So much to catch up on!

Work definitely got busier at the end of the week. Friday, I actually did work most of the day! It was a nice change compared to sitting all day and looking for something to do.

Relationship healed
In my downtime Friday, though, I took care of something that had been bugging me for quite a while. CG and her husband moved back to Oklahoma in early September. I haven't seen her since my birthday, which was mid-August. For some reason, a few of my friends aren't as good about calling or keeping in touch. I am. I work at it. CG is one of the people I feel like I call more than she calls me. My schedule is more hectic than hers, though, so that might explain part of it -- it's easier for me to just call her when I'm off work or able to talk.

CG is the only one of my close friends who knows what military life is like or what it's like to have a loved one overseas. It was at her wedding that I met K, so she's known him longer than I have. She said some things to me about the whole lifestyle and how different it is, telling me what to expect and preparing me for what I was getting myself into. Some of the things she said had to do with K's future deployment. When I met him, he was originally supposed to deploy the following spring (which was almost a year away) to Afghanistan for one year. That got pushed back, and then cancelled, until that day in late July when K called me to tell me he'd just found out he was leaving in 10 days.

I expected CG to be better about K being gone than she was. I expected her to call me. I expected her to ask about him or if I'd heard from him. One particular time that I remember being a turning point was when I called her in October, I think. We only talked for about 7 or 8 minutes. The whole conversation, CG was telling me about this trip she'd just had to Atlanta that has to do with a position she's currently holding. All of a sudden, as soon as she was finished telling me about her trip, she said, "Well, I'm at [such and such]. I have to go now." She didn't ask me about K or how I was doing. That really upset me. Even still, I called her several times after, but each time, she didn't answer or didn't return my call. She would send me a message on MySpace instead as a response. I don't think MySpace substitutes for phone calls, so I'd call her back and leave a message. We did this a couple times before I gave up. I was going to let her call me. Only she didn't.

I hadn't talked to her since December, and it was really bothering me. What bothered me even more is I felt like she hadn't noticed or didn't even care. How could you not talk to one of your best friends in over a month and not realize it? I struggled with what to do. If I have to call my friend and talk to her about being a friend, is all that even worth it?

I decided it was only fair to tell her how I felt so she'd be aware and be able to change it. It wouldn't be fair to expect her to read my mind, whether I thought the problem was common sense or not.

So Friday while I ate my lunch, I sent CG a long e-mail explaining my frustrations and thoughts. She called me back that afternoon, and we were able to talk for a while. She had thought she was just giving me space and time to spend with K since he got back, and she felt like she didn't fit in with ER and me. She thought we lived a Sex and the City lifestyle, which couldn't be further from the truth. I think she just thought we go out a lot or something, which isn't true either.

Luckily, CG and her husband Joe will be in Dallas Friday night for something, so the call was perfect timing. We're all (K too) going to go out that night. I'm excited. And feeling much better about everything. I should've written that e-mail a long time ago.

So much for customer service and manners
My drive Friday night was going well. I had the last hour of it left, which is the worst hour, but I was doing okay. I stopped off at a gas station to fill up since that last hour is pretty much driving through nothing, with no signs of civilization in sight after the station. The station I usually go to was closed, so I went to the one across the street. Two big guys turned from the register as soon as I walked in the door. They headed toward me and didn't even acknowledge that I was there. These two men, who were both at least 6'2" or so (I'm about 5'9" or 5'10"), almost walked right into me. They had plenty of time to see me and to be gentlemen and let me enter the store. It wouldn't have taken any effort but a slight pause before they stepped toward the door. But these two jerks just walked right at me, leaving me to jump out of the way so I didn't get run over. I was dumbfounded at their rudeness. As I walked past the two women at the cash register, I said to them, "Wow ... those guys are not gentlemen!"

The two girls didn't pay any attention to me. I had wanted to say something to the two guys as they walked out the door, but I was afraid I would be taken for a racist or that my car would be keyed by the time I'd made my way back to it. The women behind the register were the same race as the two men who plowed past me. I was the odd one out.

I walked around the store looking for some sort of medicine because I had a head cold, and I was really congested. I couldn't find anything, so I approached the register. I noticed a rack far off in the corner with all kinds of medicine. I asked the two girls if they had any nasal decongestant. One girl answered, "We have NyQuil."

Now why would someone at a gas station need NyQuil? People who stop off and actually enter gas stations are typically people from out of town, people who are driving. People from the area would likely go to Wal-Mart or some store to get medicine rather than pay a lot more to get one dose from a gas station.

I said I didn't think NyQuil would be a good idea, so the girl said, "We have Benadryl, but I think that's for itching."

And HOW, I ask, is that supposed to help with a congested head?!?

Could K be any more perfect?
After the gas station experience, I was really starting to doubt people today. After the gas station, you pretty much lose your signal until you're almost to K's apartment, so I called to let him know I was about an hour out. I was telling him about my gas station experience when I realized he wasn't paying any attention to me. He was too busy concentrating on the video game he was playing with his buddy. After the rudeness at the gas station, this definitely didn't help my mood. In fact, things went downhill from there. Somehow, I started thinking about several things I was frustrated about, and before I knew it, I was pretty cranky.

When I got to where I had a signal and was closer to K's apartment, I called to let him know. I expected this meant he would send his buddy home as well. I warned him that I was feeling cranky, and I apologized beforehand for my sour mood. I put on a CD, intending to find some angry song to try to get all my anger out. Instead, I wound up listening to Josh Groban's "When You Say You Love Me" (not quite so rageful). It totally relaxed me and made me in a better mood. I got to K's apartment and unloaded my car. I walked in the door, and K came walking toward me from the living room. I heard his friend's voice, so he was still there. My frustration returned.

I took my things up to K's room, and he followed me up there. I told him I didn't know why I was in such a bad mood, and I laid down on his bed on my stomach. He got down on the bed and started massaging my back. He said, "Well, it probably didn't help that I wasn't listening to you and was just playing my game." He gave me a hug, and before I knew it, I wasn't cranky anymore (again). Only this time, it lasted.

Fun day, good food
Saturday night, K and I went to dinner with several of his guy friends at Johnny Carino's, which is my favorite. I had been craving that place, and one of K's lieutenants actually called to ask if we wanted to go because he'd been wanting it as well. After dinner, we went to this really cool club that I'd actually been to once before. We had a blast! I didn't dance, but I kind of wanted to. I was the designated driver, though, and one beer wouldn't loosen me up enough for that. I really want to go back there when I'm not the designated driver. It'll be even more fun that way.

Wii & the Super Bowl
K has a 60-inch TV, so the Super Bowl party was at his place. He had about 15 people over. It was a good time, but I had to leave before halftime, which was a bummer.

One of K's lieutenants has a Nintendo Wii, and he brought it over. Everyone was playing this boxing game and talking about how much of a workout it is. I was one of only two girls there at that time, and of course the guys wanted us all to battle it out on the boxing game. After a bit of coaxing, I decided to not be a fuddy duddy, and I played her. It was really fun! Our match lasted longer round-wise than all the guys' did. It was pretty neck and neck, but I lost at the end. I don't know why my guy wouldn't get up. I was just fine!

Why I dressed like a party girl for work today
Work today was the best so far. I actually had things to do, so it went much faster. I like having more productive days. It makes me feel less like they're going to fire me or something. They do need me here after all! lol

After work today, several of us girls are going to get together for a happy hour. I'm really excited! I get to be social after work (outside of a Thursday)! What I wore for work today wouldn't look out of place at a bar on a Saturday night, but it's still work appropriate. I'm wearing a purple lacy tank top with my nice, tight dark jeans, and I have a black cardigan over the tank. I'm wearing black heels and some chandelier earrings that are black and silver.

At my old job, it probably would have been an odd way to dress. But here, there are so many younger people that I don't look like a circus freak or something.

I was excited about hanging out with people after work. I only hope I don't wind up looking like the freshman who gets all dressed up on her first day of high school!