Tuesday, November 16, 2010

More of my insane spontaneity.

Last weekend was supposed to be mostly relaxing.  I had an electrolysis appointment in Lexington, but after that I was going to call friends in the area, see if anyone wanted to hang out for a bit, then drive home before dark and settle in to rest and take care of things at home for the rest of the weekend.

Instead, while I was in electrolysis, I got a call from my friend Debbie in Louisville, another hour and a half from home.  They were wanting to have dinner out, then go to another restaurant that was presenting live music at the bar.  I explained that I was recovering from electrolysis, had no luggage, no clothes, was dressed ridiculously casual.  She offered full access to her closet (we were the same size until she dropped a dress size this year) mentioned that another friend had left a bag of shoes in my size that I was to take home and could therefore use.  Being a Mary Kay rep she offered me access to a wide array of beauty supplies to make up for my lack of luggage.  It seemed doable!

I explained to my parents that I was extending my trip and told about my plans.  Mom seemed fairly comfortable with it so I started on to Louisville.  I arrived with plenty of time, so Debbie and I ran out to Kroger  so I could get a few cheap essentials I was short on since I wasn't packed for travel.  While there Debbie talked me into dying my hair before we went out.

I've never done home color but Debbie talked me into Clairol Natural Instincts in Nutmeg.  I was nervous about it, and my first impression afterward was not at all good.  It seemed to kill my natural highlights and low lights, leaving an unnaturally flat and uniform color.  It looks fine as I write now several days later, but on the night in question I was terrified. :P

Debbie suggested a few possibilities for my evening wardrobe, but in the end we both preferred a black velour  fitted shift dress.  The dress was a major confidence boost - almost enough to counter not having my own colors of makeup, the uni-tone hair, and the facial swelling from electrolysis.  Up until now, I have not been very confident about my figure being dramatic enough and tended to pick stretchy dresses to push for every bit of curvature I could show.  This dress lay lightly across my curves, not too tight or too loose, but just perfectly following the contour of my body as if tailored for me.

As I was preparing to leave I had such a funny moment.  I was walking down Debbie's hall, and at the end is a full length mirror.  Standing there was someone who looked like me, yet more refined.  Pearls and a classy black shift, with black angle boots and a strand of pearls.  Watching myself glide down the hall toward the mirror I was near laughter.  Maybe for one night I could trick people into thinking this Taco Bell chick actually belongs in five star restaurants.

We met up with the rest of our friends and had a great dinner at Winston's.  The food was far costlier than I am accustomed to, but it was quite nice.  I had 3 little medallion cut steak things under a bleu cheese sauce and garnished with.... I have no idea.  At any rate it was good, and the atmosphere was nice.

After that we proceeded to Jack Ruby's downtown.  The band was great and I felt pretty comfortable despite the elitist crowd.   Out of our party of five, three of us were either CD or TS and quite tall, making pass-ability somewhat of a challenge.  The other transgender girls in my party seemed very uncomfortable with the attention, but I didn't care.  No one said anything out of the way but the group at the next table over ask to pose for photos with us at our table, which I found a bit insulting.  Though they were very polite and gracious about the whole thing it still left me feeling like a bit of a curiosity.

Afterward we went bar hopping.  Our options were limited because a few of us had come without IDs.  We ended up at some hole in the wall called the Monkeywrench.  They had a live reggae band, practically no one was on the first floor, and the first floor smelled like marijuana.  A blonde with dreadlocks trippin' on drugs opened a rather one sided conversation with us that mostly consisted of telling us to "Stay cool." and other such sage advice.  Tina would have loved her, as she was incredibly mellow.  LOL! After about 15 minutes in the bar we decided it wasn't really our scene and decided to move on.  She left us with the parting words "Hey ladies, be nice."  Next we were at the Back Door, which has a pool hall/road house kind of feel.  It was a rough looking crowd but we were treated well.

We all got home by 2 AM, but Debbie and I chatted until 4.  We were all supposed to be back up and ready for brunch by 11 AM, so I only slept until 9.  Sunday was hectic. My confidence from the previous night was gone with the black dress back in the closet and again wearing my jeans and top from  the day before.  I managed to have a good time at brunch anyway though.

We ended the day with shopping at Dillard's but I didn't buy anything.   I'm not really sure what I want to wear for work.  Usually I can shop for stuff that catches my eye and shop without over thinking it.  But in January I can't break this feeling that I have something to prove and I keep worrying and overcomplicating the decisions.  :P

I enjoyed my trip, but by the end I was so ready to be home.  Shorty after I hit the road though I realized I had left my phone in Mary's car.  Hmm, no phone.  I can't find any house in town except Debbie's without help, and ten minutes until Debbie was leaving for work.  I rushed back to her house and caught her just before she left and she called Mary who had already found my phone and voicemailed Debbie.  While she was waiting for me at Oxford mall I got lost, couldn't find her on the lot and I was stressed about wasting part of her weekend waiting around.

I hated getting a late start but it was nice getting to chat Mary for a bit.  I've only met her on two trips but she is one of the most encouraging people I've ever been around.  Debbie had asked me at brunch when I planned to do GRS and such and Mary seemed legitimately shocked that I wasn't finished.  She said she had just assumed.  At Jack Ruby's she said I was one of the prettiest girls there, and I think she actually meant it.  Her compliment came as pretty high praise in that haughty crowd and eased the sense of inferiority I was fighting at the time.  Just incredibly sweet.

It was a whirlwind weekend and I didn't feel at all rested Monday morning, and all the food and drinks were too costly, but it was definitely all worth it for time with my amazing friends.  :)

7 comments:

Amy K. said...

That sounded like a lot of fun. I guess it's a good thing to be spontaneous. :)

Leslie Ann said...

How dare you tease us with talk of Nutmeg hair, and then leave out the picture? I mean really!

Girl, you make me feel old. I would not have made it through a weekend like that. Luckily, I get to do it vicariously through you.

Tina said...

Sounds like some wild and wicked fun for sure. You girls pretty much covered the whole town...starting out in a five star restaurant and ending up in a pool hall road house?? Freak! I love it.

The Reggae band and the smell of ganja... the chick with dreads, trippin balls? Love it! Hope you can find your way back cause I wanna go. I go to this place in Newport that is kinda like that. Way kewl when this reggae band Duppy a Jamba is there. Really nice people too.

Honey, you don't have anything to prove. Chill out and just be yourself. Buy and wear what you like...be happy! Smile and flip the bird if you have to. Attitude is everything. :D

Glad you had a great time...even if you did miss out on sleep. Rock on!

Peace, Tina

Anonymous said...

Days like you described will stick with you forever...you made a good decision when you decided to go.

My word for "garnish" is lawn clippings...as in, "who put these lawn clippings on my steak?"

I have no doubt you really WERE the prettiest girl there. :)Suzi

Tina said...

Oh...I forget everyone reads this and doesn't really know me like Shan. Just to clarify...although I love the smokey scene; I don't do drugs...I am drugs.LOL And a cold Corona never hurt anyone. ;)

Leslie Ann said...

Tina, I'm not sure that clarity is your strong suit. Can you provide a decoder ring with your comments?

ms.shandy said...

@Tina Leslie right. Maybe you can work up something in platinum and high grade rubies, to match the color of my eyes on these sleepless weekends.

Your first comment gave me a smile, because in that light it seems even cooler than it did at the time. LOL! We did cover a wide range of territory. And it was so funny, walking into those last two places dressed so primly. We can make it back to the Monkeywrench sometime, but I think we will be on our own mostly. None of my crowd seemed that interested. LOL

@Leslie I've been regretting not having photos taken. There are some on other people's phones and cameras but still none showing the whole outfit.

@Amy Being spontaneous has its ups and downs by this weekend was worth the hectic page and lack of rest. :)

@Suzi I definitely wasn't the prettiest girl there. My waitress at Ruby's was too pretty for her own good and I really wanted to trip her up. It's not as malicious as it sounds though. She probably would have landed on her big fake boobs and bounced right back up anyway. Bitch.