Surprises

I have to say, I've been blessed with some of the best friends and family one could ask for. Seriously, I have been so lucky. I've known this, and even often wondered why I was so lucky when I've seen others have such tough lives. (The only answer I could come up with is for me to return that fortune to those around me). So, as most of you read this blog anyway, let me just say, thank you. Especially to those of you who threw me a surprise party last Saturday.

Let me back up. I'm hard to surprise. It's not so much that I don't like surprises, I do. I just tend to be paying attention and can, if I choose to, put the pieces together. I have this intense desire for information, a curiosity that is rarely satiated unless I know the answer. And if you try to hide something from me, and I notice, I will get suspicious and start paying even more attention. This has happened before and I have unwittingly (and wittingly) uncovered surprises. This weekend was not the case. For one thing, this party was a going away part for Ohio. I don't leave for another month. I had no reason to be suspicious. Another factor, Tenshi told me this was going to be a day just for us. If she wanted to blindfold me and stuff me in a car despite my proneness to carsickness, I for the most part would go along for the ride. That said, when you are blindfolded, you spend a lot of time trying to figure out where you are going.

So after a day on the beach, we jumped onto the freeway. Blindfolded, I knew we were on the freeway and had a good knowledge of which direction, but I didn't realized we'd taken an interchange until Tenshi mentioned a carpool lane. The first freeway we were on didn't have a carpool lane, I thought, where were we going? We drove for a while at a pretty good speed. We must be going south, I thought, north is trafficky at this time of night. We finally exited and then drove in a straight line another long way. What place is a straight line from the freeway where we could drive pretty quick? I thought. A few quick turns and we arrived. Tenshi opened the door and I smelled bonfire. We were by the beach, but not in our city anymore... had we gone to my home county? There were more bonfires there... I listened. Silence. Are we in a neighborhood? I asked Tenshi. Quiet. She said. She guided me up some steps. Until that point I had really thought we were going out to dinner. But then I knew we were at a house. Brick steps, door open, wooden floors... familiar... Suddenly I had a thought. Are we at Mama G's house? I said out loud.

SURPRISE EVERYONE SHOUTED. And I took off the blindfold. Before me was Tenshi, and Spam Boa, Jules Drew Yorke and Kirbs, RC Tequila, Brock, Clark, Heavy Spy and his girlfriend Tiana Gamer, Steakhouse, Diet Lemonade, Sunshine Knives and her bf Faithful Filmer, Jabbertalky and El Bandito, Bridges and Nemesis, Kareem, AVP and of course Mama G. There were others never before mentioned in this blog, like Math Magician, Fontaine Patisserie, Daughter Pleasant, and Sarcastic Sasser. All there to send me off to Ohio a month early. I was so humbled, so flattered, so blessed. It was really wonderful.

The party began! I hugged each of them. Spam had flown out the night before and hung out with me and I had no idea this was coming. Friends from all my college experiences were there. I heard that Naysayer P Squirrel sent his regards, as did Dungeon Daddy from Seattle and Beeker Flips. Another friend, Attorney Artemis came later. And the whole thing was James themed. Sunshine Knives made a green cake and Mama G saved me some mexican food, both tributes to my favorites. We even had a pinata that I had the honor of destroying all on my own, not with the replica Legend of Zelda sword I own, though it was present, but with a bat provided by El Bandito. It was very satisfying to destroy something, even the wonderful Luigi pinata that it was (a tribute to a former halloween costume). There were pirate flags and buttons with my face on them. And smash brothers and twister. All the things that have been a part of my experiences the last few years. I was so touched by the depth and effort.

The party was a blast full of games and stories and too much alcohol. But i look fondly back on each conversation, long or short I had with my friends, with great love and satisfactory closure. Now to through that closure out the window and make more memories in my last month here.

Thank you all, again.

I don't have much else to add today. For once, I feel I had a story that will entertain most of my readers because all the groups were alluded to. I will say my past staff including the likes of Red Button and Pokeboss among others were not there, but we are trying to find a date for our cooking night soon, so maybe they'll be the next group I talk about. I have been under the weather since before the party, and trust me, feeling sick then adding alcohol doesnt help, so again a day late post. But with cooking in my future maybe you'll get a freebie.

Until next time, I say my traditional, see you when I see you.

-JTY

Reading: Game of Thrones. I haven't seen the show but the book is pretty good. I haven't put it down most of the weekend.

Listening to: Arms by Christina Perri. A gift from Tenshi <3

Playing: Finally started Fall Out New Vegas. I think I'm really going to like it.