Beach, Bar Fights and Birthdays

Okay, okay I'm back! It's hard getting caught up and on your feet after being on vacation, and I really need to spend more time chugging along in my distance learning courses (I don't want this to turn into another scene from Statistics).

First off, I apologize for my whine festival earlier. I just got frustrated with trying to plan a get together. I'm sure that my friends are doing the best they can, and I shouldn't judge. I just had to let off some steam.

So for three days I went to a training seminar for work. I had a pretty good time and I passed the certification test that they gave us at the end with flying colors. Hooray, hooray.

That night myself, boyfriend, and our friend from college who recently returned from 2 years in Senegal with the Peace Corps set out for the beach to meet up with the others. It was so wonderful to see this friend again! Really, it was like no time had passed.

I don't have too much news from the beach. It rained and was cloudy much of the time we were there. We did a lot of eating in little restaurants and diners, playing board games, and sipping cheap beers.

The first night we were there (keep in mind we had to be cagey because we were cramming 5 people into one room) our neighbors got a little rowdy. A group of people stood right outside our door playing the guitar and singing to popular early 90's songs. We were pissed for a while, but we relented and just listened and made fun of them. Around 4am the police came along with the property manager. They tried to kick the group out, but somehow they talked their way out of it.

Also while there I bought a giant $10 piece of cake. It was damned good, and it was getting closer to my birthday... I couldn't resist!

The first full day that we were there when it rained, we went to the movies. Everyone wanted to see "Knocked Up," but I've had plans with some high school friends for a while to go see that. Instead we saw "Waitress." I have to admit, I loved it. There were a few parts that were just a little too corny and I had to snicker in the theater, but overall I really really liked it. And I left the theater with an overwhelming desire to bake and eat PIES. I'd really recommend this movie to anyone looking for something fun but smart, the way a real 'romantic comedy' should be.

The day we left was nice outside (of course). We were able to sit on the beach for a little while, then we checked out of the hotel and headed to where one person's parents live (she's from the beach). We had brunch at a diner near here house; it was adorable, everyone knew everyone. When we finally got to her house it was awesome to be able to see where she grew up. She was mostly moved out of her bedroom, but there were some things that reminded me so much of my own room. Teen angst song lyrics written along the wall, certain pictures and quotes tacked up on the wall, empty boxes of animal crackers lining the door frame and a few relics from high school boyfriends... she and I could have been great friends growing up. Our rooms said a lot about how we much we wanted someone to notice that we were 'different.'

Boyfriend drove on dropping different people off as we passed their city. Our friend from Peace Corps had the farthest to go, she was going to visit our old college town for a week and catch up with people there. Somehow she convinced us to stay the night there as well and leave in the morning.

I saw my first bar fight. It was between two guys from the Rutgers baseball team that was in town for a tournament. One guy broke a bottle and then held the glass shard up to another guy's neck. The one who was threatened went nuts, screaming and yelling all sorts of things: "I had your back for three years, and this is what you do? I'm out of my f*cking mind!" This went on and off for hours, after what seemed like forever the one guy got kicked out of the bar but it raged on in the street. I guess I remember why I don't like bars.

The bar fight aside, I love the town my alma mater is in. I'd gladly go back there, buy a little house, get a dog, go to lectures on weeknights and just generally enjoy life.

Wednesday was my birthday. I love and adore birthdays. I am finally starting to realize that I'm not getting any younger, though! One of the things boyfriend gave me is my choice of a cooking class at Sur La Table. I think I'll take the fondant course; maybe it's not the most utilitarian choice, but I think it will be fun! I'm headed back to my parents' house tonight for a little birthday grilling and then going to see "Knocked Up" with some friends. And, of course, I'd like to see Maggie again.

Perhaps the best birthday present I got, though, was last night. My brother has started this new thing where he loves calling after I'm asleep. It's irritating as hell to be woken up, but it also sucks for boyfriend. He gets really startled when all of a sudden my phone starts vibrating and going nuts. My brother told me last night that the military board met on his case yesterday, and he is not being deployed to Iraq. Not being deployed! NOT NOT NOT. Thanks freakin' GOD!