I don't get what this society wants

And so it goes.

Another weekend passes, another lesson of shorthand that prompts me to wonder if I should take some kind of test for learning difficulties, and so it goes.

Things aren't so bad. My flat is the same as ever, and I still need to call my landlord and ask him if he will ever actually replace my oven with one that works properly. San went home for a logn weekend, so I haven't seen her since Friday when she was grumpy, but refusing to admit anything was wrong, though she later apologised in a text message so I will probably see her tomorrow.

I spent the weekend in Derby, which was a very strange feeling. Having been away from there for about 18 months all sorts of things had changed, the indie record shop had moved to the high street, the streetwear shops that once were doing so well have vanished altogether -- which makes me wonder if there's a connection between them and the university's financial troubles -- and the appearance of subway sandwich. But it was still all so familiar I felt as if I was visiting the city in a dream.

The purpose of the visit was to see Rie, who I'm aware hasn't been given any real kind of space here before, and that reminds me I need to pull my finger out and complete the cast list entries. But don't bank on it. Very quickly, Rie was Matt's wife, Matt was a friend from Derby -- and still is a friend, from Derby. Their relationship has always been rocky and now it seems it is finally all over, but that also wouldn't be the first time -- so I can't say for certain. Either way, I saw Matt a couple of weeks back, and so I went to See Rie this weekend.

Rie is living the ghettos of Derby, an area of beautiful architecture and Britain's oldest park, but also full of drug addicts. She's staying with and dating this one guy, and together they seem to do little besides smoking a lot of pot. Of course, Rie is feeling lost in the world -- since she married Matt in Salt Lake City, when he was on an exchange from Derby, just like I was a year later. So she's trying to work out where she wants to be, and what she stands to lose by choosing one place over another. It's all very sad.

But the world keeps turning, and I have faith that things will work out for her, in the end -- it's just how long that will take is the question at hand.

And as for me I once again need to write an off-diary story, practice writing in shorthand, and maybe even go home and make something to eat.