Fast, Easy, Elegant

Labor Day weekend. I always confuse it with Memorial Day weekend which is at the beginning of the summer. Isn't that convenient that there's two holidays, both at each end of summer? I mean, they could have put Memorial Day on the 12 of March, and Labor day in the middle of December - you know, that "holiday season?" But no, right there as if it was planned that way on each end of the summber - one to celebrate it's beginning, one for it's end. What do they mean anyway? What are we celebrating on Labor day? Is there a specific reason or is it an excuse for the Federal offices to close and have a barbeque? That seems to be the popular thing on these summer holidays - the Barbeque. Poppa bear sits up there behind his grill while the kiddies are in the pool, iced tea and beer flows and the dogs are playing fetch with the older sons. It's a big spectacle like it's expected - "hey J, ya havin' a BBQ this weekend?"

"No, Jerk-off, I stay inside where it's nice and cool, and I'll be eating a TV dinner."

But I did go to a barbeque this weekend. First, on Saturday it was off to the parent's house to pick up some old stuff. I had seen my parents the night before. My grandmother is in town and it truely was fun hanging out with them, playing cards, doing a lot of talking. We're not aloud to talk about Brian because he's on the Shit-list right now. Speaking of - I don't have much of a shit-list. What I'm trying to say is, I'm a pretty easy-going guy and it takes a LOT to get on to my Shit-list. There's a couple on the list right now, but the key thing is, once you're on the list - it takes a lot of work to get off the list. Same with my parent's Shit-list. You done f'd up if you got on that list, and I have a pretty good idea that Brian has found himself a comfortable spot on it.

So anyway, Saturday Jessica agreed to help me move the rest of my crap to my new home. There wasn't much there, just a couple boxes and a bike, we took it all in one trip. We hung out at the parents house for a little while. My mother LOVES Jess. She's a family friend. But I was talking to my mom the other day, and she told me that it's not so much that Jess is a better person or that my other friends are not good people - it's just that Jess is much more personable and outgoing. Although, I have always been under the opinion that my mother is a tough critic of the friends I bring around. But regardless, my mom was happy that I brought Jess to the house. It was then that we invited her and her mother to the house for the barbeque on Monday.

Anyway by the end of the night we finally got back to my house and unloaded the stuff - we hung out for a brief moment and then she left. I feel bad, too - because she could have stayed. I had mentioned to her that I talked to Caitlin, and that I was toying with the idea of taking the road-trip to her house (because I've never seen it.), and not that I think Jess was mad, but maybe a little miffed that I was kinda kicking her out so I can go do other things. It was a dumb idea anyway. No offense Caitlin, but I'm not going over there very often, unless we're going to party. But, I'm glad I got to see your house, it's very nice and your new hair color looks very cool. She colored her hair while I was there, watching American History X - which I had never seen, but I basically wanted to go kill myself after watching that, so that didn't help the party vibe! So after a couple beers I came home.

Sunday I had an event. It was a very long day. It was outside at this spooky little secret garden-type place, and I was sweating my nuts off in my tuxedo. What's worse - we couldn't even turn the music up because it was in a residential area. I wasn't very cool with that. But it was a success, even with the logistical problems - so who am I to complain?

The weekend seemed to fly by though, I mean before I knew it, it was Monday and the long weekend was almost over.

Let's talk about platonic friendships, first. A platonic friendship is when a guy and a girl are friends, and have no physical interaction between each other. So we're not talking about "friends with benefits," here. Past physical relation does apply however - like if you were having sex or making out with eachother before, but are now "just friends." Most of the time, however it simply to people of the opposite sex who love each other, but have no physical desire.

I have a couple of those. Emily and I have a platonic friendship, as does Jessica and I. Serena and I tried to have a platonic friendship, but we don't seem to have much success... however I'm working on that. Caitlin and I now have a platonic relationship - although I'm sure she wants to make out with me so that'll be crushed one day... ha ha I'm kidding. And I think we all have them with respective friends. But it is the great Chris Rock who said it best:

(This is not quoted because it is not exact, however this material is credit to Chris Rock) Woman always say - aw we just friends, we just friends. To men, women friends are just women they have not fucked YET. Not yet, cause sometimes you get with a girl and then you say the wrong thing and it sets off the friendship trigger. Then the guy has to wait to gain back that other track. But you see to women, girlfriends will come and go, boyfriends will come and go - but platonic friends, they'll keep them around for years and years. They keep them around just in case. Think about it guys, you mess up with your girlfriend she'll be fuckin' the guy you least expect - that platonic friend that's been hangin around. Cause to women a platonic friend is like a dick in a glass case. Break the glass in case of emergency.

Now that may not be all true - but I am a firm believer that it is close to being accurate - I don't think it's 100% possible to be friends with a girl and not have at least some physical attraction. But it is quite possible. Like I said - I don't have any physical feelings for Emily but I love her to death. At the same time, however, I can't seem to stop dipping my quill in some friendship ink on occation. ANYWAY - my point being is that it's actually tougher to have a friend that's the opposite sex, and not have any physical attraction to. For me, at least.

So, back to the subject. Monday Jess and her mother came over for the family bbq. It was a lot of fun, and actually it was a first as well. You see, Jess has always been really the family friend. But now, her mother is included as well. It was really nice to have her around, and to get to know her. My grandmother was still there, which may I add is a hoot. I say hoot because that's the only word that I can use to describe my grandmother's humor. It's a hoot! Hoot!

Dinner was fine, burgers and dogs, and some beens and such. Blah, blah, blah, that's all boring.

So then Jess and I hit the pool, my dad joined us as well. And after that it was over. Pretty uneventful, right? Well, sure - except for what was going through my mind the whole time.

Alright so here's the problem. My mom LOVES Jess, as I've said. I love her too, I mean she's been there for me, she's let me in and accepted me, and she's just... great to be around. Now I'll be honest - there was other things written in this area - Jess and I were gonna conjure up some lie to see what kind of comments we would get. But we got over our devious ways and she told me to tell the truth. So I'm gonna.

Serena said to me, before Jessica came, that she was afraid that once she got here that she would never see me again. Now as far off as that is - I truley haven't seen her very much since Jess has been home. It's not like I don't want to see her, it's just that I don't get much opportunity to see Jess. So I'm taking advantage of her being here. But really I've only even seen Jess like 3 times since she's been home. It's not like I'm constantly at her doorstep wanting to hang out with her. But still, I haven't made much effort to see anybody else. So let's talk about Friday for a second.

Friday I was over my parents house, and we were playing cards and talking. For some weird reason though, I could not stop thinking about what Jess was doing. You see, I knew she was having dinner with an old friend. "not a date," just dinner as she says. It was a guy, and from what I remember it was a guy that was one of those "platonic friends." But still, in the back of my mind there - I'm thinking, are they making out by now? What if he wisks her away and I never see her again? It was driving me crazy. So I'm driving home, going nuts cause I want to call her - but I didn't. I called Caitlin instead but she was busy... but then it was right about that time that I realized... I was jealous! I was jealous of this guy taking her to dinner. Regardless of any interest or anything I was jealous like a little fuckin' school boy. Come to find out she also had drinks with another guy friend that same day, who may I add she has mentioned to me about how gorgeous this guy is, and although some faults I believe they have a history - and although none of this is any of my business - I was jealous! It's not like I didn't see her or I don't think that I have any reason to be. Jess and I are friends and I couldn't possibly think there was anything there... but what if there was?! I would have had no idea had something gone on Friday night.

By the way I'm over it now. The jealousy is gone I guess, nothing happened between them and Jess. But I was still thinking about why I was jealous in the first place.

It didn't help that after Jess and her mom left on Monday that my mom sat there and raved about what a great girl she is. As if I don't know this already... oh and "her mom and I have so much in common! I had no idea!" she says. Which is all good things. I think that they are trying to get me to convince Jess to stay here in AZ. I couldn't do that to her. She deserves to be free to do what she wants to do and be who she wants to be with. However, lately, Jessica has been pushing me to leave AZ and come to Chicago...

...why Chicago? But then again...


...why not?