8 November 2007 - The Long Goodbye

Got one more final tomorrow, so I'm still running low on bloggings. Time to switch to stream of consciousness mode for the next few minutes.

Starbucks has busted out their seasonal Christmas apparel already. Everything's all red and green and pepperminty. I told the guy at the counter that my name was "Nomar." After he asked me for the spelling the third time, I gave up my alias and just said "Max."

I alternatingly pity and respect the proctors on these final exams. You see, all they have for responsiblities are tests (albeit worth 50% of your total grade). So they're able to dedicate all of their energy to proctor the living hell out of the test. But at the same time, these are older women who come out of retirement twice a year to sit in a room for two hours and make sure that students don't go over the allotted time. Cushy job, actually. Come in for a short period of time, make sure that the situation isn't worse than you found it, then collect your paycheck. The name gives the Dodgers' new set-up man Scott even more depth.

We're starting to say "goodbye" as people start to peace out of Auckland and fly back home. I thought that a four month period would be easy to leave. There's a sense of finality and closure, so you make the most of your time. But I've still grown to care about a lot of these people. And these goodbyes actually mean something. It isn't "See you in the fall!" or "See you next summer!" It's more like "I'll see you in another life, brother."
I really do feel bad for all the people that I'm leaving behind in Auckland. I mean, their lives are going to be so pathetic without my company. And the last thing that I want to do is to Munson all of my new friends.


There was a long dark hair on one of the pillows. There was a lump of lead at the pit of my stomach. To say goodbye is to die a little.
-Raymond Chandler


MGD


Top Five songs about saying goodbye (the Laura's Dad tribute list):
1) He Stopped Loving Her Today - George Jones
2) Love Me Two Times - The Doors
3) Funny How Time Slips Away - Willie Nelson
4) Bye Bye Blackbird - Joe Cocker
5) Goodbye - Steve Earle
Honorable Mentions: Dakota - Stereophonics, Let Me Love You Once Before You Go- Rex Allen Jr, Hello Goodbye - Beatles, Sara - Fleetwood Mac, Time to Say Goodbye - Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, Bye Bye Bye - *NSYNC, This Flight Tonight - Joni Mitchell (Hell, the entire "Blue" album can be on this list), and 2 out of 3 Ain't Bad - Meatloaf.