I've returned after a year long hiatus from here. A lot has changed and a lot remains the same. For as long as Ed has been gone, which is almost 2 years now, I still haven't gotten over him. How long is this supposed to last? Is it normal to pine for someone for this long? He moved in September of 2014. My mom is getting married to a wonderful guy, and it's a nice feeling to have an actual father figure in my life because I've never had that before. We got a new tribal council elected and a new chief, and it has been a nightmare. I have been so stressed out ever since they took office. The new chief is a spendthrift and squeezes a penny till it screams. I've realized lately that life is like a plane trip. It's filled with people you love, but sometimes those people get off and you never see them again, and you can't go back. New people board but they never take the place of the people who have left. And once you reach your final destination, that's it. What a cheery thought.