Surprise Orchestra Concert

I was all set to see Sara Gruen at the library last night, but my sister had other plans.

Sara Gruen wrote Water for Elephants, which if you haven't read, I highly recommend. Currently, I'm reading her newest book, which is the one she was discussing at the library, Ape House. It's not quite as good as Water for Elephants, but then, I'm not finished yet, and her previous book had a wonderful twist ending, we're talking total vengeance people! I will say, though that as I'm reading Ape House, I'm realizing that I totally forgot about all the animal abuse that she writes about. Don't get me wrong, she is completely on the animals' sides, but she doesn't mince words in describing things. If you think you'd have a hard time with this, then these may not be for you. Or maybe you could get the audio book. The reader is already past the atrocities and onto the next idea before you even realize what you just heard. When you've got the actual book in hand, you can stop and go back and re-read, and be appalled a second time. At least that's how it is for me.

Anyway, so I was planning to go. I had tried to drum up some friends to come with me on facebook, but no dice. So I figured I meet some new people (there was a happy hour beforehand), and hear an interesting discussion (Ape House's basic premise is about ASL taught primates, and Koko the gorilla has always held a special place in my heart since as long as I can remember.) My sister wrote me though to say they were having a free Orchestra concert at City Hall, and did I want to go? I checked out what they were playing, and what the line up it was... Swan Lake! Carmen! Candide! I was in! It was a wonderful concert, the weather was just right, and it was so relaxing just sitting on the steps at Dilworth Plaza/City Hall. Check it out!

Meanwhile, I posted some pictures on my facebook page, and usually when I post comments about where I'm at or what I'm doing, I get some comments, at the very least I get one "like", but last night... nothing. Hmmm, either everyone was very busy last night, or all my friends are culturally inept. I probably shouldn't ponder this too long. Tonight, I'm going to an erev sukkot in the park. it should be fun. Gipper won't be there, he's going to a "bring a friend of a friend" party. I'm curious to see what that's like. And then Friday is happy hour at Devon Seafood with one of my knitting group friends, and Sunday is our Sukkah Hop. He's coming to that ;-)

Very Good Close Friends

I'm discovering that nights out with the girls, where by the end you're one big mass of giggling females, can be a lot of fun! I'm so used to be so worried about appearances and being "proper" (what is that anyway?), I completely lost track of what having fun means. I'm starting to remember and having lots of it!

Last night we partook of Restaurant Week here in Philly. Four of us, Skanky (who from here on in I think I will call Boobs, since she's not really skanky that was just my first impressions, but she's definitely, in her own words, boobalicious - I think that's going to be my new favorite word for awhile! :-) ), Ms Shrink, The Same (since she really reminds me of myself in so many ways) she's also, by the way, roommates with Bitchy Poo, and myself. We went to Tinto's had lots and lots of food and lots of good conversation. They served tapas style so we all shared, we started out with arugula salad, gazpacho, skewered chicken; then moved onto asparagus (to die for), string beans, mussels in a marinara sauce, skewered steak, half poulets; and then dessert: banana chocolate tortes and almond cake with cherry cream on top.We talked about Ren Boy (how did I manage to deal with his shit for so long?), the Gipper (he just wants to be friends, and I'm ok with him taking the lead in where the relationship goes. I just really like him and feel a connection with him somehow. I'm perfectly ok just being friends, but should he decide at some point that he might want to try something more, I'd be open to that too. I think we could be really good together. I think we're already pretty good together. But time will tell. Just hopefully not too much time). We talked about work, and my living situation with Mom and Sis. Then on the walk back to the train we talked about the upcoming Sukkah Hop. It was an overall very nice night.

I posted something to that effect on my facebook page, and Gipper commented back and then called me. He was having a lazy night and sounded half asleep. It was kind of nice that he was one of the last people I spoke too before going to bed, and I'd like to think he felt the same. It's nice to know I'm on his mind. And I have to say that just being friends does take a lot of pressure off. Plus the fact that he's a guy and not a catty female friend, I'm not quite as careful with what I say to him. But it's ok. I feel that I could say quite a bit to him and he wouldn't be offended. I think at the very least we'll be very good, close friends, and frankly, I could use some of those.

Just Friends

It's official. The Gipper wants to just be friends. It went something like this:
Me: you know how you said that when you met Trashy for the first time, you gave her your usual schpeil about how you're almost divorced, living at home with your parents until it's finalized, and just looking for friends? How you made sure you raised all those red flags?
Him: Yeah?
Me: So they were red flags for me too?
Him: Well, yes.
Me: Oh, ok.
Him: I really do want to be your friend, but I'm just not looking to get into anything just now. Is that ok?
Me: Yep, I just had to get it clear for myself.
**sigh**

So, the upside, is that I think I may have found a really good friend. The kind you can say almost anything to and you know they won't take offense and will give you pretty right on feedback. I'm not holding my breath that it will turn into anything more, I don't want to set myself up for that. But G-d, if you're listening, and eventually he faces his fears, realizes that I'm the one for him, and we live happily ever after, I wouldn't complain. :-)