Big-Ass Birthday

Saturday was the day I decided to celebrate my birthday, five days late. Face it, Monday birthdays blow. No one is free to do anything, you can’t stay out late, etc. So I put on my party planning pants (they’re plaid) and sent out Evites to my peeps. Up until then, I had only received (and ignored) Evites but never actually tried to use them. It’s kind of sad. The site tells you who has read the invitation, and who gives enough of a shit to actually respond “Yes” or “No”… all the while you’re thinking that your friends don’t like you as much as you had assumed.

All in all, I had 15 people join me for dinner at Agave in Cabbagetown. I had never organized such a large gathering before, as I usually hang-out with my friends in little groups. This time I made them all sit at the same table, forcing homogeny between personalities. Everything went well until there were issues with paying the bill…. tension was palpable and my stomach tied itself into a knot because the control freak in me was losing the battle of having an evening with zero conflict.

After that, most of us went to the Highlands and met up with some of my other friends… the fun, bar-hopping variety. Went to my fave spot, the 10 High for Metalsome karaoke. I like it because it’s a small, dark club with unpretentious people and PBR. I like the music and it’s fun to sing along while people rock out. Little to my knowledge (actually, I should have expected this in advance), I would be one of those people rocking out. Beth snuck off and signed me up to sing some Def Leppard, “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” I totally wouldn’t have picked that, but screw it. So I drank my courage in the form of THREE jager-bombs and TWO PBR tall boys. Climbed on stage with the band and had fun; played up the crowd and at least sang all the words… can’t say it sounded pretty though. So I got my Metalsome cherry popped. People I didn’t know where giving me high-fives. Girls were approaching me to converse. I need to do that every weekend!

In other news, I went to dinner tonight with my ex. She is a totally different person now. She’s funny and has a great attitude. She cut her hair and lost some weight. She’s dealing with her issues, or at least is trying to which counts for a lot. I see in her eyes that she’s still in love with me and knows she was wrong.

I immensely enjoyed the time we spent together tonight. Many of my friends thought it would be a bad idea to see her, but I always try to be the bigger person. I wanted closure. I got it, and a proposal for a fresh start. I’m more attracted to her now than I ever was before. If this is the person she wants to be now, then I’m willing to try it again… but I’m enforcing a speed limit.

Pre-Birthday Bullshit

Friday night I made dinner for the physical therapist. I asked a couple of my friends what they thought would be a nice meal to prepare and narrowed it down to pesto-marinated chicken stuffed with mozzarella and spinach, served with pasta and homemade sauce. Bought all the stuff for that and forgot garlic, so I stopped at the store on the way to her house. I started to buy some carrot cake from the bakery (as I remembered that it was her favorite) but called to make sure she hadn’t already covered dessert. She said she had, and it was a surprise. Yeah for surprises.

Got to her place and she watched me cook. Dinner was really good and I should pat myself on the back for that. We drank wine and talked about my Dad, who is physically handicapped and in need of some physical therapy. She has been interested in meeting him since day one. Though this was only the third date, it seems like we’ve been seeing each other longer… I definitely opened myself up more to her than the other girl.

We popped-in a DVD and sat in the floor because her dog decided that she wanted the couch to herself. I wrapped my arm around her and she snuggled-up… but when I leaned in to kiss her she didn’t move her head to meet me, so I got a cheek. I jokingly commented about her shyness, despite the fact that we were alone and watching a movie on her couch in a dark, candle-lit apartment. Then came the surprise…

She went in the laundry room for a minute and came out holding a birthday cake, complete with lit candles. She baked me a birthday cake. In that moment, I think I started to fall for this girl. I blew-out the candles and pulled her close and kissed her on the lips. She didn’t mind. I told her that I think it would be okay for her to meet Dad, but he’s got a very negative attitude and can be offputting… so I was concerned about him upsetting her and I don’t want that to happen because I like her. I admitted that I liked her. I couldn’t stay the night, so I took some cake for the road and told her about my tentative birthday plans next weekend and that her presence was requested. She kissed me on the lips goodnight (she finally made a move) and I drove home happy… happy that I no longer had any doubts about whether she liked me.

So Sunday comes and I hang out with Patrick and his girlfriend all day. We went to the Braves game and got something to eat in L5P. Went home, took a nap and watched Star Wars on cable. Then I got around to checking my email….

I had a message from her and the first sentence reads: “So I am going to write lots down because I am horrible at saying them.” Shit.

To paraphrase, she just wants to be friends. Due to a bad 4-year relationship (there is always a bad past relationship, isn’t there), she will not allow herself to move towards a new relationship unless she’s feeling 100% about it. She wanted to wait and see how Friday went before she made up her mind. The sweet text messages/emails, the dates, baking a birthday cake, the interest in my father’s well being… all things done by a naturally kind, generous girl that made me fall for and open-up to her more so than the other. And now I’m upset… on my birthday. It’s days like this that make me not want to open my heart to others and I wish she would have just ignored me after the first date like your average girl who isn’t feeling it, rather than continuing to see me and feel conflicted the whole time.  I wasn’t too sure about her until after Friday too… it’s just funny how we both decided two different things.

She’s open to talking about it with me and still wants to help Dad. I texted her after a stiff drink and confirmed receipt of the Dear John-esque email, taking her up on the offer to talk about it and requesting that we do it in person rather than via phone. I think we could be friends. It’s much easier to say that when you’re dating other people… I just wish Friday night hadn’t happened, or at least went as well as it did. Better now than a week/month from now.

Drama – How I Loathe Thee

Last night was my close friend Patrick’s birthday. Originally, the plan was to charter a limo to pick-up a group of us and haul us to the Pink Pony while we helped ourselves to the full bar. Once there, we would get VIP seating with dinner and Patrick would be brought on stage for mockery… and maybe a t-shirt. He changed his mind since the SEC tournament was in town this weekend and figured the club would be packed. (I kinda doubt it after the storm on Friday night)

So instead his girlfriend, whom I had only met once, decided to organize a party on his behalf. She invited all her friends. Out of the whole group, only myself, Beth and Laurie even knew Patrick outside of the “relationship.” She rented a room at some place on Holcomb Bridge in Roswell called VIII-Fifty. It was probably the best steak I’ve ever eaten, and she kept trying to hook-me-up with our server. (I’m too much of a pimp right now as it is, but she did bring me a beer on the house) She convinced them to make a certain dessert for everyone that is no longer offered on the menu. I wonder how much money she’s spent in this place before. So Patrick’s girlfriend and her friends kept pounding the drinks, getting loud, texting guys they shouldn’t. Then they started screaming about wanting to dance.