Egg, Face. Face, Egg. Acquaint yourselves with one another.

The dark, seedy underbelly of blogging makes my timbers shiver. Trust me, “the blogosphere,” as people like to describe it, is no place for the faint of heart.

Freedom of speech is a dangerous, dangerous thing – like icy hot; you think it’s great at first, everything’s going smoothly, you’re starting to feel good, and then –WHAM – your ass cheeks are on fire. (But that’s a story for another day…) This freedom, much like the right to bear arms, must be wielded with great responsibility.

Everyone doesn’t like what I write, and some make their opinions known more than others. I’m using this post to send out a very special thank you to all of those friends, both new and old, that have been valiant enough to come to my defense. It is very much appreciated.

That being said – self-reflection is a bitch. I’ve said on many occasions that I haven’t found friends here, and that’s honestly a gigantic, Chun-Li sized slap in the face to the people that I’ve met here at Purdue. They aren’t the tattooed, Japanese culture lovin, Super Street Fighter IV playin, movie goin, rhythm at the bottom of a bottle findin, hey – let’s get our toes done – on a whimmin friends that I have at home. But I’ll be damned if they aren’t people that I can depend on. I’ve done you, all of you, a disservice. I’ve undermined who you’ve been and what you’ve done for me in my time here and for that I am truly, deeply, honestly sorry.

I was so xenophobically focused on finding and forging relationships that were the same as the ones in NC, that I couldn’t see my new forest for its new trees. And yes, I know, that makes absolutely no sense – but let’s just go with it shall we?

I do have friends here. Not the same friends, but new friends. People that I can depend on to grab a quick bite to eat with me. People that will spend their gas money to swing me by the grocery store or pick me up from the shuttle stop. Friends that I can grab ice cream with. Friends that offer their time to listen to my woes. And, what’s truly impressive, is that I’ve got friends that will come to my defense, send me hugs, embrace nicknames like “R. Matey” and use words like “Schadenfreude,” even when I don’t deserve it.

I appreciate you guys, and I’m sorry I didn't give you the credit that you very much deserve. This post is for you. 

Forgive me?

And this is just because I think this picture is hilarious. Stare at it. It gets funnier the longer you look.