I'm Alright

Today has been very stressful, mostly because I wasn't eating regularly and become very irritable when my blood sugar plummets.

I'll start with this weekend. All was wonderful.

Friday:

Went bowling with Ian (Glinka - best last name ever!) He's in a bowling league and a band, badass. My parents have not met him, they haven't met the majority of my friends and aquaintances - but what young twenty-something typically hangs out with eighteen-year-olds and would just love to have a sleepover where mum and dad are upstairs and baking up brownies? This isn't just in reference to Ian, he just happens to be the most recent. Anyway, the 'rents are upset because 1) I haven't been home much lately and, 2) they don't know anyone that I do - but while we argue about them not trusting me, they obviously do, because if they didn't they would attempt to do something ridiculous, like take away my keys or something else equally stupid on their part. I am the un-punishable child and now I'm eighteen and they're still trying, so cute.

Anyway, Ian and I went bowling, he won, because like I said before, he's a badass. We went on base (military) and unfortunately it closes at eleven, so we went to some diner in Arlington. I got home at around two-thirty. We talked, a lot, I haven't had one of those types of conversations in a veryveryvery long time AND more importantly, I didn't cry. This is a huge feat. I always cry. CONGRATULATIONS IAN, YOU ARE THE FIRST OF ALL MY FRIENDS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION LIKE THAT AND NOT SEE ME TURN INTO A BLUBBERY RED MONSTER! I'm glad we were able to finally hang out, it was long overdue and I've needed a good sit down lately.

Saturday:

I went to work at one, and missed celebrating Sara's birthday (another one of those young twenty-somethings), lame. I also missed hanging out with her today, I'll be making it up to her soon, I'm just not when yet.

I was at work until eight, and then drove down to Richmond to catch up with April - who's birthday celebration I missed the previous Saturday. As you can see, as far as birthdays are concerned, I'm a bit behind. I'm doing my best to catch up.

April is married to Steven, the brother of Jeff, the boyfriend of Rachel, the cousin of Erin, the girlfriend of Robert. Got it? Good. Everyone listed after April grew up together, and thus April (and Me) are the outsiders/yankees/snobs/etc. It's so ridiculous. I'm just going to give you the play-by-play:

Arriaval - 10ish
they are all in the multi-purpose room (I think it's supposed to be a family room of sorts, but this house is odd) playing pool - drinking
April shows me where I can put my stuff
we go into the master bedroom and chat while the rest remain in the MPR
I show her my prom dress, she makes fun of me for getting another poof skirted dress/skirt because they aren't the most flattering on me, but they are SO FUN! AND MINE HAS POCKETS! MY PROM DRESS HAS POCKETS!
we go back to the MPR and they're moved the dart board, but haven't put the protective board behind it, and I get a dart stuck in the wall
Jeff gets upset, but I'm quick to point out that I'm not the only one who's done this because there are several other similar markings and he didn't get upset about those
April and I eat brownies and drink milk while the rest continue being lame
We (me and April) attempt at pleasant conversation with the group, but they ignore us and seem to only be able to speak to each other when we try to talk to them
We turn on SNL, Jeff scoffs at it because it isn't funny, the rest follow suite and move to the kitchen
We are left in the MPR on a gross futon watching the biggest TV I've ever seen
Erin and Robert leave, Jeff and Rachel go to bed, April gets me a clean sheet and we discuss how gross the other one was (on the futon)
Steven has been in bed for awhile, April joins him and I continue watching SNL
It goes off, I watch Sex and the City
It goes off, it's raining, thundering and lightning outside
I hear Jeff and Rachel...
I fall asleep...

Sunday:

April gets me up and we all go to Millie's (a really cute diner downtown)
April and I try to make friendly conversation once again
We are seated, order, etc.
April tries telling a story and I am the only one listening
We run errands, and discuss her troubles
Go back to the house and rearrange the master bedroom
I leave to have dinner in NOVA with Marco's family, except they had already had dinner by six-thirty, and I ate fruit and cheese-its

April and I are pretty close. Very different, and did not get along eight years ago. I wish that there was something more I could do for her situation. But the more I think about it, the more I see the difference between city people and small town folk. In the city, we expect there to be different people, despite cliques, everyone is intigued by the new guy, from what I've noticed small town people aren't as receptive (I'm sure Mr. Brann will have something to say about this). April had a big, close, group of friends in high school and she's still friends, or at least in touch with most of them; she still manages to meet new people and... enjoys it. I haven't had that luxury, and I've come to appreciate it. If I didn't have such a variety of friends, I wouldn't be the person I am today, and I think we can all agree, I'm pretty much the shit.


*now, only because I'm anticipating some emails/comments/phone calls in regards to me hanging out with people so much older than me, I remind you to think of who I am, and the people I've been exposed to growing up - they were All, older than me, all of them, and somehow I've turned out alright, and managed to navigate DC successfully without having anyone threaten me, beat me, etc. (knock on wood) also, contrary to my mom's assumptions, I don't meet up with crazy old men, or anyone in general that I've met on the internet.