2004-06-01
Road Trips And One Year With <3 James <3
This weekend was incredible. We were going to go to Birmingham to see James's old roomate, but James got up too late Saturday, so that didn't pan out. Instead, his dad asked us to go with him and James's brother to go see Hellboy on post. The movie was horrible, but it was fun hanging out with James's dad. We drove to Dothan to meet up with Josh and Etchasketch to go see Day After Tomorrow, but after we'd waited for Etchasketch and Josh to finish watching Dracula, Etch announced she couldn't even go to the movie, because she hadn't visited her grandmother that day (who lives next door). Needless to say, I like her even less now.
Day After Tomorrow was much better than I thought it was going to be. I don't really like apocolyptic films, and though I love Jake Gyllenhall, I thought he was going to suck in it. And I was wrong. The movie was really good, as was Jake Gyllenhall in it. I was surprised and impressed. After the movie, we went to Wendy's to get our grub on, and there was this couple in their forties at one table, with about seven kids at a table next to them. The couple was all up on each other, full-on making out the entire time we were trying to eat. Apparently they'd mistaken Wendy's for a bread and breakfast. It was really disgusting. Half the kids were calling the man uncle, the other calling him by his name, but the woman was always Mommy. Hmmmm. That's Alabama for you.
James and Josh decided to go to Bham to see James's roomate (Chris) on Sunday, so I went home early on Saturday so they could get some rest. Sunday morning I became embittered that I had to go to church instead of Bham, and it was made worse by the fact that Soren wasn't at church b/c he was at the beach. Just as I was getting really upset about this, the pastor's wife announced that no service would be held that evening for Memorial Day. I jumped out of the pew, ran down the aisles, and called James immediately to wait till I got out of chuch to go to Bham. And that's exactly what happened.
We got in Birmingham by late afternoon, and sat around for an hour at Starbucks waiting for Chris and his girlfriend to show up. They were both super nice and his girlfriend and I had a lot in common, to include having red hair. After visiting with them for a few hours, we picked up Josh from a show he'd left and gone to, then we all headed to the infamous Al's. Al's is a 24-hr Mediterranean and American food place. I've heard a dozen stories that happened at Al's, so I was glad I finally got to go. I had a gyro which was super good, and the boys had hummus dip and fries, also really good. We sat in the outside area for about two hours, trying to come up with something to do and making fun of the Bham scene/hardcore kids that were there. Finally, I suggested we drive to Atlanta , and we jumped up and did so right away.
We stopped by a gas station so I could pee and get some new cigarettes, and the woman that was working was really weird. After we'd gotten the cigarettes, Josh was packing them, about to pull one out. As he was the driver, we just sat there in car in the gas station parking lot, and the woman from inside comes out and asks if she can help us with anything. We told her no, that we were just packing cigarettes, about to leave, and she was like,'Well, you can't sit in the parking lot, leave!' She went back inside and watched us until we left. Weird.
Later we stopped at another gas station, and I believe the bathroom there was haunted, because doors kept slamming in the stalls by themselves, and I was the only one in there. It creeped me the fuck out. Apparently a guy who'd been filling up had a hole in his tank, because there was gasoline everywhere around his car and under it. There was a man putting out newspapers and smoking a cigar, which made me slightly nervous. Obviously, we didn't stay there to smoke.
We drove a little way down, and stopped at a Cracker Barrel to smoke. It was really neat, because all the outside lights were still on, the checkerboards and rocking chairs were up, and old country music was playing on the overheads. We stayed and played checkers with each other, rocked, and smoked for about an hour while Josh got in touch with this girl he's been talking to online. We drove to meet her at a Walmart in Jacksonville, Alabama and while we were waiting dueled each other with our lightsabers.
By the time Louisa showed up (around 2 in the morning), we'd decided we were going to go to Six Flags the next day. The boys decided we should all dress really white trash when we went, to be funny, so we went inside and all tried on the tackiest clothes we could find. We all have short new shorts now. After saying goodbye to Louisa, the three of us crashed at a hotel room. The weather was really bad that night and we were woken up by lightning striking close to us a few times. The next morning it was still drizzling and really cold, despite that it was the last day of May.
We drove to Six Flags, and I was a bit blue because nobody else could come with us (Atlanta Adam, Robley, Tiffaweed, etc), but it turned out to be okay. I am now the proud owner of a Six Flags Season Pass, which means that I can go every day for the rest of the season for free. Fuck yeah. I haven't been on a rollercoaster in about a year, and I just about had a heart attack on the first one I went on. Afterwards we went on the Batman ride, and all was well. That ride is so great, I love it. I'd rather have my shoulders and upper body strapped in than be in a car that has nothing overhead, and has a place for your feet instead. I love my feet flying, and something to hold me in. It's just like flying!
We had a lot of fun, but a lot of the rides were closed due to the weather, so we had to run all over the park to get things done before 6:00, when they closed yesterday. The last ride we went on was the Great American Scream Machine, which had an error while we were waiting in line. We were entertained by the operator while we waited for it to be fixed, rode, and got to be the last people in the park. Afterwards we stopped at a KFC and I got a free Pharrell cup, yay!
The ride home was pretty uneventful. We took a shortcut that Josh directed us on. It cut out going through Montgomery or Troy, but there also wasn't shit to see the way home, so it was kind of boring. When we got in town, we went to Josh's with the intention of watching the third (old) Star Wars movie, but then it was decided that we'd watch LOTR 3: The Return of the King instead. Josh' s house was unbearably hot, and I was tired, so I fell asleep about thirty times or so. James kept waking me up, which was irritating because I was dead tired, hot as fuck, and it's not like I snore, or haven't seen the movie before. That movie is good, but ridiculously long. They really did draw out the ending. I was so glad to climb into my bed last night, you just don't know.
Today is June 1st. <3 Happy One Year Anniversary, James <3 I'm so proud of us. Last night as we were saying goodbye on my doorstep, I looked back on our first date, and thought it amazing how we're together now. We had a crazy first date, which ended in us sleeping together, and me regretting it and being ashamed of myself. Not because the sex was bad, just because it was our first date and I'd had sex with the guy. Also, I didn't want to get seriously involved with anyone. However, James turned out to be the most amazing guy ever (not to mention he's wonderful out of bed, too) and I totally changed my mind, as you know. I love him more than I've ever loved anything or anyone, ever, and can't wait till we move in together next month. He's the most incredible guy I've ever met. Check out his LJ entry for today (click on Love of My Life link on right of page)---->
Speaking of moving in next month . . . James's mom offered to buy us a washing machine and a dryer. I don't think there's gonna be enough room in the apartment for that, plus there's a laundromat in the complex that we could use. She said if there's not enough room she'd buy us something else, they're helping us out with furniture, and she's going to buy us huge things of groceries that we just have to drive down and get every so often. That really surprised me, but I can't say I'm hating it! I still refuse to tell my parents until the week I'm moving, but Donald and Mary know, and support the idea. They're happy for me; crazy, huh?
Today I'm babysitting and then hanging out with my boyfriend of one year (hehe). I love hanging out with him. We might hang out with Josh, too. After the Atlanta trip and this past weekend, Josh and I are much closer now, too. Yesterday I was singing the Milkshake song by Kelis because I know how much he hates it, and we play-fought. It was a lot of fun. I like Josh much more now, and feel super comfortable around him. It's great.
I'm a happy, happy girl.
Birthday count: 2 days!!
*Bonus Material* This is from an entry titled Smoking Dancers from June 2, 2003:
Now here comes the big news: I met James. Last night. Verrrrry cute and extremely cool, very scene. Tattoos, black spiky hair, lip piercing (omm), pirate belt buckle, etc, etc, the boy just can't lose. He's tremendously cute. I did not stop laughing all night. Things went a bit farther than I would have ever imagined, but.....it's okay? I don't know. He's coming to see me tonight, and I think I'm going to talk to him about just dating, but he really is a great guy. And totally rad. He's super nice, too. We had fun.
He picked me up after church, and we headed to WalMart, so he could pick up some Listerine (for rinsing his lip piercing). We finally decided on Chili's... where we both had these really cool vegetarian quasedillas that were super good. He's vegetarian, which means dining is lots of fun.
I will say that is THE most stressful date I've ever been on, but more about that later. It was also one of the most memorable.... Now it's time to go to Dothan to pick out jewelry for my piercings I'm getting tomorrow. Yeahhh. Have a nice day and wish me LOTS of luck! XOXOXOXO Lauren
aigre-douce at 12:54 p.m.