I'm getting good at drumming. I'm learning "My Doorbell" by the White Stripes. It's pretty easy but for me it's a huge deal. I'm so happy with these lessons.

After the lessons, I met with JC at a mall to buy two gifts: one for my friend Mo's baby, Val, and one for the guy who invited us to his graduation party. For the graduate guy, we bought a Spiderman action figure. We decided to give it as a present from the both of us. Well, JC suggested that and I tagged along, of course. We went to the supermarket to buy the present and snacks for baby Val's party. It's really fun shopping with JC because he's always joking and stuff.

I took the opportunity to buy gerber for him because he was never fed that. It was really cute seeing him choose. And then he got distracted by Nintendo magazine, and I saw in his face that he was debating whether keeping up with me or picking the magazine up. I told him he could read it while I looked for a present bag. When I came back to where he was, he said, "hey, look there's an article explaining the FX sign on the Starfox SNES game!". What a nerd.

Saturday morning

I invited my uncle and parents to have breakfast. This uncle, who is also my godfather, always invites us and I wanted to give back a little. Then I had to go see my patient, but he cancelled. As you can see, this paragraph is slightly irrelevant. But hey, it's part of my life.

Saturday afternoon

I attended baby Val's birthday lunch. I went for her and for my friend Mo, her mom; otherwise, I didn't know anybody. I mean, I went to school with some of the guests but we weren't friends. JC was going to come with me but he had a meeting with his youth group...which was cancelled in the end, but still he couldn't make it on time. Whatever. It was nice.

Saturday evening (alternatively: "the main course")

JC called me at 7:10, Hey! Listen, my car broke down.... Ah, fuck, I said. ...in front of your house. Sucker. He came in and he walked among my parents, sister and Nephew #3, to go into my bedroom so I could comb his hair. I just used some hairspray, though. I got really, really dolled up for the occassion, with a short dress (now I know what semi-formal means) and high heels with matching purse.

In the car he put on the music we'd danced to last wednesday, we talked about whatever and he told me I looked gorgeous. You know what I especially loved? That our friend Henry asked him for a ride, and it would have made much more sense if JC had picked him up first because they live closer. But he picked me up first and dropped me off last. I really appreciated that. It was obvious that he wanted some alone time with me, as much as I wanted it with him. So thanks to his efforts, I experienced a real date. The awesome guy, the ride, the dancing. It was all good.

The guy throwing the party was from the first group of students I was an instructor for, years and years ago. So at the party I knew a lot of people and so did JC. We sat next to each other and we talked to friends and ate chocolate. We danced but not a lot, because the music was weird (i.e. not what we practiced). I knew I wasn't the best dancer in the world, but JC seemed pleased with my progress and it was just about having fun with friends. I wasn't the only one who sucked at dancing, so whatever. I had a lot of fun. The party was great, the people was great, and I have the pictures to prove it.

He drove me home and gave me my sweater. He took it by accident the day before, and mentioned something about it smelling nicely (aaaww). I hugged him after a brief conversation. It was perhaps the longest hug in history (not really, but you catch my drift). I was sliding my thumb up and down his neck, and he was caressing my back and shoulder. I knew a kiss wasn't coming, though. I just knew. I felt I'd earned it but I knew. We talked while we hugged and I could feel his heavy breathing and his heart racing, like mine. He only kissed my bare shoulder, and I kissed his cheek. I had to pull away after a few minutes. My neck was hurting because hugging in the car is a little uncomfortable. But he's worth every muscle spasm.

Sunday afternoon

I met with Lighthouse and CR. I'd missed them so much, I hadn't seen them in months. We went to this Chuck-E-Cheese's type of place, and they even picked me up at my house. Lighthouse's hair is longer, I'd never seen him in person with a ponytail. I saw him and I remembered my crush on him, but as the afternoon progressed, I was aware this crush was more based on his looks. He's a great guy, nonetheless, as CR is. And after playing for a while, we went for ice cream.

We were going to my friend Monica's cafe but it was closed. The ice cream parlor was next to it. When I was there, JC texted me saying he was on his way back from his work at shelters. I told Lighthouse and CR that I'd stay there and it just so happened that my friend Monica was arriving to the cafe to work on some papers. I stayed there talking to her. She's incredible. We talked about gender inequity, how she fought hard to fit in and discovered she doesn't want to, how she's having trouble in her relationship with her boyfriend because of this, and about the times she did drugs. I hope we can talk more often in the future. She's just great.

JC arrived, we talked some more with her while we were both sitting on a couch) and then he and I went for dinner to Burger King, the one with the Elvis statue, the one right next to my university. We sat next to each other and I heard his stories about being pulled off by cops when he had no license. He ate his gerber, and that was just so cute. Then he took me home but this time I didn't hug him for long, to avoid the agony.

***

I think this entry does not do any justice to how awesome and fun this weekend was, but it's here for memory's sake. I have to admit I felt a litte dissapointed over JC not kissing me, but...it's just not time. I respect that he's taking his time to let things cool down with his ex, and not wanting to jump into another relationship right away. He likes me, that's a fact. I like him a lot. I have a connection that I have never felt with anybody else. Not like that.

Oh, hey, there goes November. A year ago, I was torn to pieces, devastated. Now, things are different. For the better.

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