"Did I ever tell you about...?"

One of the best parts of friendship (new or old) is storytelling. I've mentioned this before and it is one of the main themes of this site. I love listening to stories and I enjoy telling stories. Fiction rarely appeals to me, I enjoy the stories that are about real people, real life, and what made people who they are.

Everyone has stories about themselves or their lives. I look around my group of friends and think of the stories that are so important. Everyone has one or two that always come up. DM has the Fish Hook Saga and Matt has his most embarrassing moment. I have heard these stories so many times that I feel like I was a part of each one, even though I was never there.

After work tonight, I went out with Char. I've hung out with Char a little bit outside of work and I've also got to meet her husband, Tom. They are totally awesome people. She's one of those people that when I met her, I just knew instantly that she was cool and that she was someone I could see being a friend. It is a lot of fun to have Char and Tom start making appearances within my circle of friends. Matt has hung out with us before (and we're up for playing pool on Friday night! Keem and DM, care to join us? I hadn't heard anything about the queens getting together and ANSWER YOUR PHONE! I tried to call you, but I don't think you were home either of the days I tried to call. Bummer.)

What happens when you're getting to know new friends? The stories come out. Tom has even mentioned how much he enjoys Matt's stories. Matt is known as the storyteller to Tom. And Matt has fantastic stories. It's fun to listen to him. I can't wait until Tom and Char get a chance to meet DM.

Char and I were talking about astrology tonight (it spawned from talking about dream analysis and tarot card reading). I had done a post not too long ago about my sign. I was trying to see in that post if I fit my astrological sign or if I thought it was a load of bull. One of the things I had noticed about my sign is that I don't want to fit my sign. I try very hard to hide the negative aspects of my "personality" as dictated by my sign. I was mentioning this to Char, about how I don't like the fact my sign is known for vengeance. According to the stars, I am deeply loyal until I'm crossed. Then I will hold the grudge until I die, plotting my revenge the entire time. I do not like this aspect of my sign and those who know me may say it doesn't fit me.

Yet, my natural instinct when crossed is to write the person who crossed me off for life. It is instant and final. I think back to different groups of friends from my past and one incident where I ended my friendships permanently. In my current circle of friends, the ones I want for the rest of my life, I don't have anyone that I feel has crossed me in the past. The only person from my past that I still associate with that I have poor feelings against is Adam. And I have pretty much written him off. The whole trying to maintain my friendship with him has more to do with my stubbornness against my natural instincts than with his value to me as a friend.

Without mentioning my sign, Char mentioned that she always felt the same about her sign. She didn't like the vengeance part of her sign, but always felt the natural impulse to react as her sign dictated. So I asked her what her sign was. As it turns out, we're the same sign. Which is strange, because our sign is not known for getting along with others of the same sign.

I don't know where I'm going with any of this. I'm not sure if this post makes any sense what-so-ever and I don't really know why I'm writing it. Other than to share what I did tonight.

On that note, since I've confused myself, I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll be clearer tomorrow and can think of a good story to share that I haven't told before.

And to quote the woman I spoke to for EIGHTY FREAKING MINUTES tonight (she went on and on and on and on and on...), "This is America! There are ways to do things here!" Like there are not ways to do things EVERYWHERE! She didn't need to tell me this for an hour and twenty minutes.