volkov

ok. so back from the dreaded day with family. it wasn't so bad after all. still more than a bit surreal. I saw my oldest cousin, whom I remember playing with when I was a kid..he's about 9 years older than me. last time I saw him was 9 years ago or so (so he was my age then) and his wife was pregnant with thier first child. now they have 4. shoosh!
he's a really good guy....and it's not so much that they're just pumping out the kids with no regard (they're done having more kids) it's just the life he wanted..the wife and big family and good paying job doing something involving chemistry. he's probably the most mellow person I know.
we were sitting and talking and he thinks it's pretty cool that I've managed to live life the way I have...moving about and doing different things, not neccesserily following the path of "success" and "achievement". I guess I still look up to him cause that made me feel better about it. It's also cool that we get along really well despite how different out lives are.
grandfather was in better shape than he has any right to be after heart surgery. cranky and cantakerous as ever, but he obviously loves his kids and grandkids.
brother is still a turd, and I doubt that he'll ever really get it together, but at least he's trying to get somewhere I spose.
family are weird.