1:53 AM

Tonight, I blog for you under the influence.

I just returned home from a night of basketball followed by even more beer. The night began at Brother Jimmy's innocently watching North Carolina squeak by Georgia Tech, on the very same Atlanta court I saw my Quakers upset the Yellow Jackets in 2001 (first-hand). Tonight continued, upon my strong recommendation, at George Keeley's, my favorite local tavern. What transpired afterwards constituted a learning experience.

Recently, I broke up with a girl I had been seeing for a short, but meaningful, time. We both wished we could be people we were not. Alas, there was nothing we could do to change reality and we parted ways. So, I used tonight as a test run to possibly "get back in the game." Basically, if there was an opportunity to talk with a few girls, I was going to take it. I felt I owed it to myself. After my friends left/abandoned me, I saddled up to the bar and decided to finish my Delirium, next to a group of somewhat-rowdy females speaking to just a few gentlemen suitors. After a few minutes, I was able to (barely) engage two of said females into something resembling a conversation.

We chatted about what brought them to a relatively neighborhoody Upper West Side tavern. They explained that they went to school together in Minnesota and were here on a fashion tour of New York City. I correctly deciphered they were undergraduates but I was incorrect in believing they were less than drinking age. After a few minutes of false conversation with two drink-less girls, I felt obligated to offer them each a beer. Not surprisingly, they both agreed. So, I was buying drinks for the same girls I was attempting to impress by dropping the few designer names I knew. However, a few minutes later, I fully realized that I had absolutely no desire to converse with these girls. To engage these early 20's mid-westerners, I was going to have to pretend to be dumber than I was. This is something I am unable to do.

I do not have the ability to speak to a girl and give her lines that would invariably peak her interest. For example, these females were only in my local bar because a guy they met claimed to be purchasing the bar in the near future. When I asked him about his future purchase and told him I knew the current owner, he quickly retreated from me, wishing not to speak with me again. However, said females didn't seem to mind as he kept telling "funny" stories attempting to keep their interest. In essence, these girls were aware that this suitor was feeding them a false story about a bar he would never acquire, but this interested them. Why? I have no idea. I am only left with one answer - many, if not all, girls are stupid and/or do not care. Plain and simple, I did not have the patience and desire to keep these girls interested. Perhaps in my earlier days, I would have had the strength. But, today, I do not.

Does this rambling mean anything? I don't think so. But, I do know that today, at the ripe old age of 3-0, I do not feel the need to impress younger (or any) females with embellished tales. I will drink my beer and wait for the wise ones, some of whom I have already met.

A Triumphant Return?

More likely, just a return.

The last time I visited was 8 months ago. And, I am no longer in the "to 30" phase, but rather in the "from 30" period. But, I thought I'd stop by anyway and here's why: I'm currently attempting to write a book. Yup. A book. It's just something that I thought would be fun and I'm not hoping to publish this book. But, I thought it would be fun to search through my brain and compile the memories that shaped my life over the past 30.5 years. However, it is just as hard as I imagined it would be.

I find the task of putting my life on a laptop incredibly daunting. And, there is the reason why I have returned to this blog. I am hoping a few entries here will get the creative juices flowing. And, if there are any readers out there, I may just post a few passages on the blog for some feedback.

As for an update, well... My 31st year has been a good one. I am loving school (and hope it will never end). And, I have a great job to look forward to in the fall. I really can't complain. I just got back from a trip to Vail, which was pretty cool. But, unfortunately, I hurt my back (same injury I suffered a few years ago). So, I need to take it easy for a while. Nothing else really to report. I'm trying to figure out my plans for my Spring Break, which is in March. Any ideas?

To all of you out there, it's good to be back.