I have so many very talented friends. And Shannon is no exception. She creates the most amazing pieces of jewelry. She also makes clothes, and lots of crocheted/knitted goodies. I once asked her to make one of those beanie/beard thingies for an ex of mine and she did. She also made my daughter a beanie with two holes in the top for pigtails. It's the cutest thing.
Anyway.... I enlisted her help to come and teach the rest of us how to knit because we had all been talking about it for weeks, nope, months, now. You know how it is, your friends keep saying, "oh we should do this, or that or blah blah blah and you just keep saying it over and over and it never fucking happens. I sometimes like to take the bull by the horns and just make shit happen, right? So here we are, ladies knit night. I think about 14 girls RSVP'd they'd come. This translates to about 7 or 8 actually showing up.
Since it's a Wednesday, we decided we'd just stick with wine. Save the cocktails for a weekend.
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Wendy was the first guest tonight, but only because I had to go pick her up. She's a younger friend, very much a wandering, love and light, sweet little hippie. I love her because she says whatever the fuck she wants and you soooo wouldn't expect the things she says to come out of that sweet little hippie mouth. She kind of flits through life, you can see the soul inside of her, prancing around with imaginary unicorns, dancing to the beat of her own little hand drum. I dunno, that's what I see when I observe her anyway. She and I went shopping for some junk food to pig out on later and also stopped at the liquor store where we found some of these guys...
Mmm, cream liquor sperm shots. We're going to have some fun photos with this later.
So anywaaaaay...Fast forward to everyone arriving.
Shannon walked in with her bundles of yarn, knitting needles and a bucket filled with items she made for sale. Honestly, Wendy was the most interested of everyone in learning this new skill, so she and Shannon began training almost immediately. I just sat and enjoyed my wine as other guests showed up.
Stacy, who is pretty much my only mild mannered friend, (so she sticks out like a sore thumb sometimes, but in a good way) waltzed in, dressed in her usual very unique style. I'm not sure where she finds all of the cool clothes she wears, maybe a vintage boutique? I don't know anybody who dresses like her or that can pull off the look the way she does. I'd tell you what she does for a living, but the girl goes through jobs the way Michelle goes through men, so I have no idea what she's actually doing with her time these days.
At some point, (speak of the devil herself) Michelle bursts through the door in her typical aggressive fashion. Get ready for the multitude of complaints. I promise you've never heard anyone complain as much as this poor girl. My meaner friends like to call her names behind her back. The two most common being, "Eeyore" and "Debbie Downer."
Mardi and Monica enter together, weighed down by fun dress up items and bottles of wine.
As several of my friends struggle to learn how to knit, there are many discussions about men, relationships, other girlfriends, general gossip, etc. There was a bit of a tiff that ruffled the evening for a moment. It wasn't going to be the last one.
Monica: So, Michelle. Have you had any good sides lately?
Michelle; (turns to Mardi) What? You told everybody about that?
Mardi: You look angry.
Michelle stormed outside, I'm guessing for a smoke and Mardi went after her. They slipped back in about 30 minutes later, Michelle looking a little more forgiving than she did when she charged out earlier.
And finally, at some point later when everyone was too inebriated to attempt to learn knitting, Shannon pulled out her goods for sale and everyone excitedly rifled through it all and made purchases. It's always best to ask for the sale once booze is involved. That's just good business.
After that, we made appetizers and sat around stuffing our pieholes with junk food and that's about when Nadia invaded the party. I always think of Nadia that way, she's a tall fiery redhead and you can't help but notice the very second she appears within 2 miles of a gathering. She's also almost always really late. She and Mardi are very close and often make out for no real reason other than they're "wifeys." Whatever that means. I don't judge. They make a super cute, hetero, "non couple." They're both party girls, but Nadia happens to be the sensible one. It sounds funny in my head, but when I think about the advice she dispenses to our friends, she's usually quite right. Mardi, on the other hand, is a hot fucking mess.
We all moved into the living room to play board games, but before we even settled on a game, Shannon divulged that her mother was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's and so she is moving in to take care of her. It's while we're having this serious discussion that Mardi's boyfriend, David, makes his entrance. He always makes an entrance. And also often crashes Mardi's girl's nights. Many times it doesn't turn out pretty. All the girls enjoy having him around, he's a very charming flirt, and definitely a bad boy and Mardi sometimes has a hard time with it. Tonight would prove to be no different.
David had a bottle of vodka in his hands and proceeded to the kitchen to make drinks for everyone. Okay, so the night is headed in that direction now. I have a feeling MDMA or blow may come up soon as well, now that he's in attendance. *cringe*
Once everyone is settled in the living area with a drink in hand, Tuesday, who is always, always, always really late, whisks into the room. That's how she does it. She breezes in with her wiley head full of curls and those huge round green eyes and her sensational colorful clothing.
Tuesday: Hiiiii (she drawls) I'm sorry I'm late.
Me: (laughing) It's to be expected, let's go make you a drink.
As we strolled into the kitchen, I heard David suggest strip poker. Someone joked they haven't had enough to drink for that. Someone else requested he play for us. Oh funny, he just so happened to have his guitar in the car. (Well actually because he was about to head out of town on tour)
As Tuesday and I reentered the room, Stacy was telling David about Tuesday's beautiful voice. It didn't take any arm twisting to get her to sing for him. If I had a voice like that, you wouldn't have to twist my arm either. This all turned into a dance party, which is a very common occurrence in my living room, whether with friends or with my kids. When David put down his guitar he began dancing with Wendy, who seemed very happy to be receiving his attention, as women typically are. Mardi complained to Nadia and I about all the attention he was raining on the other girls, and Nadia said, "Well at least none of our stripper friends are here." Voice of reason, that girl. I turned the music down and proposed we play Cards Against Humanity again since everyone likes it so much. It came up that David had never played it, so he was in for a treat. As always, the game was hysterical and everyone was enjoying themselves. With the exception of Mardi who was glaring over at David and Tuesday, who were snuggling pretty closely. When they started making out in front of everybody, Mardi jumped up and shouted at him. "You're about to leave for 3 weeks, could you JUST NOT???" Naturally, she went outside to cool off and Nadia followed her to help calm her down.
I then announced that since it was a Wednesday night and most of us had to work early the next day, that it was time to wrap it up and call it a night. David apologized though it wasn't necessary, no one can ever get or stay angry with him. (with the exception of whomever he happens to be in a relationship with at the moment, which is Mardi in this case) There's also the fact that he's obviously not sincere about it. Tuesday went out to tell Mardi that she was sorry, but was she really?
The last time Mardi and I hung out one on one, she admitted to me that she was having a great deal of trouble with David's ex-wife. They were together for a long time and she wasn't ready to be replaced even though she's the one who left and had a new boyfriend herself. I did my best to console her, explaining that his ex is ten years younger than us. She couldn't deny that she herself would have behaved the same way ten years ago. And the shit storm his poor ex went through, well, that's a story or two for another day.
The thing about David is that he comes across as sexy and confident at first. The way he will stare into your eyes like there's no one else in the room. I've known guys like him before. If you learn to catch on sooner than later and you pay close attention, you'll see the insecure little boy inside, who constantly seeks joy and craves pleasure, but has no clue how to feel happiness.
The soul of a narcissist
is as
black
as the heart that feeds off it
Living in a land of Make-Believe
He hides behind delusions he created
to protect his fragile ego
Putting himself high on a pedestal
Above all else
Perfect he finds himself to be
yet unable to love his own self
He denies his loneliness
His saving grace is
blissful unawareness
Of his own insecurities
Numbing him from pain
that he refuses to know exists.
Yes, many of us have or will experience at least one man like this in our lives. A man who feeds on the attention of women - needs it to survive his own ego.
His madness drives him to succeed
His creativity comes from darkness inside his soul
Meanwhile
collecting hearts
and destroying them
In the hopes of healing his own self-inflicted
pain.
Mardi is pretty much like all of my friends I've witnessed in an open relationship. She seems to delude herself into believing her life is just dandy, while we see her constantly anxious and miserable. She claims the highs are worth the lows - but I have to wonder...
Are they?
You came into this world
Destined to become a monster
You were born
With a frown on your soul
Your imaginary wounds
They hardened your heart
You prey on the innocent
The bats inside of you
Feed on their spirits
And
Rip apart their insides
until they are broken
Just like you.
After everyone left, I made a mental note to make sure to start enforcing the "no dudes allowed" rule for girl's night. I then happily climbed into bed with my 3 cats.
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