Happy Days

In continuation of my epic story of the epic past two weeks of my life:

Nathan came to visit from Ohio the day after the Reel Big Fish show and so naturally everyone wanted to hang out that day. Gill and Nathan came to my house, soon to be joined by Paul and then Robby. We watched Ranma 1/2, this preposterous show about a guy and his dad who fell into magic ponds that caused them to turn into a girl and a panda, respectively, every time they touched cold water for the rest of their lives (but luckily, warm water could turn them back). My mom got us pizza and then we all went to the playground at Derby again, where those of us who were so inclined proceeded to act like five year olds. We were pirates and fought over the crow's nest. We were farmers and planted corn in the sandbox. We were artists and made sand sculptures (Robby naturally made a Caterpie). Then we went down to the water, where I risked life and limb climbing out on a fallen tree, and followed the trail up again to the sports field, where I rolled down the grassy hill yelling "AS YOU WISH!!!" like in The Princess Bride. Then we went back to my house to watch some horribly violent anime that Paul chose, which was an all right movie except for some reason I really couldn't keep up with what was going on. Maybe I was too distracted by all the blood and sex. Ugh, anime sex. That's an experience I'd rather not repeat thank you. Then we left my house just as Cara and Jane got there, because the fam needed to go to bed, but my mom and I had a falling out first. I hadn't planned on going anywhere because I was tired, but then I was mad and didn't want to get yelled at just then so I left anyway. I accidentally passed out at Gill's house and got home later than I should've, but I'd texted saying I'd be home so I had to go back. I got yelled at the next day and then apologized to because apparently my one responsible act of the night, texting that I'd be home, was never seen. =/

I was pretty tired the next day, but things at work were going all right. We took the kids to the music circus, which means we have to walk with them down the street and keep track of them at the show. Everything went smoothly until we were leaving. Coming out of the tent, I had all my kids and then Ian started crying again. It had been like a week and a half of this - he literally hadn't stopped crying since the fourth of July. So I was trying to console him, and the next thing I knew, two of my girls were nowhere to be found. I searched the whole place and couldn't find them. But when I got back to the group, they were back. Aaah. I do not envy parents; that's a freaky experience, and I can only imagine how bad it is if the kid's your own. Martha, my boss, said I handled it well and stayed very calm (this alleged calm was actually exhaustion but shh). She wasn't even mad that I lost them to begin with and had only good things to say to me at the end of the day. Ummkay. Then I joined up with Gill, Cara and Nathan and we went to the beach. We drove to like five different ones before settling somewhere, and the one we finally picked had bacteria-infested water, so we couldn't go swimming, and was roped off for like half a mile because of endangered birds in the dunes. That night we were going to go dancing, but Gill had to go home for dinner and I passed out at Paul's house after that so obviously I didn't go. I guess it turned out the others didn't either.

Friday Paul and I went to the beach with Gill, Cara and Nathan. We didn't stay long, but long enough for me to convince Paul to get in the water, which was actually quite nice for ocean water. I didn't even have goosebumps. My dorkburger of a boyfriend was wearing scrubs instead of a proper bathing suit and we made fun of him. Or rather I did, I think the others actually had very little to say on the topic. We left pretty soon. Paul, Nathan and I walked to Scoops, ate ice cream, and walked back while waiting for Gill and Cara to be done with.... whatever it is they do when nobody sees them for hours on end. Getting dressed, I guess. XD Later Erik and his friend Fred showed up and we all went swimming in Gill's pool. We'd already been in the ocean so the pool felt especially warm after that. And the heater had been on all day. It was practically like taking a bath.

Saturday: same time, same place, same people. Cara made delicious gooey brownies and Fred serenaded us all with Gill's guitar. Then everyone went swimming again, but by this time I was so tired that even the warm pool water would have felt chilly. I react to exhaustion by getting cold. My body just doesn't have the energy to warm itself up. Since Paul didn't feel like swimming either, we went downstairs and he played video games while I slept AGAIN. I need to work on my sleeping patterns. I just kept not catching up at nights and involuntarily trying to catch up at all manner of inconvenient times.

Sunday night, I went to hang out and swim with people again. Gill and Cara's new buddies Gerry and Alex came and we swam for a little bit. After that, someone started playing video games and before I knew it I was asleep again. In my sleep I recruited Nathan as a space heater since Gill's basement is frigid at all times of the year. Everyone else went on some adventure, probably to Wal*Mart, but I was dead to the world. And didn't feel much better when I had to get up for work the next day. Ughhhh.

Tuesday night, Nathan's last night here, we all went to see the new Harry Potter movie at midnight. I got Paul to come even though he's not into Harry Potter at all. What a good sport. But yet again, since I still hadn't caught up on all the sleep I'd been trying to catch up on all week, I was brutally tired. Unlike Nathan I managed to stay awake for the car ride there, but I kept nodding off for the first half of the movie. Then it got funnier and laughing helped me wake up a little. That was the strongest point of this movie, I think - the humor. Because it's really just a set-up movie for the last one (or two, since I think that's what they're doing with the last book). Romance was a big factor in the story but the actors made it hugely awkward. I think the director must have realized that and purposely made things even more ridiculous so it wouldn't be as painful for the rest of us. Anyway I definitely passed out for the entire ride home, and when we got back to Gill's house, Paul had to drive us back in my car because I couldn't even walk in a straight line, let alone drive in one. We bid Nathan farewell and drove back to Paul's. The sun was already coming up by the time we got home and crashed.

Work really sucked on Wednesday. This one kid who's always causing trouble kicked someone and I was told to bring him to Martha (she's the highest order threat we can pull on these kids), but he refused to move so I just dragged him down the hall. In hindsight I'm sure that was a terrible idea. I figured that after a couple feet worth of dirt and embarrassment, he'd realize he was being ridiculous and get up, but he made me drag him all the way across the school. We walked by this random guy about my age or a little younger, I don't know why he was there because he definitely wasn't with the rec program, but anyway he laughed at us and said he wanted a turn, which I'm sure didn't encourage the kid to get off his behind. So the moral of the story is, try to sleep when you have a job that involves working with children, because they will push you to your limits even if you're well rested and lord only knows what you'll do to them if you're not. XD

Things only got worse later that day because I had to get a shot, which is a bad enough ordeal when I've slept because my body passes out when foreign substances enter my blood stream. I've developed a terrible phobia of needles because of the reaction I have to them. I knew I couldn't drive myself home after that, so I got Paul to take me (long story short, I was absolutely justified in doing so rather than having my mom bring me) and he handled it really well, even when I saw the needle and started bawling and shaking, all while curled up in the fetal position. Unfortunately I exaggerate not. I managed to stay conscious while we were at the doctor's office and all the way out to the car but I passed out on the way home, and I mean actually passed out, not like I just fell asleep again. I hate the feeling because first I get really nauseous. Then I start sweating. Then I get this ringing in my ears, which gets louder until I can't even hear myself speak (but I knew that I was telling Paul I was going to faint, I just couldn't hear it or feel my lips saying it). My vision goes black around the edges and I get this aura in the middle, which would be really pretty if it didn't feel like crap. And then I go out. But I always come to, and we got home all right and then at long last I got to go to sleep for real, for the first time in over a week, uninterrupted sleep alone in my own bed with my blankie and my beary. Mmm yay

Well that was really long and I don't blame you if you didn't read it all. Haha Nathan, you thought you were special to get a mention in my blog? How about a novel, here ya go XD