Andy Gleaner (July 10)

Yes that's me, and I haven't run out of other people to talk about. I just have some things I want to say and they're about me, so here it is.

I've had to deal with a lot of stress and disappointment in the past couple weeks. It's not any one thing, but a combination of things from all aspects of my life going to shit all at once. I wasn't myself for a little while, but only a brief period of time. Now that I'm on the other side I came to a couple conclusions.

I am not the same person I was a year ago, or even six months ago. The things that have been thrown at me recently would have been enough in the past to seriously mess with my state of mind for a long time. As things are now, I took a few days, I absorbed the situations, I worked out my feelings and now I feel better than ever.

The truth is, my life is really great. I have a job that sustains me, even if it isn't perfect. I live in the city I've always wanted to live in. I am friends with the greatest people on the planet. They are all around me and no matter what goes wrong or what disappointment I face, these are people who will always be there, and knowing that makes all the difference.

So I want to mention Brian and Grace; two friends who have seen me at my lowest and highest, my best and my worst. Two people that have been my friends for years and are always there. The ones who know me better than I know myself sometimes. You guys are my best friends and I thank you so much for always knowing how to give me some perspective, and then getting drunk with me.

Even more important though is that I know myself, and now that I've come this far, there is nothing that is going to stop me or bring me down. I've become the person I want to be and I will never go back to the place I was in last year. Things aren't perfect, but they are great and I look forward to the future because it only gets better from here.