The first time I took public transportation in Houston was Freshman year. On the way back from the galleria with two friends, sitting on a deserted bus at night (clutching my Abercrombie bag with the red shorts... ), I distinctly remembered a poignant commercial (for coke? MasterCard?). It was a group of friends, sprawled on a New York subway in the middle of the night, too tired to talk, with expressions of happiness and contentment on their faces. At the time I was in high school, and I wished it to be a glimpse of my own life in college -- precious youth dotted by fleeting moments shared with friends.

I mentioned it at the time and received only blank stares.

Such scenes have repeated themselves over the years, but rarely do I consciously feel the pluck of the moment. But last Saturday night, waiting for the metro-rail in downtown Houston with Maria and Linda, brought the commercial to mind once more. In between our law-school/medical-school/grad-school and doctor/lawyer/corporate banker talk, I realized that this is my youth flashing before me. How many more years can we talk about our life in future tense? Am I fortunate to have settled on a path, or unfortunate because all the other paths I will never know? I don't have a subway full of people I can sit happily in silence with, but I'm thankful for the few I do have.

The night ended with Maria and I walking around the inner loop 1.5 times... that's what happens when we have hunka hunka chocolate cake at Hard Rock. :) The conclusion of the night -- we're too old to lose friends...

I feel drained because of all the studying. Is it because I have been so purposely lazy for the past two weeks that my brain has not warmed up? Or because... well... too much studying is too much studying. Half hour before my modern dance test. Yes, I know...