When did men and women stop needing each other as friends?

Hey there, so this is a post with a serious question.

One of the things I am grateful for is having had male friends who like me are also single.  Being single can be hard for some and for me it has been fun.  However, I do enjoy having a male friend that I can go to a sporting event, concert, dinner or invite to be my +1 to a work event, or have me make a car repair or car buying decision.  

Luckily with that said, I am fortunate that I have married friends who I am friends with both the wife and husband and sometimes I actually have more in common with the husband.  I am even extremely lucky when their relationship is established on trust and that trust is extended to me and the wife does not think twice about me and the husband going to a sporting event as well as always makes sure I know I can count on them for help.  

With that said it is not the same as having a male friend who is also single and you can just call or text and be normal with.  I was fortunate to had that in CA with a long time work acquaintance that we came to refer to each other as work husband / wife.  We would help each other out at work and in our personal life - I would help with making appointments for him and he would help me with advise on car repairs etc. and we would go out to dinner and happy hours.  Then there was my church friend - Dreamy Chris who I really thought was stuckup and self centered as we were in the same stake and had mutual friends but he never really hung around or seemed friendly.  When we finally had the opportunity to establish a friendship I learned my assumption of him was 180 degrees off.  He was so loved by people because of how charitable, kind, caring, and helpful he is.  We would talk about the Gospel, encourage each other, go out to dinner, go to the temple, baseball games, was willing to drive on the 91 at rush hour with me so I could pick up my niece in Moreno Valley so we could see the Twilight Movie at midnight in Buena Park, and was there for me when I had to have a biopsy and was super scared.  So I miss my work husband who still lives in CA and Dreamy Chris who moved to ID a while back.  

When I moved to TX I thought I had at least three possibilities of male friends who could fill in those shoes (they are big shoes to fill) but the reality is so far all three possibilities have not fanned out.  One moved away for work and I am super happy for him; the other travels a lot for work and is rarely in town and while he is very apologetic, I don't think he realizes how sad it makes me that we don't get to do things we talked about doing; and the other I had never met and after we did he apparently didn't think I was worthy of his friendship and that one is the one that has me baffled.  It also makes me wonder if I am that bad of a person.  Just kidding I know I am not because a co worker texted me today and told me what her son said.

So until I get an answer as to why and when single men stop needing single women as a friend I will cling to the words of a young man - "Miss Adriana is so sweet and so nice Mama".

Cicadas....what?!

So I started walking out to my car a few weeks ago and would hear this vibrating like sound.  So I looked for wire lines and there was nothing.  I would look around to see who was making the sound and there would be nobody around.  Also, keep in mind the sound would stop and start in different areas as I walked to my car.

I thought two things:  1.  I was imagining things or 2. there was something strange going on.

Then one morning someone was in the parking lot with me and I asked them if they heard that sound.  To which they promptly responded no and I thought great I am going crazy.  Then they said oh wait, the cicadas?  I said the what?!  

I have learned all I ever wanted to know about them.  They are large insects some grow over 1 ½ inches. Their color varies depending upon their species and many are brown or green.  They have bulging eyes and, on adults, wings that are held roof-like over the body. The wings are semi-transparent with thick wing veins. The majority of their life cycle is spent underground.  They can fly and when they do, they fly like a drunk driver.  When they emerge from the last nymphal stage they leave behind their skin.  Male cicadas are the guilty party for the sound or song they make to attract females.  I don't like it as I feel like a swarm of critters is coming.  Other people love that sound because it is home and it is soothing.

So today someone pointed out one to me or at least the shell - not the best picture but I finally saw a part of a cicada.  At least they told me it was the shell and I would not get very close to take the picture as I was grossed out.

In 7 Days

I will have been in Texas for 182 days or if you prefer 15,724,800 seconds, 262,800 minutes, 4368 hours, 182 days, 26 weeks, or 49.86% of 2018.

I have had fun being here and over all I am much happier.  Yet, lately I have been struggling with being home sick.  I miss the flexibility to get in my car and drive a couple of hours to see my family in Palm Desert, getting Milanesa or Ceviche at Enrique's, riding my bike to or around the beach, going to the movies with Wendy, my monthly dinners with Spencer, David and even sometimes Laura, the ocean smell and just the familiarity of being in a ward where I know people and people know me, I miss my longtime friends.  

OK so enough about that before my eyes need windshield wipers. 

I only have to drive 45 minutes or so to see my friends that have known me the longest and when I am there I feel super happy.  I am super grateful for technology that allows me to see pictures of what is going back home via IG, FB, and texts.  My niece Natalie and my brother Ken will be stopping by for a night on their way from GA to CA and I can't even begin to tell you how much I am looking forward to that.  I have not really been to the movies since January - wait I did see Dirty Dancing but does that count?  Yes, yes it does as I had never seen it, in it's entirety and it was good.  I have had some nice bike rides but now it is so hot and humid and I can't bring myself to go on a bike ride but apparently after 9/15 it should be cooler so I can ride then...ugh.  I do have a great ward it will just take time to make friends.  

So overall even though I do get homesick I do like living in Texas.  Today I was asked if I was going to make it (with the heat) or if I had thought of going back home yet.  I answered honestly  as follows:  I sometimes wonder if I am not going to melt but I have to believe I will make it - I like my life in TX too much to have to drive back to CA and not be happy there. 

There you go my one post in a while and it is a bag of mixed feelings.