Dating

I have recently gone on a date, I think. I went out for a beverage with someone who seemed nice, smart, funny and I felt no connection. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this person. In fact they are everything that someone should be looking for. I would be lucky to have someone like that be even remotely interested in me. But for whatever reason I don't think we hit it off. Strange.

Also what is a date? Do we have to state at the top that it is a date? Should one person make some sort of declaration and then sign something? Is there a time of day that indicates date? I went to lunch with a friend in January and after she kissed me goodnight I realized that I had just been on a date. I thought she just wanted to grab some lunch. Me not knowing that I was on a date may have been why it was successful. How am supposed to know?

I have dinner plans for tomorrow night. I don't know if it's dinner with a friend or a date. No clue. I asked her if she wanted to do something. She said yes. Then I asked if it should be a meal or a movie. She said meal. We are meeting at 8 P.M. and I have no idea if it's a date or not. What the hell?

I met a friend for lunch today. He is a he and just had a child. This was very assuredly not a date. He asked if I wanted to hold his child, could not do it. I felt bad but if I had dropped the baby I would have felt worse. I brought them champagne and got the kid a stuffed monkey. I think my friend was more excited about the monkey.

Falling Down

What should have been a great day was ruined by my inability to control my shit. Went to see The Hold Steady with my brother and friend. I had not eaten all day and started throwing down Miller Lites with reckless abandon. My whatever the hell she is showed up by herself and started hanging around us.

I got mad at some point and I think started berating her. I then fell down and crashed into my friend. My brother escorted me back to his truck. I thanked him by vomiting in his car. You are welcome, sir. Way to fail.

Festivals

Traveling abroad allows one a chance to gain some insight on living in the states. The distance has allowed me the chance to really enjoy what I may have written off as kitsch before. We are guilty of many of the sins that the world likes to lay on us. But sometimes our glutenous nature can inspire greatness. Sometimes it can inspire a grand communal experience. Sometimes it can demand that we take to the streets and grill.

In Chicago the summer inspires everyone to hit the streets every weekend in a series of festivals. Some are based around the music. Some are based around a neighboorhood. The greatest are based around food. In honor of this I am attending something called RIBFEST (you better believe that is all caps). I have managed to wrangle a few friends to join me on my pilgrimage to this mecca of BBQ. It is right up the street and I have no doubt that it will be worth my time.

I called in sick to work today. I am sick. I have been sick. I continue to be sick. But I could have probably have worked today. I just wanted to enjoy what looks to be a gorgeous Friday in my Midwestern town. What better way than sample this glorious festival of ribs?

Time Time Always Some Time

Today was almost completely unproductive. The most productive thing so far has been adding ice to a glass of Jamison. My job provides me the chance to sit around all day and ponder. What I ponder ranges from how much I hate the job to how awful the clientele is. The people today were from the insurance industry. My co-worker tried to explain that these people were not culpable in the recent economic meltdown. She must not read many papers.

So often I know the answer to the question people are asking. I rarely offer the answer. Not because I want to show them up. I just do not want to seem like a know it all. How stupid? Feeling embarrassed for having what I consider at best, common knowledge.

A Tiny Town

I got the chance to see Art Burt last night. Thoroughly enjoyable evening of music. They do their best to deconstruct the whole idea of being a band. Amp problems delayed the show but in the end things got going. The show was at a club called Schubas which is well within walking distance of my home. The thing about Chicago is that wherever you go you will always run into someone. This is a blessing and a curse.

I live down the street from someone I use to date. It remains a constant fear that I will run into her in the neighborhood. This has only happened a handful of times but it is always in the back of my mind. But the positive side of living in such a small neighborhood is the chance to run into people you would like to see.

After the show I had a beer with a neighbor whom I had only seen in passing on my block. While waiting for the bathroom I met the founder of a theater I am studying at. The thing about meeting someone in line for the bathroom is that it's the worst place to have a conversation. Plus you feel kind of lame introducing yourself to someone you admire. I went with the classic "uh, hey I take classes at your theater". So lame and uninteresting. Shaking hands in and around a bathroom is just bizarre.

Sleep

So it's just about two in the afternoon and I am still in bed. Thirteen hours of sleep is completely unnecessary but occasionally can be fun. It's been raining on and off throughout my trip to slumber land. Just completely satisfying in a way that few things are.