Moans, Groans and Phones
My friend Julia is in town but I haven't seen her yet. After her 6:40 a.m. flight out of Cali was cancelled yesterday, she got on a later flight and arrived in the evening instead of at noon. Originally, I was going to pick her up, have lunch, and then take her to her mom's in Aurora, but because of the barbeque I was going to, she made alternate plans to get to her mom's.
I didn't hear from her at all yesterday evening or this morning, so I finally called her cell at 1 p.m. She was having a good time at Taste of Colorado down at the Convention Center. She wanted to know if I wanted to meet her down there. I probably sounded rude when I said "No thanks," but a part of me was pissed that she hadn't called and a lot of me was tired. It feels like I haven't slept well the past couple nights. Last night I was freezing. It's been getting really chilly at night, and a trailer does not boast the best insulation in the world. So I was grumpy all day today and was missing my real house.
I was missing the peace and control of my own home. Joel loves to blast the TV, and it feels like there's a TV on all the time. I swear he is half deaf and he's only 36. I hate when a TV is on just for noise, or he'll just turn it on with no show in mind and watch something without even knowing what it is, even it's halfway through the show.
I am very sensitive to noise. I hate motorcycles. I hate when one without a muffler comes chugging up the street. It grates on my nerves so badly. I hate people who yack loudly on their cell phones (Joel is incredibly guilty of this), and they are so oblivious to others around them. Their voices automatically go up two decibels. Airports, stores and restaurants have the worst offenders. I know I am not the only person who feels this way. There is talk about the FAA lifting the ban on cell phone use on planes. I say "Don't they dare!" Is there really a need for more hostile passengers?
I had a cell phone before they became so standard. I'm talking back in 1994 when I was a senior at Texas Tech and probably one of the very few students who had one. I remember I was in a meeting in the newsroom of the school paper, and someone said a phone was ringing. It was none of the desk phones, and then someone said "It's coming from that purse." It was my purse! I can't remember if I answered it or just turned it off, but when I pulled it out, everyone stared at me, all surprised and open-jawed. They had never really seen a mobile phone in use. I got mine at Best Buy for about $100 and I think the service was through Southwestern Bell for around $20 a month. I had like 60 minutes a month or something like that. God, those were the days. Now every 12-year-old kid has one, including my niece. *sigh*
Nowadays, I haven't had a cell phone for about a year. Since I became a stay-at-home mom, I just haven't needed one. So last September, I got rid of the phone and Sprint's crappy service. That was the biggest waste of $60 a month ever. I used to have Verizon in Cali (formerly GTE Wireless) and never ever had a problem with them, even in the small town I resided and worked in. Then I moved here in July 2004 and wanted a local number and needed an updated phone, so Joel persuaded me to go with Sprint. Stupid me. He just wanted the $20 credit for referring me. But he likes them because of the 7 p.m. start on evening calls. He talks A LOT on his phone. He used to talk A LOT to me when he lived here and I lived in Cali. He called me every evening and chatted non-stop, for hours. I was annoyed with him then. Why oh why did I move here?
So Julia was supposed to call me back later, but of course she never did. Typical. I wonder if she had too much chardonnay at Taste of Denver. That woman knows how to drink. All I know is she better not call me before noon tomorrow. It's Labor Day, a bank holiday, but Joel is still electing to go to work. He doesn't actually work inside a bank; he works out in the field, all over the city, doing inventory audits of the commercial customers of the bank. If Julia ever calls me, then maybe she, Tyson and I can go to the Aquarium. I think little Ty would like that.
Brent and Maya, the hosts of the barbeque last night, absolutely adore Ty. They are a married couple that Joel knows from classes at University of Phoenix. The only other people there were two of Maya's friends from where she used to work. We got there at 7 and there was so much food, and all of it was yummy. I had a pina colada and a strawberry-lime margarita, and by 9:30 I was zonked! So sad I know. I just don't drink very often now. The truth is, I guess I don't have anyone to drink with. I don't really have any good friends here. And I'm not dating right now. So I guess I'm just a social drinker. Hmmmm.... I suppose I should try harder to create a social life for myself, but I don't think they have Happy Hour at the toddler playgroups, which is probably why I haven't joined such a thing. Though I supposed I oughtta, to get me out of the house and it'd be good for Tyson.
I just feel like I don't have that much in common with most people. It took me a long time to build up my group of friends in Cali, and I upped and left them two years ago. But I knew I had to get out of that small town or I was going to regret it. I had Atlanta in mind actually, but then I chickened out and moved here, figuring if things didn't work out here then I could just trek on over to the Peach State. Now I feel like I should stay here so Ty will have both parents in his life. And there are tons of guys and other opportunities here. I'm just not taking proper advantage of them. I know I will when I'm ready. And I'm not quite ready yet. For now I will be Miss Hermit Crab and live in this ghetto shell and be annoyed when the neighbors across the street blast their Tejano music, Harley dude chugs up the street, the TV is blaring, and Joel talks too loudly on his cell phone.
I didn't hear from her at all yesterday evening or this morning, so I finally called her cell at 1 p.m. She was having a good time at Taste of Colorado down at the Convention Center. She wanted to know if I wanted to meet her down there. I probably sounded rude when I said "No thanks," but a part of me was pissed that she hadn't called and a lot of me was tired. It feels like I haven't slept well the past couple nights. Last night I was freezing. It's been getting really chilly at night, and a trailer does not boast the best insulation in the world. So I was grumpy all day today and was missing my real house.
I was missing the peace and control of my own home. Joel loves to blast the TV, and it feels like there's a TV on all the time. I swear he is half deaf and he's only 36. I hate when a TV is on just for noise, or he'll just turn it on with no show in mind and watch something without even knowing what it is, even it's halfway through the show.
I am very sensitive to noise. I hate motorcycles. I hate when one without a muffler comes chugging up the street. It grates on my nerves so badly. I hate people who yack loudly on their cell phones (Joel is incredibly guilty of this), and they are so oblivious to others around them. Their voices automatically go up two decibels. Airports, stores and restaurants have the worst offenders. I know I am not the only person who feels this way. There is talk about the FAA lifting the ban on cell phone use on planes. I say "Don't they dare!" Is there really a need for more hostile passengers?
I had a cell phone before they became so standard. I'm talking back in 1994 when I was a senior at Texas Tech and probably one of the very few students who had one. I remember I was in a meeting in the newsroom of the school paper, and someone said a phone was ringing. It was none of the desk phones, and then someone said "It's coming from that purse." It was my purse! I can't remember if I answered it or just turned it off, but when I pulled it out, everyone stared at me, all surprised and open-jawed. They had never really seen a mobile phone in use. I got mine at Best Buy for about $100 and I think the service was through Southwestern Bell for around $20 a month. I had like 60 minutes a month or something like that. God, those were the days. Now every 12-year-old kid has one, including my niece. *sigh*
Nowadays, I haven't had a cell phone for about a year. Since I became a stay-at-home mom, I just haven't needed one. So last September, I got rid of the phone and Sprint's crappy service. That was the biggest waste of $60 a month ever. I used to have Verizon in Cali (formerly GTE Wireless) and never ever had a problem with them, even in the small town I resided and worked in. Then I moved here in July 2004 and wanted a local number and needed an updated phone, so Joel persuaded me to go with Sprint. Stupid me. He just wanted the $20 credit for referring me. But he likes them because of the 7 p.m. start on evening calls. He talks A LOT on his phone. He used to talk A LOT to me when he lived here and I lived in Cali. He called me every evening and chatted non-stop, for hours. I was annoyed with him then. Why oh why did I move here?
So Julia was supposed to call me back later, but of course she never did. Typical. I wonder if she had too much chardonnay at Taste of Denver. That woman knows how to drink. All I know is she better not call me before noon tomorrow. It's Labor Day, a bank holiday, but Joel is still electing to go to work. He doesn't actually work inside a bank; he works out in the field, all over the city, doing inventory audits of the commercial customers of the bank. If Julia ever calls me, then maybe she, Tyson and I can go to the Aquarium. I think little Ty would like that.
Brent and Maya, the hosts of the barbeque last night, absolutely adore Ty. They are a married couple that Joel knows from classes at University of Phoenix. The only other people there were two of Maya's friends from where she used to work. We got there at 7 and there was so much food, and all of it was yummy. I had a pina colada and a strawberry-lime margarita, and by 9:30 I was zonked! So sad I know. I just don't drink very often now. The truth is, I guess I don't have anyone to drink with. I don't really have any good friends here. And I'm not dating right now. So I guess I'm just a social drinker. Hmmmm.... I suppose I should try harder to create a social life for myself, but I don't think they have Happy Hour at the toddler playgroups, which is probably why I haven't joined such a thing. Though I supposed I oughtta, to get me out of the house and it'd be good for Tyson.
I just feel like I don't have that much in common with most people. It took me a long time to build up my group of friends in Cali, and I upped and left them two years ago. But I knew I had to get out of that small town or I was going to regret it. I had Atlanta in mind actually, but then I chickened out and moved here, figuring if things didn't work out here then I could just trek on over to the Peach State. Now I feel like I should stay here so Ty will have both parents in his life. And there are tons of guys and other opportunities here. I'm just not taking proper advantage of them. I know I will when I'm ready. And I'm not quite ready yet. For now I will be Miss Hermit Crab and live in this ghetto shell and be annoyed when the neighbors across the street blast their Tejano music, Harley dude chugs up the street, the TV is blaring, and Joel talks too loudly on his cell phone.
posted by Saleena | 11:05 PM
<< Home