Guinea Pigs Can't Stand Being Lonely

"every great paint chat has at least a potato in it."
(courtesy of Sleepy, Sifu & me)

Pet owners frequently tell of their sole surviving pet Guinea pig soon following their companion not long after its death. It has been told that Guinea pigs can actually die of loneliness.

i guess i can sort of relate to those Guinea pigs now. If i did not have an elder bro to hang around with and rely on constantly i could have fallen into some sort of depression. i am always surrounded by people, but it still feels like i'm quite alone. It isn't about my inability to make new friends, but more like the sort of friends that ain't there just for face value.

High school friends, the closest bunch i've ever known are all busy with their own adult lives now, meeting only on rare yumcha occasions or holiday celebrations. My spirits are always lifted when i meet up with them, with the usual casual banters and curses that makes me most at home with these guys.

Art/hobby friends, the bunch i really enjoy hanging out with are currently sorta inactive. We used to motivate each other to churn out new works and draw upon the expertise of each other for the betterment of ourselves. Ever-since i started working, plus the others sorting out their studies and also work life, there has been less activity among us.

i found this out to be one of the reasons i have been feeling quite demotivated and depressed lately. After a night spent paint-chatting briefly with some of my mates, i felt my spirits lifted a tiny bit, which is hard to come by these days. With some reflection i realized then that it has to do with the longing of hanging out and doing the things i love to do with my gang. i have been in isolation from them for months and it has been slowly eating away at me.

i guess now that i know the reason why, i could work towards a remedy for my recent downcast. Knowing is half the battle won.