Fate & Coincidences: A College Retrospective

How did I get here?

You know, it’s such a deep question, if you really want it to be. It can be taken in many different ways – a query about humanity, evolution, religion, or existentialism, for example. Honestly, thinking about it too long is liable to make my head hurt.

For me, though, it’s really a question about my place in life. Not just where I am – rather, all the occurrences, near-misses and coincidences in my life that have led to the people I’ve come to know, the things I’ve come to learn, and my current place in life. It’s like the question Lenny posed to Guy just before their performance on the Showcase in “That Thing You Do” – basking in awe of the journey that led them to that one amazing moment.

Looking back at my life three years ago, and looking at it now … it’s the same thing. How DID I get here?

Sounds sentimental, right? Well, that’s because, simply put … it is. I just can’t help thinking a series of fateful coincidences has shaped who I am, who I know, and who I’ve come to love as brothers and sisters. And, I realize that I’ve probably told these stories hundreds of times to my friends, but, I figured I’d put it in writing this time.

I mean, rewind back to the Spring of 2005. I was about to finish my three-year tenure with community college, and I had just been accepted to Cal Poly SLO to finish out my undergrad studies. I had come back from San Luis Obispo and, at the time, decided that, 100%, I was going to Cal Poly in the Fall. I was literally one second away from locking in my intent to register, when something just stopped me. Call it intuition, call it karmic interference, call it fate – but something made me stop what I was doing, call up my brother and ask him whether or not I should wait for the other schools to get back to me.

“Are you freaking serious?!!” I remember Hermes telling me. At least, that’s what I remember him telling me. “At least wait for UCD to get back to you!!”

And, so I did. Turns out I only had to wait a couple days to find out that Davis accepted me. I just can’t help but think how different my life would be had I not had that moment of hesitation … had I committed to Cal Poly. I know I never would have met the friends I made that first year at Davis … Brett, Stauffer, Coker, Ziv, Steve, Pranita, Dave, Yazmin, Naomi, Adri … just crazy.

Fast-forward to November 2005. I was so pre-occupied with keeping up good grades with my classes, I didn’t even realize that I was supposed to register for Winter 2006 classes … in October. When it finally dawned on me (with the help of reminders from my dorm mates), I had already missed out on the Sociology classes I needed. So, what was left? A history class I didn’t need, an Evolutionary Biology class that I didn’t realize was an Evolutionary Biology class , and a lower-division social statistics class that simply remind me how to use Statistics. It was a crazy, stupid situation that I got myself into … and probably the best thing that could have happened to me.

I say this for a couple reasons. First of all, had I not screwed up my registration, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to excel in something I had joined the previous quarter – the Sacramento Opera’s “Turandot”, with Mia. I’ll be honest – it was one of those experiences that falls into your lap maybe once in a lifetime. And, had it not been for the fact that my academic schedule, at that point, was mighty flexible, I don’t think I could have pulled it off.

Second – and, I think, more importantly – I never would have done a class I have come to love, and consider a large part of my life at UC Davis. The truth was, because I had a shortage of passable units that quarter, I was scrambling to find any class I could coast through for credit. One night, I asked my dorm mate, Steve, if he could recommend anything I could take.

“Well,” he told me, “I’m going to a class tonight, and it seems pretty cool.”

“Well, what is it?” I asked.

“Gospel Choir.”

So, I went. And, after the first rehearsal, I never left until I graduated. All the friends I’ve made in Gospel Choir – Angela, Ashley, Crys, Moon, Lauren, Frankie, Andrew, Joneric, Vince, Juan and Kerri, just to name a few – are ones I’ve been thankful to have in my life.

Then, there was someone in particular that came into my life that wouldn’t have otherwise, if not for a random moment of initiating conversation … it was one day while I was in Gospel Choir. It was just the two of us in the room, as far as I can remember. I noticed her sitting there, as I have before. She seemed nice, and I decided, for no other reason than to break the silence in the room, to ask her how she was.

“So, Danielle … how’s it goin’?”

Her response? Well, I’ll let her tell you if you’re interested.

Ultimately, it was the catalyst for a partnership in our music classes, which grew into something great. I consider Danielle one of my very best friends, and am thankful to have her in my life. Honestly, if it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t know half of the good friends I know. I can’t help but think that, had I not said anything that night … I dunno. It was another one of those fateful coincidences, I guess.

Now, whatever you may think about fate, coincidences, karma, whatever you want to call it … I gotta say, we experience it every day of our lives, and you sort of take for granted how the littlest decisions, twists and turns in your life can affect it so profoundly. I can tell stories for days about times I ran into people from the past I never would have run into had I not made a seemingly insignificant decision to be at that place at that time. Again, it may not be a big deal to you … but I can’t help seeing the greater picture of things.

And, as I begin a new chapter in my life, I’ll still find myself asking the same question, and just smile on the inside.

How did I get here?

The Fantasy 49ers: Year in Review

It was an impossible season, by anyone’s standards.

After a 5-11 season that saw the 49ers reach embarrassing levels on offense, Mike Nolan and the 49ers organization put together a completely unexpected juggernaut, destroying every team in its wake. Never relenting with their spectacular run-and-gun offense, the 49ers set unheard-of passing, rushing and receiving records.

The greatest team ever assembled started in the offseason. QB Alex Smith, coming off of a disheartening season that ended prematurely with a season-ending shoulder injury, worked with new offensive coordinator Mike Martz in his passing game and decision-making. Molding the 49ers offense into a hybrid of Martz’s “Fun-and-gun”, and Indianapolis’ audible-laden vertical attacks, Smith found the niche he was looking for. Smith, by many training camp accounts, could make the offense work – he just needed weapons.

Enter his two main weapons – rookie WRs Matthew Stauffer and Paulo Camacho. Both were undrafted free agents; Stauffer, 22, was a two-sport athlete in football and table tennis, out of Cal-Berkeley, while Camacho, also 22, was a troubled speedster out of Northwestern. It was inexplicable that Camacho wasn’t drafted, and San Francisco seized the opportunity to sign him to a 3-year deal. Stauffer, leaning toward football over table tennis, was picked up by the 49ers two weeks later.

Although Frank Gore and Vernon Davis were considered dangerous offensive weapons, they were extremely underutilized in 2007. Gore couldn’t find holes in the middle, while Davis was oft-injured in 2007. Martz simplified the offense for them both – Davis was mostly used as a chain-mover, while Gore used a repertoire of counter, slam and dive plays to gain yardage.

The results were immediate, and emphatic – a new offensive scheme, new wide receivers and a reinvented quarterback added up to a historic offense. During the regular season, the 49ers managed to score an NFL record 998 points, demolishing the Patriots’ record of 589 in 2007. With a differential of over 49 points per game, San Francisco displayed their utter dominance on the field every single week. Their offense led in nine different major statistical categories, including points per game (62.3), total yards (11,056) and total offensive yards (9,294).

Alex Smith’s production was nothing short of unbelievable: with 83 touchdowns and 14 interceptions during the regular season, Smith obliterated Tom Brady’s previous record of 50 TDs. With an incredible 134.6 quarterback rating, Smith passed for 6,576 yards, with a 66.0 completion percentage. His numbers won him a unanimous regular-season MVP award, and a Pro Bowl berth, as the overall leading vote-getter.

Stauffer, Camacho and Davis benefited most from Smith’s wild production. Stauffer, considered by many as the team’s “home run hitter”, was Smith’s main long-bomb target. It showed in his numbers – with a mere 70 receptions, Stauffer racked up an amazing 2,413 receiving yards, catching 35 of them – 50% of his reception total – for touchdowns. Stauffer eradicated almost every major single-season receiving record in his rookie season, although, he stayed humble, while keeping a sense of humor about it.

“Breaking all these records was pretty special,” Stauffer said in a week 17 interview. “In fact,” he continued jokingly, “they should have a new record for most records broken in a single season.”

Stauffer was a double threat on offense, returning kicks on special teams with supreme skill. Stauffer’s 40 kick returns may have been among the bottom of the league, his 1,451 yards and 4 return TDs was highly impressive.

“When Matt Stauffer get the ball,” the wide receiver joked in a recent interview, “Matt Stauffer gonna run into the end zone, simple as that.”

Davis finally lived up to his hype after being drafted in 2006. His 20 receiving touchdowns and 1,296 yards led all tight ends, proving to be a valuable asset to the passing game. Camacho, meanwhile, was considered the short-yardage receiver – however, this was only by title; he caught 89 passes for 2,349 yards and 23 touchdowns. While most of the attention went to Stauffer’s out-of-this-world numbers, Camacho knew his role, and realized there were enough numbers to go around. Because of their outstanding production, all three were invited to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl.

Smith’s numbers could also be equated to Frank Gore’s sudden resurgence from a sub-par season in 2007. Gore, promising the year before that he would run for over 2,000 yards, made good on his vow. With an offensive line led by rookie RT Joe Staley and LT Larry Allen, Gore ran all over his opponents, sometimes literally. His final totals – 385 attempts for 2,689 yards with 39 rushing TDs – surpassed all-pro RB LaDainian Tomlinson as the greatest single season by a tailback in NFL history. A Pro Bowl invite was a mere formality after Gore’s historic regular season numbers.

The offensive line was also responsible for allowing a league-low 10 sacks during the regular season – a drastic improvement from the league-high 55 they gave up in 2007. The addition of rookie RT Joe Staley and the resurgence of LT Larry Allen, after pondering retirement after the 2007 season, contributed to their near-miraculous improvement. OTs Justin Smiley, Jonas Jennings and Center Jeremy Newberry fed off of Allen and Staley’s production, allowing a total of 5 sacks between them. Their reward? Tickets to Honolulu for all five of them.

The 49ers’ defense was also an integral part of their dominance this season. Infused with new talent out of free agency and the draft, the defensive unit allowed a league-low 13.2 points per game. Head coach Mike Nolan helped form defensive schemes full of blitzes and zone coverages, and the players responded emphatically. The defense finished first in the league in 9 major statistical categories, including sacks (66), interceptions (48), takeaways (54) and rushing yards allowed (847).

The team’s recent draft yielded two defensive forces largely responsible for their turnaround. LB Patrick Willis, drafted 11th overall from Ole Miss in the 2007 NFL Draft, was a defensive force for the 49ers. He led the team in sacks with 11, while racking up 66 tackles and 10 passes defended. He was all over the field, causing three-and-outs on a regular basis. SS Hermes Camacho, who gave up a career in music for the NFL, was drafted in the seventh round out of Texas. After incumbent SS Mark Roman went down with a torn ACL in the preseason, Camacho was given a chance to start along with his brother, Paulo. The result was clear – Camacho led the team in tackles (90), with 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. Both recently got word of their Pro Bowl berths.

Five of their teammates on defense will be joining them in Hawaii. Nate Clements, their mega-deal pickup from Buffalo, led the 49ers secondary with 14 interceptions, returning 3 for touchdowns. CB Walt Harris will be starting alongside Clements in Honolulu – his 28 passes defended led the team, with 75 total tackles and 12 interceptions. Along with Shawntae Spencer, the 49ers had the most feared secondary in the league. All three are Hawaii-bound. FS Keith Lewis and RE Marques Douglas round out the record 17 49ers headed to the Pro Bowl – Lewis’ 52 tackles, 5 interceptions and 1 defensive touchdown was enough for the nod, while Douglas had 9 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.

After a 38-13 win over the Denver Broncos in Week 17, the 49ers finished a perfect 16-0 regular season – the second such season in as many years. With their dominance in the regular season, the 49ers were obvious favorites to win the Super Bowl. Unlike their predecessors in the 2007 New England Patriots, they didn’t disappoint. The 49ers lay waste to an upstart New York Giants team, defending their Super Bowl championship from the year before, 48-3. Then came a rematch of Week 3, against the Philadelphia Eagles. In their first meeting, the Eagles couldn’t handle the 49ers’ incredible offense, 77-17. In this meeting, the Eagles could only put up a substantially better fight, before succumbing to San Francisco’s unstoppable passing attack, 59-20.

Super Bowl XXLII brought together the two teams that had been dying to play each other all season long: the 49ers and the Indianapolis Colts. The 17-1 Colts, led by Peyton Manning’s 55 passing TDs, was second to the 49ers in almost every major statistical category. With as well as each of their teams’ defenses had been playing, the 49ers-Colts matchup was an offensive battle of the ages. Indianapolis was looking to become the third 18-1 team to win a Super Bowl, while making the 49ers the second 18-1 team in as many years to lose a Super Bowl.

What ensued was beyond anyone’s imagination.

After a 78-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Harrison on the third play from scrimmage, Stauffer returned his first Super Bowl kickoff for a 98-yard score – the first of two return TDs – tying the game, 7-7. At this point, only 1 minute of game clock had gone by. Thus set the tone for an offensive battle like nothing ever seen. When the dust settled, the 49ers made more big plays, in a game full of big plays, 101-78. Smith finished with a 20-for-30 performance, throwing for 534 yards and 8 touchdowns, with 1 interception. Manning had a bigger day, shockingly, in a losing effort, throwing 26-for-50, 682 yards and 9 touchdowns, with 3 picks. Gore finished the day with 31 rush attempts for 168 yards and 3 touchdowns. Stauffer added to his return numbers – 441 return yards along with his two TDs – with 8 receptions, 260 yards and 4 touchdowns, while Camacho finished with 5 receptions, 154 yards and 3 TDs. CB Walt Harris’ 2 INTs were integral in the 49ers’ ultimate victory, cementing their place as the greatest team in NFL history.

After a perfect 19-0 season, many pundits are already wondering what else the 49ers can do next season to repeat. The question was posed to WR Paulo Camacho shortly after their Super Bowl victory.

“I dunno … how about another 19-0? I mean, after this year, why not?”

After a season like this in the books, for the 49ers, nothing’s impossible.

Well, of course this season is impossible!! Look at those scores! No one ever scores over 70 points in an NFL game, let alone scores over 70 multiple times in one season. This is obviously Madden NFL’s doing. I had been working on this franchise mode for a little over a month. But, why am I telling you? I had written about this before.

Nevertheless, I hoped you enjoyed this pleasant farce.

Confessions of a Relapsing TV Addict: "The Office"

I hadn’t been devoted to a TV sitcom since “Friends” went off the air.

You know, that was some show, to be honest – sure, it had its peaks and valleys, but it was one of the funniest sitcoms I had ever seen, in its prime. I still remember half the lines from most of the episodes. “The One With The Embryos” is probably still my all-time favorite. No lie – I could probably still recite the entire script to that episode line-for-line. I even have a “Friends Trivia” book. I can probably crack that open and correctly answer 90% of the questions. I’m still embarrassed to say all that aloud. So, why, may you ask, am I?

Well, that’s simple – “Friends” was a show I was in love with. It was a show that would always make me laugh, and I could really connect with. Back then, when I was a TV addict, “Friends” was probably, to a certain extent, my favorite drug. Maybe it was the fact that I had to focus more on my studies, or maybe it was the fact that I had picked up newer, more productive hobbies than watching TV. Whatever it was, I thought that, after “Friends” went off the air in 2004, I would never find a sitcom that would give me that fix again. Thanks to NBC – and, surprisingly, YouTube – I found my new fix.

I guess it was around May of this year when I stumbled upon “The Office” on YouTube. Many of you can understand how easy it is to get lost in YouTube – the viral videos, the interviews, the TV clips. You can waste hours on that site watching absolutely nothing. But, I digress. I stumbled upon a “Jim and Pam” video – a music video edited with scenes from “The Office”, commemorating the complicated relationship between two of the main characters – and it began to intrigue me.

Then, while going through these videos, I stumbled upon a certain block of videos that depicted entire episodes of the show. They were edited to 10 minute clips, revolving around the self-proclaimed “JAM” (Jim/Pam) relationship. On weekends I should have been writing essays and doing assignments, I spent hours watching these clips.

Ultimately, I watched every single episode. After that, I was hooked.

You know, I think it was the perfect “more-than-friends” dynamic between the characters of Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly that initially got me hooked. I guess I can call myself a hopeless romantic, and the whole relationship between Pam and Jim really spoke to me. Considering the only relationship I ever had grew from a close friendship (and I name no names), the interactions between Jim and Pam made me a bit nostalgic. I was extremely empathetic to Jim’s longing to be with Pam, only because I felt like I’ve been in situations and experiences like that before. I also loved the malleable emotional tension in their dynamic, which, I think, is completely relatable to just about anyone who had ever been in love, or is in love. It gets you invested in the characters, and just makes them very genuine.

It’s also about the extremely subtle comedic goings-on in the series. So much of the show’s comedy comes from the realistic uncomfortable situations the show goes through. The way each character delivers a line, or the way they react to a certain line or situation – the comedic subtleties, if one catches it, are absolutely priceless.

It truly is an ensemble sitcom – while Michael Scott (Steve Carell), Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson), Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) are considered the main characters in the show, it’s all of the secondary characters – Ryan Howard (yes, like the Philadelphia Philly) the temp, Kelly Kapoor, Creed Bratton, Kevin Malone, Angela Martin, Meredith Palmer, Oscar Martinez, Toby Flenderson, Jan Levinson-Gould (minus the Gould), Roy Anderson, Darryl Philbin, Andy Bernard, Karen Filippelli – that round out the entire series. From the conflicts to the chemistry, every aspect of each character brings an ingredient to the comedic smorgasbord that is “The Office”.

I suppose you probably know someone who reminds you of each of the characters on this show, which adds to the comedic genius. Because of this, you can laugh at the hilarity of every situation that each character takes you, thinking that you’ve been in situations like that at some point in your life. Even the ridiculous situations aren’t hard to relate to and laugh at, only because most of the characters would play off of the situations in real ways.

For me, also, the women of “The Office” – particularly Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Melora Hardin and Mindy Kaling – are just attractive. I mean this in a number of ways – not just, to quote Michael Scott, “Their hotness, per se.” The fact is, these women are all cute and funny. For me, I find a cute and funny girl to be doubly attractive – watch Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey in candid interviews, and you’d probably see what I’m talking about. Personally, I’ll have to admit – I have a huge crush on Jenna Fischer. She’s really cute, and the subtle comedy she brings out in every aspect of Pam is utterly hilarious.

It was funny – I later read reviews on IMDb about “The Office”, saying how unbelievably bad the show was. I suppose this was during its first season, when it was trying to gain its footing in the Land of Sitcom-dom. Most of the negative reviews were comparing the show to its native British counterpart, which I thought was unfair. Sure, it was an American spinoff – but that was no reason not to give the show a chance. You should read some of the snap judgments people had about the show – considering its current critical and commercial success, the comments seem rather ignorant, and quite ridiculous.

Anyway, I have seen every single episode. I own DVDs of all three seasons, and I have listened to the episode commentaries and watched the special features literally hundreds of times. I have even recently got addicted to one of the show’s websites, Office Tally, to sustain the addiction I have had for the past couple months. Much like “Friends” almost 12 years before, I can recite many of the funniest lines from the show, and could answer much of the show’s intricate trivia. Again, I am not proud of this, but it shows how much I love the show. Ultimately, I had never been looking more forward to a new season of a particular show than I did with “The Office” since the times of “Friends”. With the commencement of Season 4 last Thursday, I look forward to the further development of the show, and the relationships that drive it, as the weeks and months go on.

It is that, to steal a line from “Grease”, that I am hopelessly devoted to.

So, Apparently, I was on TV Last Night ...

NOTE: This is actually an important UC Davis story, and I don't mean to lessen it by telling my own anecdote about it. Read the story and speak out. Power to the student body!

Alright, so, anyway ... it was the strangest thing.

I had just gotten out of my Soc 193 class with my friend, Adri. We were walking to the parking lot, going to get something to eat. In front of us was a TV reporter and a news camera. The reporter stops us both, asking if we have 30 seconds to talk on-camera about a news story. At this point, I'm thinking about Adri, who obviously didn't want to be at school (she was getting over a cold), let alone on TV. But, I said, "Sure."

So, this reporter (who I have come to find out to be Koula Gianulias) tells me about this UCD employee that allegedly embezzled $160,000 from school funds, while still receiving pension from the school. I was speechless - I really didn't know what to say. I kind of rambled on for a good 20 seconds how I was shocked, appalled and outraged. They thanked me for my time, and I went on my way. I even told Adri they probably wouldn't use my ramblings on the air.

Fast forward to this morning:

I get a message from my dad. My mom sends me a text message. Both telling me that I was on CBS 13's 10:00 newscast last night! It was all by chance that they saw me, apparently (they don't watch the news on CBS 13 that often). I was shocked - They put me on the air?! If you don't believe me, they even quote me in a written story about it - and they spell my name right! (Go to CBS 13.com, look for Local news: Former UC Davis Employee Allegedly Takes $160K)

Well, anyway ... did anyone watch the CBS 13 news last night? Does anyone have this on TiVo or something? I'm curious to see this story myself ... I just think it's hilarious that I was on TV. :)

My Slight Brush With Celebrity ... Pt. II

Continuing my series in run-ins with famous people ... this is my second, by the way ... I just wanted to talk about this for a second.

So, I was coming off of my flight, waiting for my brother at the Austin Airport. I went to baggage claim, and got my bags. I went to sit down at another carousel, and, naturally, being a sociologist, I looked around at the random faces in the crowd.

Okay, so, before I get to my next part (storyteller I'm trying to be), I should make it clear that today was UT's Pro Day - that's basically when many NFL teams' scouts and coaching staffs come to the University of Texas to take a look at Pro prospects for the upcoming draft in April.

Now, as I was saying, I was looking around, and guess who I see, standing in the middle of the terminal, waiting for his luggage? Chicago Bears Head Coach Lovie Smith.

I wasn't sure, at first - I had to take a second look ... and a third look ... and a fourth. After awhile, I was convinced he was Lovie Smith. He was wearing orange - a Chicago Bears team color - and he was talking to a guy who was wearing navy blue and orange - natural Chicago Bears colors. I even overheard him speaking - same southern twang in his voice. That was definitely him.

I wanted to go up to him and ask for his autograph - but, what would I say? "Coach Smith ... sorry about that Super Bowl loss ... stick with Rex Grossman, he'll get it eventually"? What am I, nuts? Although, I did want to get a picture with him and send it to Anne and Colleen - I know they're Bears fans. I wasn't sure whether to even bother the guy.

Anyway, I didn't approach him - my brother called me and picked me up before I had the chance to say anything. Oh, well. Anyway, that's it. Being a huge sports fan, that was a pretty surreal experience - even though I didn't even do anything.

Songs of Significance: "Joy To The World" by Three Dog Night

When you go through your music collection, you stumble upon songs that just bring back memories. For me, that happens often – “Songs of Significance,” I call them. There’s probably a song that brings back any given particular memory. Today, I would like to mention one of those songs – “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night.

And, no, it’s not because “Forrest Gump” was one of my favorite movies growing up. (As a matter of fact, I honestly didn’t know what to make of it when I first saw it.)

No, this holds particular significance because it brings back the memory of when I first heard it – my sixth grade talent show. I sang “Unforgettable” by Nat King Cole, that year. It was some good times (I guess). But, I guess that's beside the point: The first time I heard this song, it was used as for a routine by four girls – Carin Taorimino, Jana Jun, Kristen Laguna and Kim Yacksan – which, for some reason, stuck out for me. Can’t explain it, really – maybe it was their routine, or something. Anyway, I’ll always think of those four whenever I hear that song, and that kickass talent show, 11 years ago.

Alright. That’s all. Just a random observation. Okay, folks, show’s over, nothing to see here …

It's Weird ...

I must have run into about five of my friends today ... and when I say "ran into", I mean, I saw them walking through campus. To have run into them, I would have assumed they would have noticed me and said 'hey'. I wouldn't really bring it up, if it didn't keep happening to me today.

I mean, first, it was Nick, when I got to school this morning. It was just an observation - I saw him, and I thought, "Hey, that was Nick." I didn't think much of it. Then, I saw Ora - which was weird, 'cause I hardly ever saw her anymore. She was walking in my direction, and we actually crossed paths. Strangely enough, we didn't say anything to each other. Maybe I should've said something.

Then, I saw Adri, over on the Quad, this afternoon - I hadn't seen her on campus in awhile, and I tried to say hi, get her attention. Alas, she was on her phone, and seemed somewhat distracted. Finally, I saw Ambar, coming out of my Soc advising appointment. She, like Ora, was walking in my direction, and we, too, crossed paths. But, we didn't greet each other, either.

Granted, I did see a bunch of people who said hi to me today - Vince, Lorraine, Garveaux, Joneric, Naomi, Neil, and the like. Happens every day, obviously. It just stood out in my mind that I practically ran into people I know, and we didn't say hi.

Anyway, 'twas a strange pattern, that I thought I had to get off my chest. Why, you ask? I dunno - It was a pointless, random observation, so get off my back! Geez ... But, anyway, the moral of the story: Say hi to your friends if you see them on the street or whatever. Just a simple acknowledgment would do.

We could all use a little acknowledgment from your friends every once in awhile, even if you don't know them that well.