A regular relationship... in an irregular world.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Whoopee! I'm sad!


Okay, okay. It's all going to be fine after all. It turns out, I haven't lost my angst! See, with all of the getting along with my family, and being in love with a wonderful gal, I find that I'm - dare I say it? - happy. However, we all know that dysfunction spells C-R-E-A-T-I-V-I-T-Y and if I'm not sick of soul, what do I have to work with, people? What???

Sooo... as of this morning I felt much better, because today I am MISERABLE. I'm working on a show right now that has me traveling all over the country for the next month and I MISS MISS TERRIBLY! Don't you get it? I'm totally unhappy! This is great news, because now I can rest assured my pain and angst will keep me creatively inspired, and therefore - employed. At least at something other than say - being hired as an infomercial writer. Not that I don't respect infomericial writers. Seriously. Do you know how hard it is to sell concentrated cleansing products to stoned people at three in the morning? Then again, that IS depressing, isn't it? You know what? I think it's all going to be okay no matter what. There is still PLENTY of pain for me. Whew. That's a relief.

xoxoxo,
Ms.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

I hadn't thought of this...


Just checking in to let you know that we DID return safely from the visit with the Fam, and it was considered a success by all involved. My parents love Miss and they have said that they've never seen me this at-ease with someone, or more happy.

So now I've gotta wonder - how can I be a creative genius without deep angst? Maybe I'll have to start working on the Lifetime Network - or worse -- write self-help books. Crap. Here I had to go and get all happy and stuff.

xoxox,
Ms.

Monday, September 18, 2006

Day Three - Taking it ALL in

All is still going well here in Parentville. Today Miss and I skipped out on the fam for the day and went sight-seeing in town. There are about six things to do, and we did three. It was a big day.

I find myself in a new space with my family now. In the past, when I've introduced boyfriends to my parents, I never cared what the guy thought -- only what my parents thought of him. I guess I was a "pleaser" kind of child. Hence, me waiting almost to the age of 33 to emerge from the closet. Be it age, wisdom, coming out, or simply finding true love - something has caused me to not care so much about their approval. I can't say I don't WANT their approval- of course I do. But this time their approval had no bearing on my own choices. This time, I am more interested in what Miss thinks of where I grew up. I want her to understand what made me - me. The good and the bad. To my delight, she's taken it all in with a sense of humor and without judgement, and perhaps come to understand a little more about me.

Also to my delight, my parents have taken in Miss with open arms. I understood this clearly today when my mother said, "Well, I guess I'm going to have a daughter-in-law that I didn't plan on - that's not so bad," and then proceeded to make us a fried chicken supper and my Granny-Great's favorite recipe for summer yellow squash. There's nothing like passing on tradition to new members of the family.

xoxoxo,
Ms.

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Day Two - Bless your heart


(or - what I have learned about the American South)

1. Not all country music is bad. In fact, some of it is good, the songs about sex anyway.

2. Kansas city barbeque should have it's own spot in the food pyramid. Country fried steak is what they give inmates when they can't afford lethal injection. Death by carbs.

3. There is tea, and then there is tea. If you ask for tea in any state below the Mason-Dixon line don't expect to get a warm drink in a mug. Expect to get a giant glass containing roughly 1/2 sugar, 1/2 ice, and added tea flavoring.

4. People from Maryland think people from Atlanta are stupid. People from Atlanta think people from Alabama are stupid. People in Alabama have cows and they think they're perfectly good company.

That's it so far. You'd think I would have learned more but I've had a bit of trouble deciphering the accents. Ms. translates.

More later,
Miss

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Day One - Alive & Kicking


(or - What Miss has learned about the American South.)

She's doing well. I was proud as she hung in meeting not only my grinning parents, but also my aunt, uncle, another uncle, two cousins, and a new puppy. Everyone has been on their best behavior and my mother is proudly telling stories of all the fits I threw as a child. There were many.

So here I sit, amazed at the ease with which everyone has "fit," ready for the next phase of this introduction -- the social event out in public. Yep. We are about to go have Barbeque at a hot local joint and listen to -- get this -- a country band play some down-home twang. I can't get too nervous, as I am just fascinated to see how my little New Yorker is going to handle an evening of rednecks. Wow. Wish you were here. No... really. I need some backup.

xoxoxo,
Ms.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner


It’s time. I can’t believe it. Tomorrow, Miss and I will board a plane for a trip back to the homeland suburbia from which I sprung. That’s correct, folks – it’s time for Miss to meet my PARENTS.

Now I was a late-bloomer in the whole practice of “coming out,” and never got around to telling my folks until just over a year ago – just after Miss and I started seeing one another. It’s been a whirl-wind year of disbelief, long talks, long silences, tears and ultimately laughter and acceptance on the part of my parents. They have yet to meet her though. They have yet to be in my presence while I’m in the presence of my female love.

Mother, Father, Miss, me… we’re all a touch nervous, but oddly – I am tending to notice a strange twinge of excitement stirring deep within me. At first I found it “off.” Somehow I must have misread a feeling of absolute terror. Surely that was more what I was feeling, right? But no. I am excited to introduce the person whom I love more than I’ve ever loved anybody to my dear family. I am excited to show her the neat suburb of conservative cleanliness in which I awkwardly grew up. I don’t really know why. Maybe I’m truly at peace about my personal life. OMFG.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

xoxox,
Ms.