The lights went out

Options for tonight:

• Swing dancing.
• Improve comedy show.
• Dinner and a movie.

All would be solo activities—well, not the swing dancing so much since CK would probably be there and social interaction with either her or fellow dancers would occur. I've never been to an improve comedy show, but I think it is only mildly interactive. The movie thing, though, is certainly the least interactive of all. Guess which one is my top choice?

Now, before you go calling me anti-social, I should tell you that I have two parties to go to on Saturday (one afternoon, one evening), one neighborhood business "opening night" to attend and a morning walking tour. That would be four social events in one day, which is about three over my limit. I may drop the walking tour, but the other three are firm.

So, as much as I want to go swing dancing, the thought of being friendly and dealing with the scary guys and possibly having sore feet (everything is a little sore since stopping the super-duper anti-inflammatories) is a bit overwhelming and I'm voting for the movie tonight. A couple of hours alone in air-conditioned bliss, eating candy or popcorn and enjoying a really stupid movie? I can't think of anything I'd rather do.

Want to hear a funny story?. Last night, in an effort to be social, and take advantage of my week off from rowing, I went to a happy hour. (The week off from rowing was self-declared. I decided I needed a week of restful inactivity to recover from my vacation. My general achy-ness, and a plethora of social options this week, made it an easy decision.) You know that story where someone shows up at a party the night before or the night after or a week later? That's what I did.

I arrived at the happy hour location at 7:30pm, an hour after the start time, when I figured things would be in full swing. I walked into the Gallery Place venue, searching the faces at the bar for a familiar one and BAM, the lights went out. You may not know that there was a blackout in the Chinatown area Thursday night from sometime after 7:30pm to 1:15am. I stuck around a little longer, since the emergency lights came on, looking for my friends. I couldn't find them so I thought, "time for plan B!" and I hoofed it to the movie theater. But guess what? The power was out there too. I gave up and got on the bus home. About five blocks away we were out of the dead zone and there was plenty of power in my neighborhood.

I sent the hostess of the happy hour an apologetic email for missing her and today she wrote back, also apologetically, that the happy hour is scheduled for NEXT Thursday. Whoops. I don't think I've ever done that before. I had to laugh.

Hmm, maybe after my movie adventure tonight, I'll stop in at one of my new (sort of) neighborhood bars. Could be interesting.

Happy weekending, everyone.

Grateful for: Friday nights alone.

Drop me a line.