ain't nobody dope as me

[chestnutcurls]

I am going to California!

Yes...in June I will be going where I have not gone before, to visit jessecho et al. :) I talked to my parents about it on Friday night. It was not a pleasant exchange. After enduring half an hour's litany about how I couldn't possibly know this person and how no one online is who they claim to be and how mentally disturbed I was to even want to take a trip to meet somebody, I had an urge to delete my journal and never talk to any of you again, because hey, you're all actually 50-year-old pervert Jehovah's Witnesses pretending to be other people, right? :P Thankfully, they finally agreed that as long as I stayed in a hotel and was able to get around independently (translation: escape from impending doom), they would be okay with my going. But they've made it clear that I am not of sound mind. :P This sort of casts a pall over my excitement. I mean, I have this great opportunity to hang out with awesome people and accomplish two of my life goals (see San Francisco and see the Pacific). :) I don't know why this makes me a nut case.

The rest of my weekend was better. My mom and I went up to Jackson on Saturday for Debra's All-West performance, and had a great time. David Holsinger, the famous composer, conducted the Wind Ensemble (the best high school musicians in the state). Having played his pieces all through high school, I was in awe watching him. He was incredible. It made my whole month. :) Before we went home, Mums and I went a little nuts at the Dunkin' Donuts, and went shopping at Goody's, right across the street from salemgirl's alma mater. I got a nice skirt for 5 dollars. (I have pictures of all these things, but couldn't get them onto a disk, so I'll post them later.) When we got back, I had some of my dad's amazing chicken soup for dinner, and then went to Kathy's parents' house to watch the Tigers kick Cincinnati's butt. It was a very satisfying game. :)

Yesterday was such a nice day. After church, Ryan, Matt, Alli, and I had a leisurely lunch at Mozzarella's (in which Ryan found a piece of his plate in his pasta pie and received another one for free). In the afternoon, I burned a great workout (translation: ghetto :)) CD that I'd been trying to burn for a month, and then took a walk. While I was walking, the sun came out!!! For two hours! Thus, we have doubled our sunshine amount for the month. :) In the evening I went to Bible study at IPC- apparently Jean Larroux has been teaching on Sunday nights as well, and no one told me. Of course, it was a great lesson. Afterward, Ryan and I and Myla and her boyfriend went to dinner. It was fun and relaxing. Then I came home and Kathy and I watched half of Sense and Sensibility. Yay!

This was really long and I should have cut it. Oh, well.

Comments

[lifeofpatrick.livejournal.com]

the first paragraph of your post really troubles me. I will not comment more as not to upset you. I am just glad you did not do something rash and delete your journal. It is not like you are going to calli to have a lesbian affair. I say go to calli and have a blast San Fran is amazing and sure Jess can show you around in a nice christian way. Ok I said I was not going to comment so I will stop

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

LOL, thank you for your confidence in my sanity and heterosexuality. :)

[lifeofpatrick.livejournal.com]

I also have confidence in the heterosexuality but my sanity is a whole nother topic. I would understand your parents worry if you were coming to visit me.

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'll be going too. And I have met Jessica in person (in Dallas last summer). So, her parents have no need to worry. However, Jonathan could be a "50 year old pervert Jehovah's Witness", but I'll just have to take Jessica's word on that. :P

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

You certainly have a way with words, Patrick. :P

Brenda, I'm so excited! :) I happily told Jonathan last night. I need to tell Dania! Also, I'm excited that I get to be a part of making two of your life goals happen.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yay! Yes, I am very thankful to you, for that. :)

I think my cd with "California Love" on it is about to go into heavy rotation... :)

Re:

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

:) Excellent. You know what Lawson would love? If you and I blasted our favorite ghetto music while we drove..haha..

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

LOL! That would rock. I will be sure to bring my ghetto CDs. :) And I'll probably have several more by then, since I'm constantly making them. :)

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

Great... I'll get to work learning to tune it out now. ;)

[lifeofpatrick.livejournal.com]

Hum, not sure how to interpret that

get it right!!

[ex-lifeofbri692.livejournal.com]

We're mormons, not Jehovah Witnesses!!

and I'm 49!!

Re: get it right!!

[fraserspeirs.livejournal.com]

Haha. And you're coming to stay with me....at least you already realise we're all axe murderers over here.

Re: get it right!!

[ex-lifeofbri692.livejournal.com]

Oh and to think i thought you all were terrorists. I guess I can leave the duct tape and plastic wrap at home.



Brian's Vacation (i.e. Mormon Mission) haha.

Re: get it right!!

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

ROTFL...

Re: get it right!!

[b1ff.livejournal.com]

An appropriate logo.. Rendezvous..

Re: get it right!!

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

LOL!!!

Forgive me, then, 49-year-old Mormon man. I notice you didn't say anything about the pervert part. lol... :)

Re: get it right!!

[ex-lifeofbri692.livejournal.com]

I still have 4 wives, don't I?

[fraserspeirs.livejournal.com]

I say go for it. I travelled all the way to Portland to stay with people I'd only met on the internet. I also took a 12-week internship in Philadelphia on the basis of a few emails and one phone call (to say nothing of lodging with people I only had 3rd party recommendations about :-)

[ex-lifeofbri692.livejournal.com]

people from Portland carry axes, too.

[greenhornet.livejournal.com]

You should have your parents read all of her journals. I think that they would come to the realization that Jess is very normal and very cool. Also, I think that they would see that there are verifiable things about her, like her pictures and her house pictures, and all the people who have met her and are on LJ. If you spring ideas on people, they get weirded out sometimes.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

I know. I tried to tell them all that, but it didn't make a dent. Like I told Jess on the phone, I was like, "Look, there's a whole group of them! I really doubt that they all got together and made up this elaborate scheme to lure me out there." But when you have a mother who watches Oprah every day, you'll never convince her that anyone on the internet is normal. :P

Re:

[greenhornet.livejournal.com]

I've never watched Oprah. she just always seemed to be trying so hard to be sincere.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yeah, she is sincere, but 95% of her shows are about People Who Are Trying to Harm You or Your Children, causing viewers to develop a skewed and paranoid outlook on other people's motivations. :)

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

I told my parents about the California trip over dinner at Applebees last night. They were supportive (since I did the same thing in Dallas last year, and I'm a guy.) My Mom has been reading my journal, so she said "Will Jessecho be there?" Ha! ;)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Yes- you TOLD them. Didn't have to ASK them. Because you're a guy. Be glad that you will never know the injustice and irritation that I, as a girl, endure. :P

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Oh I forget your mom reads! Have I said anything incriminating? :)

I find it so weird when people refer to me by a username. I used to go by Ganymede on chat, but then I just chose Jessica`` because I got tired of people calling me Gany as if that were actually my name.

Re:

[aardwolf.livejournal.com]

Haha... no. She thought you were one of the girls that used to go to our church at first (named "Jessica", appropriately). She even thought you looked like her... Now, she knows you're one of the people I met in Dallas last summer. :)

[b1ff.livejournal.com]

the backquotes `` are silent? :) Eh gany?

I still can't believe jmcphers said 'hello b1ff', in SF. I mean come on :)

[chocomilkbanana.livejournal.com]

Sounds likes you had a full weekend.

I understand about the whole meeting someone over the internet thing. My parents/family thought I was being careless and my father even went so far as to say I was being careless where the family was concerned. I can understand their worries but I also know myself and I know Who is in control.

I've done it. I've met and traveled with folks I've met over the internet and via email. And I can tell you that one person in particular that I have met in person has turned out to be an awesome friend - a good friend - one that I can see being friends with for the rest of my life.

You just have to be careful, like we didn't already know that. You're confident in making adult decisions - your parents, along with everything else, will just have to learn to trust you where this idea is concerned.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the support. :)

[salemgirl.livejournal.com]

:P When I went to meet Phillip (the ex-fiance) I totally stretched the truth about where I was going and why. Of course I ended up engaged that week and I thought surely my parents were going to wig out. I think they did wig out in private. Well, that's neither here nor there... Just an internet "friend" meeting experience for you.

How very cool! You're going to have an LJ gathering on the West Coast! Blast that ghetto music for me! *hugs*

Your parents will chill... :)

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Good grief! Now that would be a tough one to explain...LOL.

We'll have to have another Dallas gathering sometime. :)

[dirtbird.livejournal.com]

Now, wouldn't it be an adventure if y'all went and came to see me? :D

Glad to hear that your weekend went mostly well :)
mmmmm.... donuts!

[greenhornet.livejournal.com]

you should all come to Philadelphia sometime.

[mszimbolist.livejournal.com]

if my parents weren't so similarly freaky about online friends, I'd have you come visit me. I'm only 50 miles from san fran. *Sniff*

[jmcphers.livejournal.com]

How'd you like Sense and Sensibility? I liked the BBC A&E version of Pride and Prejudice (which I saw a few months ago).

And I'm very glad you're going to CA. (-:

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad, too! :) Yay!

I like it. I wanted to see it since I had just finished the book (my first Jane Austen reading). Kathy has that version of P&P, and I've seen parts of it, but I've never watched the whole thing.

I'm very impressed that you enjoy these movies! :)

[jmcphers.livejournal.com]

I haven't actually read the books, but people who have read P&P tell me that the BBC adaptation is very good. You should watch the whole thing! It's a bit long for one sitting (5 hours? something like that) but it's a nice two-sitting movie.

Actually, most people I've met who've taken the time to watch P&P like it -- it's funny, clean, witty, good characters and plot, etc. Not without a few unbelievable parts (like Darcy's ... oh wait, don't want to spoil it for you (-:) but overall a great story. (-:

[moredetails.livejournal.com]

Oh.. when you said Darcy that reminds me of a quiz. Didn't classycal post a quiz about which Pride and Prejudice person you are? Anyway, I've never seen that or Sense and Sensibility but I hear about them so much that I probably should someday if for no other reason than to find out if I truly am whoever the quiz said I was. :P

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Oh, don't worry about spoiling it! I know what happens. I lived with two P&P fanatics for four years. (Now I'm just living with one. :)) This is why it's taken me so long to come around to the whole Jane Austen thing. I was overexposed to it or something. :)

And do not fear...I'm sure I will soon be subjected to the whole thing. :)

[laura8225.livejournal.com]

David Holsinger...that name sounds very familiar. Probably because I was in band! :P Did he write "Nilesdance?" Or am I thinking the wrong thing?

Congratulations on a California trip! I'm sure when you come back, and your parents see that you're still in one piece, they'll trust your judgment and decisions more.

[chestnutcurls.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

I haven't heard that one, but if you were in band, it's very probable that you played one of his pieces at some point. He's, like, the Mozart of high school bands. :)

Re:

[laura8225.livejournal.com]

I looked it up, and he did write "Nilesdance." I remember that song from band the best because it was really difficult and we had to practice it a lot to have it ready for the Solo and Ensemble Contest. I didn't mind practicing it though, because it sounded so cool! :)

LJ Road Trip

[nova-wylde.livejournal.com]

I think it would be neat if all of us LJ buddies would stop at various other LJ buddies places at random and picked them up, etc. That sounds kinda like Road Rules, heh. :)

[b1ff.livejournal.com]

Another voucher for Jessica, et al :)

[skreyola.livejournal.com]

I wonder what they'd think of your doing what I did... flying 7000 miles to spend 9 months with a bunch of people I'd never even heard of (except as a nationality) until 2 months before I left. :)
(I'm in the mission field, teaching English)

I think you're safe with Jessica. She doesn't seem very dangerous to me... and I've known her for a while.