece of their code onto my personality and I’m all the better for it.
Like Entourage, we find ourselves in a different place. My people are now moving on and beginning their lives with families, small businesses and masters degrees overseas (say that ten times fast). We all find ourselves changing and it’s a wonderful change. Each person has either realized or is in the process of finding themselves in a world that is difficult.
It was only yesterday that we all gathered in the gymnasium for Frosh day assembly in grade 9.
We all chose our paths and gathering is a difficult task as the years press on. I now cherish our annual cottage party and anytime we can gather together ad hoc for a pint while watching the hockey game or foot ball match. I wish you all the best and to everyone out there, cherish and cultivate your friendships. It’s one of the most important aspects of life.
CDQue
Book Review: Drink, Play, F@#k (20)
20 Jul“I used to have a plan. It wasn’t a brilliant blueprint designed by crafty German Bauhaus architects. It was a simple outline for how I wanted to live my life. And, without wanting to sound boastful, I think that it was a solid plan: have some fun while I’m young, work hard after college, meet a couple of ladies, marry one of them, make lots of money, drive an expensive car, have some kids, worry about my receding hairline, watch lots of sports on TV, die. A nice, basic plan, right? And everything was unfolding beautifully. I was in the middle of step six, blissfully unaware of the shitstorm that was heading my way, when the bottom fell out – of my marriage, that is. The expensive car held up nicely.” ~ Andrew Gottlieb
How do you adjust when life throws you a curveball? Do you pack it in or push on? How do you release your grief in a positive manner? ‘Drink, Play, F@#k’ deals with these themes and more; loss, liberation, freedom, providence and love. Andrew reveals himself during a turbulent part of his life. The story takes place in three countries, Ireland, United States and Thailand, each of which presents new challenges and provides new insights.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I — I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” ~ Robert Frost
This title parodies the popular novel and film, ‘Eat, Pray, Love’, which discusses a lot of the same themes. Don’t be fooled by title, this book doesn’t lack depth. He comes from a place of hurt, discovery and awareness. The neurosis of a man lost after a subservient marriage, which surfaces now and again as a basis of comparison.
This book was recommended to me and I read a lot of the reviews after completing it. I wanted to get a sense of what other people were saying. The reviews were an even split, you either really loved it or really hated it immensely.
Most people who enjoyed this serving of fun, respected the man’s journey to find himself in a world that had been torn apart by divorce. I think in our present time, divorce is as prominent as marriage, so ‘Drink, Play, F@#k’ did resonate with me. I understood his plight and respected his reawakening process.
The people who disliked it, were either upset that their wasn’t enough sleeping around or the fact that he periodically references his marriage. I understand how it may be portrayed as whining, but to know where the man concluded, you have to know where he began. People who have read ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and expect this to be similar or identical, go elsewhere. Andrew’s journey in comparison to Elizabeth’s could be construed as shallow, but it’s his story to tell and it’s a hell of a story.
My thoughts on the content are pretty evident. I loved this book and most of the themes expressed, I’ve felt. The portion of the book I didn’t think I’d be interested in ‘Play’, really captivated me and mirrored some inefficiencies in my own personality. I would recommend this to anyone searching for escapism or just a good, fun read.
CDQue