Settling Down in September...?

After the debacle of Electric Zoo and my nonstop summer of working, traveling and partying I was ready for a break after Labor Day. I needed to take it easy on the mid-week happy hours and going out. I also needed to wake up some weekend mornings not being hungover or having an annoying dude next to me, pressuring me to sleep with him. Enough was enough, so I vowed to settle down a bit for the month of September. And for the most part I was successful. I had fun without going out and drinking. Here are some examples:

Russian Rocher has a friend in New York who is a jewelry designer. I have met her before and she is hilarious. And though her stuff isn't exactly my style it is still really cool artistically (check it out—WXYZ jewelry). She was having a fashion show for fashion week not far from my office. So I headed there after work and was surprised to see that it was a legitimate runway show. We had rsvped late so didn't get a seat and had to stand in the back. We peered around and spotted the friend who came over to greet us and thank us for being there. I couldn't help looking behind her at all the ridiculous people walking in—waif-like girls with hair dyed purple, gay dudes in all black, and older people in European fashions. Of course I had chosen to wear a simple, professional and not at all fashion-forward dress that day. The friend left as the show was about to start and one of the fashion interns working the show told the two of us to grab two of the empty seats. Russian Rocher booked it to two of the seats in the front and before I knew it was front row at a show at Fashion Week. Guess my dress wasn't so bad after all. The show was short but cool and her jewelry looked great on the models. We hung around for a bit afterwards chatting with her, and then instead of making a night of it, I headed home.

Another wholesome time was a couple weeks later, when I had to return to Cuse for an old friend's wedding. I was taking my dad as my date, since he was also invited and there were no other acceptable options. We drove through the Finger Lakes to watch the ceremony where we sat in the back, bored. We then headed to the reception where we knew no one besides the bride's family. I had met this girl in Rochester and she had remained my good friend throughout elementary school, junior high and high school, but we had lost touch during college and I was even surprised I was invited to her wedding quite honestly. She now lived in Jersey with her husband and not surprisingly was not keeping the best company. Her wedding party was made up of white trash, besides her sister. One girl even had a lovely bear paw tattoo on her shoulder. My dad was pissed that one of the guys sitting at our table was a die-hard Republican but the girl sitting next to me turned out to be another girl I had known in Rochester. The icing on the cake though was when her maid of honor was wasted during her speech—it was basically her slurring that Kristen was her best friend for about ten minutes and she actually yelled at the crowd when they started talking. It was so awkward and my dad and I shifted uncomfortably in our seats. We didn't stay much longer after that and I spent the remainder of the weekend suburban shopping and getting in quality family time.

Of course there were times when trying to take it easy pissed me off. Like the night I tried to go to the Met rooftop with Russian Rocher and JM. It was hot as shit that day and as soon as we got there it started raining. We waited in the drink line anyway and literally as soon as we made it to the bar they closed. We then walked around forever trying to find someplace to eat but no one could agree on anything and JM had brought an awkward dude with her—she claimed they were just friends but he clearly viewed this as a date. My blood sugar was getting dangerously low and this is when people such as my mother and my exboyfriends knew that it was absolutely essential that I get food immediately or my inner bitch would not be tamed. Unfortunately these girls did not know this and the bitch came out in full-force. I felt bad even as it was happening but there was nothing I could do to stop it. Luckily soon after we found some mediocre Thai, but the damage had already been done. I calmed down a bit but was not myself for the rest of the night. So heading down to a bar filled with NYU kids in Midtown to meet another one of JM's friends, did not help this at all. I was grumpy and pissed that wasted freshmen were bumping into me, especially after Electric Zoo. We stayed for a bit and I tried to have a couple drinks but it got to the point where I either needed to get wasted and make a night of it or go home. I responsibly chose to go home.

And finally, here is when I was not responsible and fell off the wagon. I had to go to the Finincial District one weekend to meet up with ED and her boyfriend for lucnh. They had just moved to New Haven and I hadn't seen her in awhile. After we caught up I decided that since I was downtown I might as well text Prom to see if he wanted to meet up for a drink. Of course he did and we headed straight to the bar. Atl and her work friend were also out and about so I invited them along and this was the start to our daydrinking bender. We hit up a couple bars before a storm rapidly moved in. We walked down to the water to check it out and on the walk back got pelted with flying dirt and debris before we had to take cover in the nearest bar of course. We were just going to stay for a drink but that of course turned into multiple. By then the Georgia game was starting and Atl wanted to see it since that was her Alma Mater. We cabbed up to Pourhouse in the East Village, since it was a UGA bar and one of the ones yet to tackle on our Bro Bar Tour. On the way we blasted classics like Bombs Over Baghdad and Glycerine on our phones. We stayed in the Pourhouse for about 30 seconds before saying f the game. It was probably one of the most crowded places on earth at that moment. We walked in the rain to my fav bar the Ninth Ward, where Atl quickly picked up a British kid who joined us at our table. I was pretty satisfied to drink Purple Haze and eat fried pickles but Prom didn't like the British kid and copped a tude with him. I didn't like him because he had never heard of Old Gregg. The Brits are persistent in a charming way though and he accompanied us to Niagara Bar, the next (and my last) stop on our Day Drinking Tour. Before leaving the Ninth Ward I had to close out the tab I had started at the bar, because the one at our table obviously didn't provide me with enough drinks. There was a minimum though so instead of buying a drink and giving it to someone like a normal person, I decided to take a shot on my own. And not just any shot—Sambucca. The bartender asked me if I wanted it served with ice and I said warm was fine and pounded that baby by myself. Classy. Off we went to Niagara and bought a round of shots and drinks on the Brit's tab. I also at one point caught Atl telling him that if he planned to move to New York he was going to have to learn some American slang, such as “suck it” and she demonstrated the accompanying motion. I was standing and teetering at this point and I knew it was time to leave so I comanded Prom to take me home. On the way we stopped for pizza and after devouring my slice I started to pass out on the couch while poor Prom sat there awkwardly. I woke up to him saying he had to go and rushing out of the door. I nodded to myself because even in my very intoxicated state I knew this was a very good idea. Lucky for me Prom is not a bro and did not try and take advantage of me.

And that wraps up most of my September. Pretty tame, though the last incident was a poor showing, it proves I still got it.