Days Six and Seven

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So the past two days have been beyond ridiculous, and I have not stopped moving from the second I got up until the second I crashed. Which, on Saturday in particular, happened to be about two hours before I had to get up for Sunday. Still, I've kept up with everything except for the actual posts, which I'll condense into one for efficiency's sake and finally take care of now. 

Show two four people how much they mean to me

(1). Made Paulie Cee a homecooked meal as preparation for his interview. Which he ended up eating after his interview, but whatever, he got fed. 

(2). Played DD (designated driver, for all the dweebs who instinctively put an ampersand between there) on Saturday and drove two friends home. 

(4). Got up at an ungodly hour to go say goodbye to my lovely cousin who caught a plane to Italy yesterday, where she will be studying for the next six months. Genuinely going to miss her, and I hope she sees beautiful things, meets incredible people, and stays perpetually hammered on fine Italian wine. 

• Help out a two strangers

(1). Went to get my tire fixed, and the guy at the place told me, "Don't worry about paying; just tip the mechanic." I gave the mechanic roughly twice the price of the tire. I don't know that guy's life story, and for all I know, to say "he needs it more than I do" could be a vastly erroneous statement. But I'm finding that the more you treat people--especially strangers--like you owe them the world and they're where they are for a reason, the less disconnectedness you feel, and I'd say that's the stuff that sparks unhappiness in the first place.

(2). A woman came into the Leaky Lifeboat yesterday having lost her phone. I helped her look for it, but unfortunately, I don't think she ended up finding it. Here's to hoping it turns up somewhere.

• Live instead of sleeping

Was up by ten both days, spending time with awesome people, the following five of which I'm blessed enough to place under the category of "my family." 

• Do something good for myself, by myself

I am unembarassed to say that I have done absolutely none of this, and not for a second has that been a bad thing. I spent the last two days surrounded by acquaintances and friends and strangers and family, all who have been really, really wonderful. 

• Write here and write elsewhere

Better late than never. 

• Make a conscious decision to leave my comfort zone

In the past couple of days, I've pushed myself to get to know some people that I'd never think I'd click with. One in particular was a fifty-something Irish-as-hell bar-owner who knew both my parents, and he turned out to be one of the most genuinely sweet people I've ever had the pleasure of acquainting myself with. Turns out that he's looking for someone to play a couple sets at his bar on an off-night, and when he learned that I'm big into guitar, he gave me his number and told me to contact him as soon as I'm home for the summer. I guess the second half of the stranger-thing is that you never know who's gonna be able to help you out in return. 

• Take three six pictures of three six beautiful things.

(1). See above.
(2). See above.
(3). See above. 
(4). These guys

(5.) This cake, made by my grandmother, which was hands-down one of the greatest things I've ever had the pleasure of putting in my mouth, and if any of you that's-what-she-saided that, I just want you to think about the fact that we're talking about a sweet elderly Italian woman here, you sick freak. 

(6). This guy: My good friend Ryan, posing with my very first legally-bought bar drink. White Russian: I am The Dude. 

Meditate

Twenty minutes last night and fifteen on Saturday. 

• Look up at the sky 

It's been doing this disgusting misting thing for the past seventy-two hours, and I couldn't see three feet in front of my face, nevermind the sky. I can't even pretend that my birthday's been any less awesome because of it. To 92 people who wished me a happy birthday (Facebook does the counting; I'm not that pathetic), to Chelsea, Paul, Kristen, Kristian, and Ryan for coming out with me, to Sean and Dan the bartenders for the opportunities and on-the-house drinks, to mechanic-guy for doing an awesome job with my tire,  to my mother and my grandmother for the incredible meals, to Caitlin, Diana, Paula, Kristen and Kayla for the multiple cakes, and to the thirty-some-odd kids who sang at midnight on Saturday and tried to pour birthday shots in my mouth despite the fact that it was closed, thank you thank you thank you <3 The only people who don't get thank-yous are the three establishments that didn't once card me, you sons of bitches. 

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