You would all be so totally proud of me.

I jumped way outside my comfort zone today, and maybe made some new friends.

Today, obviously, is Thursday, which is my day off. I spent most of it reading, because I have this addiction that demands to be fed. The book was going along really well, which was why I couldn't put it down. But the ending really, really pissed me off. Like, I was stomping around my apartment yelling (well, not yelling, because that would just be inflicting my weirdness onto others), but definitely lambasting the author for making the ending so bloody frustrating and just plain WRONG that it made me crazy. I know, I know, it's just a book and these aren't real people so why should I care, right? But that's the whole point behind books. You're supposed to end up caring what happens to the characters in the books. And I did, until the last three pages something so unbelievably wrong happened that I shut the book and said, "Damn it, you made me read all this way just to do THAT? Fuck!"

Then I put on my tennis shoes and went for a walk. Because it's Thursday, the museum is open late so I went that direction. I haven't been to the art museum all summer. I decided to visit my favorite paintings, wander through the Greek and Indian art exhibits, swing past the photography gallery. Like most museums, the exhibits don't change very often so going too often can make the experience boring. Go every couple months and it gives you a chance to recall why you liked your favorite pieces so much. Or if you still do. And maybe see some new things that weren't tere last time.

I was home in about an hour, and since it was such a lovely evening I decided to do something I've been putting off for weeks. I checked the oil and windshield washer fluid in my new car. The reason I've put it off for so long is I could never figure out how to open the hood. I've undone the latch inside the car many times, but could never figure out how to make it release properly. Well, today I was determined to figure it out. And low and behold, I am smarter than my Escort! I added a half quart of oil and discovered my windshield washer was almost empty. Good thing I got it back up now. Winter is coming, and along with it slushy roads, salt, and <eeeewwwww> snow.

By the time I was done, it was about 6 pm, and my two neighbors who live on either side of me, Ben from #4 and Dan from #5, were in the parking lot playing hacky sack. I've seen them there many times when I get home from work, and am always too dressy to play. And maybe, yes, a little chicken, too. But today, I decided to just go with the flow. They're nice guys, always say hi when they see me, and have invited me to play before. So we played for about 20 minutes, and I got progressively better. It's hacky sack, after all. It only requires good hand/foot coordination, and the ability to laugh at yourself.

20 minutes later, they mentioned they were going to go play pool and grab a beer, and watch the VP Debate (both staunch Obama supporters, no worries). I am definitely too chicken to invite myself along, so I was already planning to bid them goodnight and let them go when they asked if I was doing anything and did I want to go along?

See what I mean? Nice guys. They maybe didn't mean it, but I wasn't about to turn them down.

So a couple minutes later, quickly changed out of my sweatshirt and into some earrings (who wears earrings to go on a walk and check their oil?) we walked six blocks to a little dive bar. We did the typical getting to know you talk, had some drinks (you can probably guess what I ordered, right J?), which shocked them because when I told them I don't drink beer, they had naturally assumed that I don't drink, at all. Instant approval. Dan is a painter, mostly outside right now, but will switch to inside work when the weather turns. Ben is a massage therapist, and is very clearly into natural remedies. He has this idea to market focused meditation to women interested in Botox.

Then we went and played one game of Cut Throat, which I came very close to winning and they had fun teaching me to play. By the time we were done, it was almost 8 pm, and time for the debate. The bar, also staunchly Democrat, was playing it out on the patio so people could smoke and drink while they watched what they all hoped was going to be a train wreck. There wasn't one supportive voice in favor of Palin. Nooo, these people really don't like her at all.

My companions are about my age, but are typical guys. Their patience and attention spans are pretty slim. We left in the middle to go across the street so they could pick up some gyros at the Greek deli. The deli was also playing the debate. I had no idea people were so interested that they'd interrupt their evenings out to watch it.

I must confess, I wasn't paying proper attention most of the time. Too many distractions, and the arguments Palin and Biden were making were the same thing I've heard over and over already on NPR.

What I liked most was talking about it on the way home. Thank god for intelligent and thoughtful guys. I knew they existed, but now I have proof.

And they even said they might knock on my door some evening and invite me out again.

Here's to new friends.

Jinx