Happy Thoughts and Reminisces

It’s a Friday night and I’m In. …whaaaat? Actually, it’s not that uncommon.

The birthday boy is out with friends but I decided to be “responsible” and stay in since a) I have an obligation tomorrow and I know how we get when we’re all together *grin* and b) we have a big party planned next weekend for him and our other friend Tory.

The word responsible is in quotes because, naturally, there are still beers involved. It’s OK, though, because it started with the birthday boy before he left. And my obligation is meeting a friend at 11:30am…and given it’s not even the witching hour, it’s alll good.

So tomorrow’s obligation should be a fun one! Through the hash I learned that East Atlanta is having a beer festival and needed volunteers. I figured: why not? I signed up for “whatever” which pretty much meant they could put me on either shift (12-3 or 3-6) and have me work wherever (at the gate, pouring beer, etc). I was happy to learn today I’m on the early shift (read: can drink without worrying about getting sloshed and missing my shift) and pouring beer. So, yes, I will be a beer wench for real tomorrow. No, I will not wear my old beer wench Halloween costume.

We had an “orientation” last night (how much orientation do you really need to pour beer? Not sure…I guess we’ll see!) and after learning she was also volunteering, I drove to Laura’s place after work and we walked to East Atlanta Village together. I had no idea how long this walk would actually be… the drive down Moreland got just long enough for me to start to question, “did I miss her street?” and then I found it. Thankfully, the walk seemed much shorter through the neighborhoods. That, and the company and conversation was lovely. Even bigger bonus? Walking there and back constituted almost 4 miles! Woo! Go me! (This is not a feat for Laura, mind you. But my ass has not been in the gym for a while now.)

This was one of the cute random things I saw in the neighborhood: A rubber duckie, sitting on a fence…for no apparent reason. There were also things like bright purple houses and mailboxes that looked like jumping frogs. It was a fun stroll.

One of the most darling things was walking past a family, most of who were on their porch, but a gentleman was standing on the sidewalk, holding his little son. As we were walking up, he tried to get his son to say, “look the ladies…ladies…,” but the little boy got all bashful as we smiled and said hello to him. We kept walking past and then all of a sudden heard behind us: “Ladies!!” in such a cute little gleeful voice that it made us all giggle.

Anywho…right now, that stroll is going to justify the crazy amounts of beer I most likely will consume tomorrow. With the others I know volunteering? Good Lord, I have NO idea how I’m going to keep up. But I will try. Thankfully, dear P2 has already offered me a couch or futon or floor or bathtub or wherever I’ll pass out in his home in the event it gets ridiculous. I fully intend to be fast asleep no later than 10pm.

Okay, so in any case, I’m looking forward to the event. It should be fun. I should meet some nice new people. AND it’s a nice way to celebrate my 10th year in Atlanta.

I moved here on May 12, 1997 for a job. Yes, for a job. Not a boy, but a job. I actually got a lot of questions on that at first — people thought I just simply must have moved for love, not career. I still don’t understand that shock. In any case, that company decided to close their branch here a mere 6 months later and offered me a transfer back up to the way away suburbs of Chicago. I decided to just take a chance and stay here instead. Never regretted it. :)

A lot has happened in the past 10 years. I fell in and out of love a few times. I’ve switched jobs a few times. I’ve lived in 3 different places. I made friends, lost friends. I joined a crazy group of drinking and running people. Did a lot of stupid, stupid things. Did a lot of really good things. The typical thing people usually go through in 10 years’ time, right?

I can’t imagine not loving Atlanta, but I still feel something is missing a little. It’s the thing I find when I go to some other places…like the wedding a couple weeks ago in Charlotte. Or over to Savannah, or down to south Georgia. I love that I’m in the city — I am SO the city girl. But sometimes I still miss that “country” kind of feel… the feeling where no one judges anyone else, no one is prettier or better or smarter than anyone else and everyone is just comfortable with who they are and accept everyone else as an equal where in this climate there’s the instant snap judgment of: are they out of my league, or am I out of theirs? Anyone know what I’m talking about there?

Again, though, I love Atlanta. It was the first place I stayed out all night. The first place I climbed a mountain. The first place I think I truly fell in love and still sometimes wonder if he’s the one who got away while at the same time knowing that’s a good thing. It’s the first place I was ever propositioned by a couple (again and again), the first place I had my own apartment, and the first place I was ever taken seriously in my career. And to risk getting really smooshy over birthday boy, the first time I really knew that friends could disappoint each other, even hurt each other, and still get through it.

So, yeah, reminiscing a little here…but it’s making me smile. And I’m thinking of going back and making that last paragraph a list of bullet points for easier reading….but, then? It seems like too much trouble. :)

So, instead, I’m just going to publish this and hopefully have another entry come up on it’s coattails. I’m not ready to sleep and it’s still fairly early; the problem is that I had writer’s block earlier tonight. I’ve been wanting to write but not knowing what to write. Thank God I don’t have to do this for a living on commission! Perhaps putting on the iTunes as I did the other night might prompt some thoughts to put down. I’ll try that next… :)

Thanks for sticking with me!