The following truth occurred to me - a flash of realization, and then, quiet bemusement.

Simultaneously, I have a sister in Vietnam, a sister in the Philippines, a sister in Australia, a sister in China, and a sister in Australia.

I don't know if any man in history has ever formulated this thought. Perhaps... not.

N is gallivanting in Vietnam with new-found boyfriend Ku. She recently told me that she wants a lot of money, so that she may travel as she wishes. She is also letting go of her feminist dreams, thinking them unpractical - she is no longer going to Ruttgers for a master's program in gender studies, despite my urgings. I don't know if I feel this loss more keenly than she does. I always imagined that Ruttgers may be a cornerstone in her life, that will define her way of thinking for many years to come, that will enrich her with friends who share her passions - soul-partners, such an abundance of soul-partners she will never have a chance to meet again. 

Im is gallivanting in the Philippines with new-found boyfriend J.

M is gallivanting in China/Mongolia with now-medium-term boyfriend D.

S is finishing her psychiatry rotation in Melbourne, with medium-term boyfriend T.

L is studying for PSLE.

It amuses me to keep track of my sisters' current stable of boyfriends and girlfriends.

I asked a bartender out and we met in Ajihei. There was some initial confusion as to who my date was. The Ajihei waitress was convinced my lunch date had arrived before me - she led me to a table with a middle-aged lady. I cannot recall a single impression of the lady, except her age; I was so embarrassed I quickly stumbled out for air.  I was wondering if I had asked the right person out, or if V was ever going to show up. Thankfully, she did; she lost track of time while shopping for tops on Nassau.

Having at first admitted no particular preference for food, V revealed to me that she will not eat raw fish, so we ordered a shrimp and soft-shell crab roll for her. Despite my initial misgivings, they turned out delicious. V told me that graduate students were not normal people, that she could find no girl to talk to about make-up and shopping and manicures  during a miserable first year. I felt like the last guy on earth to talk to about make-up and shopping and manicures.

The conversation had me thinking: I have drawn similar conclusions about the nature of graduate students, or mostly those I've met in my department. That they are not normal. A majority of them fall into two categories. The first group comprise people who are exceptional and exceptionally focused in their work. The second comprise people who are less exceptional but are nevertheless focused; they tend to be ruled by their passions and insecurities. Neither group provide a reliable source of companionship.

A few days ago I found this library of used fantasy and sci-fi books in one of the undergraduate colleges. Princeton's undergrad colleges are fantastic, so many hidden libraries, pool tables, pianos, outpoor patios to sun in... I've been getting a huge kick exploring the the colleges - though I am a graduate student, I seem to be able to enter any undergraduate college with my access card, which is great. Back to the library, I browsed and borrowed Asimov's Nemesis, which I'm really getting into right now. How do you feel about Asimov?