To preface this post, Andy and Howard are my big brothers, the two guys I trust to make sure I am not going off the deep end, though I can guarantee you that they will let me make more than my fair share of missteps before they intervene. In fact, before I started dating The Ex, they had to meet him in person and do a number of background checks before they could sign off on the relationship. Though The Ex passed their tests, it obviously did not work out in the long run but I hold no grudges nor do I doubt their judgement.

I have not had the pleasure of hanging out with just the two of them in ages so when Andy suggested a night of laughs, I was on board faster than the speed of light. He lives way out in the county but I was not going to let distance stop me from a night out. Fortunately, Mr. H agreed to drive because the night got interesting quickly.

We went out to Funny Bone and I, for one, have not laughed that hard in ages. I really and truly needed that escape. I am not even truly sure that the comedians were that funny or if I just wanted it to be funny but it really does not matter in the end. I laughed and laughed until my sides hurt. I have not felt that relaxed in ages and I thank my big brothers for the most wonderful evening. It could not have been more perfect.

Native St. Louisans will mock me for this entry but I had never been to the Muny. Incredible as it may seem after living in the area for over a decade, I had yet to experience one of the grandest summer traditions: sweltering in the heat and humidity to watch a musical extravaganza unfold on the outdoor stage. It is a rite of passage in this town and one that most children pass through while very young, an important fact to note up front when your friends decide that The Little Mermaid would be the perfect show to attend.

I suppose I should disclose here that technically I have been inside the theater before; it just was not during a performance. Years ago, the theater was renovated so a fellow student and I busted in there in the middle of the night to check it out. Even by the light of a partial moon and with no other people in sight, the venue is immense. To be inside with thousands of others is a bit awe-inspiring.

Back to last night: my neighbor and I met up with the larger group shortly before the show started but since tickets had been purchased several hours prior, no time was lost at the Will Call booth. With tickets in hand, we passed through the gates, paused at the concession stand to pick up some frozen lemonade, and headed to our seats in the middle of the amphitheater. Soon after, the giant outdoor fans were switched off and the performance began. I have never seen so many young girls dressed as Ariel staring in rapt attention at the stage below. It was amazing how quiet the place became with that many children in attendance…well, quiet except for two of my guy friends who enthusiastically sang along with nearly every song and laughed at the ridiculous seafood puns. In fact, to further embarrass another member of the group, these two gentlemen serenaded her all the way down the concourse following the show, earning them a solid round of applause from the surrounding crowd. Though this particular musical is a far cry from serious theater, I enjoyed myself immensely and am looking forward to returning again in the very near future.

For those of you in Missouri and surrounding areas, I need to provide no additional explanation of what is involved in a float trip weekend. It is an annual summer tradition coded into the DNA of every child born in the region. Summers are meant for sweltering in the heat and humidity, punctuated by bacchanalian getaways filled with partially-clothed partyers cruising down a river in some sort of flotation device typically towing a cooler or two of cold beverages. Around here, you can casually mention the words “float trip” and those nearby will nod their heads sagely, while flipping through memories of drunken adventures past. I had been on a camping trip that involved many of the elements while I was living in Minnesota years ago but I have never had the opportunity to go on a Missouri Float Trip until this past weekend.

This trip was planned and carried out mainly through the efforts of a trio of outstanding women in the Air Force who have taken me under their wing in the past few months. Though they tend to speak a foreign language full of acronyms while in groups, I admire their independence and ability to get things done in any circumstance. It seems that every mishap is another reason to shrug and move on, a mindset that I am working on achieving for myself these days.

I only want to mention a few things about our trip since it was pretty much the standard package. The four of us left Friday night and after a two-hour drive, made it to camp just in time to put up our tent and pull a small fire together before the full darkness of the wilderness was upon us. We were having a bit of trouble getting the wood to catch fire due to all the humidity and rain from the past few weeks but lucky for my campmates, I had packed all the love letters from the Ex so that I could watch burn. Remembering this, I pulled them out of my bag and we used them both as tinder to start the fire. The notes worked well as both a fire starter and as therapy, though I did feel a twinge of sadness at losing them.

Saturday, we floated on the river in two canoes and I am proud to say that I was only fully responsible for one of the tip-overs. We were out on the water for three hours, meaning that I am now sporting a really interesting sunburn. With my fair skin, I knew it was inevitable; it was just a matter of which part(s) of me would hurt later. Turns out that in this instance, the tops of my knees, most of my shins, the lower part of my chest, and my lower back are sporting the mark of a good day outdoors.

I had a wonderful weekend overall but could not have rejoiced more at the sight of my own apartment and all its modern amenities. After a long, sterilizing shower and a refreshing nap, I feel like something that approaches human.

An important aside: My suitor from the HTML class contacted me the day after class and we have scheduled a date for this coming Thursday (Update: Make that Wednesday).

Up next: Second shift