Tuesday, March 30, 2010

ROCKIN’ IT OUT

LIBRA HOROSCOPE (from astrology.com): You’re feeling even more playful than usual, and you may be able to get your friends or colleagues to join you in taking life a little less seriously. It’s a good day to flirt with customers or neighbors.

Laura’s Log:
Dinner at Raincity was a qualified success. The food was amazing, the conversation, less so. Did I find any common ground? Turns out we’re both perversely fascinated with Lady Gaga. That’s about it. “Bad Romance” played in my head all through dessert.

He likes Ultimate Fighting. At first, I thought he was kidding. Turns out we don’t have the same sense of humor. He talked passionately for five minutes (seemed like an hour) about how terrible it will be for the city of Vancouver if we pass on some fight convention in June. Apparently an Olympic legacy gets completely obliterated by backing out of a UFC event. In what world?!

I countered by talking about my love of “American Idol” and “Project Runway”. And here’s where he thought I was joking. While I talked, he quietly chewed his beef. Didn’t look like he was enjoying it.

By the time we left the restaurant, it was clear that we were both out of sorts. What the hell did we have between us? What was the point of carrying on? And then we stopped by his place. Chris was out. The sex started in the living room, blinds wide open, an exhibitionist endeavor I’d never thought would be so exciting. Then, another round in the shower. I drove home with an exhilarated feeling of being a slut.

To recap: food, amazing; conversation, meh; sex, amazing. Two out of three ain’t bad.

KEN’S JOURNAL:
PUDDLES EVERYWHERE ON MY MORNING JOG. TOO DARK TO DODGE THEM. WASN’T A PUDDLE PLAYER AS A KID & I’M NOT MEANT TO BE ONE NOW. I DIDN’T CUT MY RUN SHORT EVEN THO MY FEET WERE COLD & WET. GOTTA BE TOUGH, MAN. DECIDED TO REWARD MYSELF W/A DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MUFFIN. (COUNTERPRODUCTIVE? WHATEVER.) I’VE NOW LOST FIVE POUNDS SINCE I STARTED—I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO’D NOTICE, BUT IT’S A START. NO SENSE GOING CRAZY; MIGHT END UP ANOREXIC. (THE 210 LB ANOREXIC, NOT EXACTLY MOVIE OF THE WEEK MATERIAL.)

I SHOWED UP @ SARA’S BRIGHT & EARLY AFTER MY JOG. 7:20 A.M. PLENTY OF TIME TO BOND W/TRAVIS. MARTY SCORED A COUPLE CANUCK TIX FOR TONITE & CAN’T GO SO I’M TAKING TRAVIS.

NOW I KNOW TEENS HAVE AN INSATIABLE NEED FOR SLEEP & WLD PREFER TO LEAVE MORNINGS TO THE DWEEBS WHO HAVE TO MAKE A LIVING, BUT I WAS EXPECTING MORE THAN A SHOULDER SHRUG WHEN I ASKED TRAVIS IF HE WAS UP FOR THE GAME. WTF?! A FEW YRS AGO HE WANTED TO BE TREVOR LINDEN. I WAS SO TEMPTED TO SNAP AND TELL HIM TO FORGET IT. NO DOUBT, RUDY’D LOVE TO GO. HAD TO REMIND MYSELF THAT THIS WAS MORE THAN A GAME. I NEEDED TO RECONNECT W/MY NEPHEW AS A START TO GET HIM OFF DRUGS. START W/A SHOULDER SHRUG & IT CAN ONLY GET BETTER FROM THERE.

GOD, LET’S HOPE.

WALKED RUDY & BELLA TO SCHOOL AGAIN THIS MORNING. I HEARD ONE OF RUDY’S FRIENDS ASK, “IS THAT YOUR DAD?” RUDY SEEMED EMBARRASSED AS HE QUICKLY SHOOK HIS HEAD. I WONDER WHEN THE LAST TIME WAS THAT JERRY STEPPED FOOT ON SCHOOL GROUNDS. AGAIN, ETHAN WAS WAITING @ HOME FOR HIS TURN TO WALK W/ME. MUST ADMIT MY EGO NEEDED THAT AFTER THE EXCHANGE W/TRAVIS. GUESS I CAN BE THE ROCK STAR UNCLE & THE CRINGE-INDUCING UNCLE @ THE SAME TIME.

AFTER SENDING THE KIDS OFF, I TOLD SARA WE WERE GOING ON A LITTLE ADVENTURE. “NOT TODAY,” SHE SAID, LOOKING ONLY SLIGHTLY LESS SOUR THAN TRAV. “I’VE GOT TO PICK UP SOME DOCUMENTS FOR JERRY, ATTEND A PARENT FUNDRAISING MTG @ SCHOOL & RUN AROUND TOWN BUYING ABOUT $300 IN USED SKI EQUIPMENT FOR RUDY’S SCHOOL SKI TRIP. WHY THE HELL ARE THEY GOING SKIING ON SCHOOL TIME ANYWAY? I SUPPOSE I COULD BE THE ONE PARENT TO REFUSE TO SIGN THE PERMISSION FORM—I HAVE TO SIGN OFF THAT I’M AWARE RUDY COULD SUFFER SERIOUS, PERMANENT INJURY OR DEATH AND PROMISE TO HOLD THE SCHOOL HARMLESS. WHY NOT HAVE 2 BOYS DESPISING ME?”

“YOU’RE WOUND UP, SARA.” SHE GLARED @ ME. JUST LIKE WHEN WE WERE KIDS. SOMEHOW SHE RESISTED A FULL-BLOWN TANTRUM. I CONTINUED: “YOU DON’T NEED TO GO TO A FUNDRAISING MTG. WRITE THEM A NICE CHECK & FORGET ABOUT AGREEING TO MAKE 5 DOZEN CUPCAKES. BUY A DOZEN @ SAFEWAY IF YOU MUST.”

“WE CAN’T SELL CUPCAKES ANYMORE. THEY’RE NOT HEALTHY. NOW WE HAVE TO TAKE FOOD HANDLING COURSES AND MAKE SUSHI AND THEN WE HAVE—”

“SARA, STOP. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO THE MTG. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE JERRY’S ERRAND BOY. NOT TODAY. YOU’RE COMING W/ME. NO ARGUMENTS.”

SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO GET HER IN THE CAR. SHE’S STUBBORN BUT I’M WORSE. I REFUSED TO TELL HER WHERE WE WERE GOING. WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE ROCK CLIMBING CENTER, SHE LOOKED @ ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY. “WHAT ARE WE DOING, KEN? I’M NOT CLIMBING A WALL. I DON’T LIKE HEIGHTS, YOU KNOW THAT.”

IT WAS MY TURN TO LOSE IT—JUST A BIT. “JUST SHUT UP & STOP BEING SUCH A PILL. YOU’RE CLIMBING. I’M CLIMBING. YOU NEED A RELEASE. AND YOU NEED TO BOND W/TRAVIS. THIS IS JUST A PRACTICE CLIMB. YOU CAN BE AS HOPELESS AS YOU WANT W/ME. WORK IT OUT. BUT BY THE TIME YOU TAKE TRAV HERE, YOU’RE GONNA ROCK THE ROCK WALL.”

SHE SMILED. HADN’T SEEN THAT IN AGES.

MAYBE RUDY’S NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS I’M A ROCK STAR.

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