Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Wednesday Night Randomness

I had about twenty-nine different reasons to make it to the gym this afternoon (one being that I skipped out yesterday because, funny, on Monday I pretended I was some kind of superstar and went to the gym at lunch AND after work and come Tuesday, I was feeling like something a cat dragged in. And not just any cat, but like a huge, giant, violent, predator-type cat). However, all those twenty-nine reasons weren't nearly as good as the invite of After-Work Happy Hour.

First, to those who have any idea what I do for a living, I'm sure hundreds (okay, tens) of thoughts are going through your head right now starting with "wait, computer people know what happy hour is?" Yes, apparently they do. And apparently, I'm also part of that crowd, even though I claim to forget absolutely anything technical or even half-way knowledgeable when I walk out the door. It's like a force or something!

Still, it was a happy hour invite and I could have been all "no thanks, I'm going to the gym to concentrate on breaking the Rotation Speed Record for an elliptical machine" but instead, I accepted. It was loads of fun, too. The best part was, I was home in time to catch a good chunk of American Idol.

I know, I know.

That show, though, always makes me thankful for my family and their honesty. Seriously, I have been a singer all my life but a) not once did anyone tell me I could sing when I dang well can't and b) they taught me to embrace my other, better "qualities" and save the singing for others who don't need a wheelbarrow, okay, dump truck to carry a tune.

We sort of pride ourselves on that honesty, brutal as it may necessarily be. Like a night a couple weeks ago, while having dinner with my aunt, uncle and teen aged cousins, we started laughing at some of our little "quirks," you might say. Five or ten minutes in, my aunt, uncle and I were beside ourselves laughing at some of our family's funny habits, like talking over one another, involuntarily calling each other by the wrong name (and you thought that was just for grandmothers) and going outside without pants on. Okay, I am joking about that last one. Mostly. Eventually, we even got my older cousin laughing and soon, it was the four of us laughing and the seventeen-year-old staring at all of us like he'd been kidnapped by the gorilla family at the zoo; we were both interesting enough to watch and frightening enough to keep a safe distance.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him staring. He then informed us that we were acting "like a bunch of rednecks who never set foot in a classroom." I think he believes there's some rule that says if you go to college, you can't laugh at your family's lack of outerwear. According to him, the family has some history in business and success and therefore we all qualify as some sort of white collar, non-fart joke making, geniuses who have a history to live up to.

He's right, really because I believe it was those very grandfathers that were instrumental in turning what was once just industry terminology into household words. Most important, of course, being happy hour and plumber's crack.

10 comments:

Ginger Breadman said...

Happy hour has a definite place in this world. It's a very necessary time of day. Maybe it means something different to everyone, but everyone needs it whether they know it or not. Plumber crack has it's own place too, although it might not be at happy hour.

Anonymous said...

Mmmm happy hour... I remember that... :)

In my family we call it "Muzzy's curse" - you yell for someone but use about 86 different names until you get the right one. For instance, when my mom yells for me it usually goes something like "MollyMaggieDavidJuneauShaunDaveBREANN!"

Oh, families!

anne said...

If you can't laugh at yourself then who can you laugh at?

Anonymous said...

American Idol has been really good this year...very emotional. And I'm a sucker for emotional.

Sizzle said...

ha!

i love me some American Idol. it's a sickness of mine.

Danielle said...

Hey now, computer people do know happy hour...in fact most computer people I knew were happy to get to happy hour (where they had a few and then went back to the office to play Doom or whatever they are playing now for video games, but still!!). It is a very fun time though...I've had to crash other people's happy hours because I never seem to be in a company/department that has them...sigh...and I work with lawyers now, go figure!!

Runner Girl FL said...

Ever notice when it's your family they are normal with some quirks....but the neighbors/co-workers etc it's just weird? :)

Know this: We were the quirkest normal family on the block!!

justacoolcat said...

I think a good portion of those AI people know they suck, but will do anything to be on tv. If only for a moment.

As for the plumber's kid he should be more careful and realize the one basic principle of the trade; shit flows downhill.

skinnylittleblonde said...

LOL, I just saw American Idol a week or two ago for the first time... ever. Nope, not addicted there.

It seems almost every kid goes through a stage where they try to pull away from the family to identify themselves. With time, theyrealize that they are acting like or saying the same things that they once discredited.

Who knew thath the plumbers crack would evolve into the hipsters fashion statement of the era...
mental image of young man with jeans to big & striped calvin klein boxers hanging out the top...soley concealing 100% of the infamous crack.

singleton said...

Happy Friday! Finally! Enjoy!