"ANYTHING IS HARD TO FIND, WHEN YOU WILL NOT OPEN YOUR EYES"

I wonder, sometimes, how many emails I have deleted because the sender thought to be clever and use a subject line that looks like spam to me or my spam filter. Eh well.

Yesterday was a good day in so many ways, mainly because it toed a wonderful line between silliness and seriousness.

Though I knew Mermaid Head was super-busy and I only aimed to stay a short while then get out of her hair, catching up was lovely so our visit was most of the afternoon. We talked about SCUBA and adventures, discussed our treks (past and future) to the better beaches the world has to offer, a stubborn sewing machine thread, and everything else, really, and just existed for a few hours. I really like this about Mermaid Head-- she's the kind of friend to just sit and exist with. No deadlines, no stress, no stuff. Even stressful times are rather serene in her world because she's just earthy and genuine and un-fussy and open and non-judgemental, probably without even realizing. I admired her mama-to-be belly and, I think for the first time, thought about the quality of person she'll raise up into the world. This kid will be an astonishingly good person, that's for sure.

As a belated gift, Mermaid Head gave me "Lookin' Good For Jesus" lipbalm and a stabby Avenging Unicorn action set. Einstein now will have company on the road.

Then, off to celebrate Irish Ho's birthday. We went to dinner at a Thai place on Division and people-watched then off to a drink at a bar that once was low-key and off-the-beaten-path but apparently now is, uh, well... it was hosting (we learned after hanging out for a few hours) a late-night 80s retro night. Only the DJ was born in 1985, so I don't feel like I entirely agreed with his depiction of the 80s. Perhaps it was a bit 1989-1992. Maybe I was just painfully aware of a general lack of (a) Smiths (b) Cure (c) Joy Division, etc. Anyway, Irish Ho and I were joined by Super Sarah and the three of us snickered at complaints of the 1983 and under club such as, "Shaddup you 1986er, I was born in 1984! I'm totally feeling old!"

Finally, with the statement, "So, either we have to take some drugs or we have to leave." was issued, we made our exit, but not before a rather funny scene in the restroom. While waiting on line to pee, a pretty young blonde woman came in and took her place in line. A woman not having her finest moment, let's say, looked up and asked the blonde if she was on Top Model. Instead of a simple "yes" blondie comes back with a huge Miss America grin and replies, "THANK YOU. I was." and the two have the weirdest conversation that involved the preoccupied woman asking many questions and the blonde thanking her for compliments never issued, then half-complaining that her weekly shooting schedule was brutal.

I don't know. I left with Super Sarah and Irish Ho, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in a sense. We're past the phase where it's fashionable to try to convey maturity with complaints of feeling old, but rather at a point where it feels good to be independent and feel healthy. We're a little tougher than we were a decade ago and have had a decade plus to have gotten our respective shit in order. We've already had a few adventures and learned to rise above some petty nonsense and enjoy things as they come. It's a good era, that's for sure.

But, I'll admit that it was nice to be carded, too. Har. We parted ways, but only after giggling that we all remembered the words to a particular Motley Crue song and singing it for a moment on the street corner to the dismay of passersby. Mature, see?

Serious, silly, serious, silly. Just as it should be.