Rakes & Leaves:

Since my last post, I've turned 22. I awoke way too early for it being my birthday. The day was a gorgeous one; breezy atop warm autumn temperatures. I felt productive somehow and went outside and raked leaves for about ninety minutes. It got me contemplating a metaphor I started contorting in my mind for a while. If one were to attribute raking leaves to one's life it could fall too such symbolism where the fact that you can't get every leaf could represent the fact that you can't win them all. Then I started branching off to different types of rakes with varied effectiveness for different people and their attitudes and accomplishments. This in turn depressed me a bit because I watch others bring in piles and mounds of positive happenings and outlooks (their 'rakes' are full and strong, barely sparing a leaf) while I've not much to show for 22 years (as if I were using the wrong end of the rake in my attempts to bring my life together). I'm not through with the thought. It's still brewing.

My mother has left town to visit my brothers in California, along with her went my one half brother, his wife, and their two daughters. I have had the house to myself all week. I haven't done much to utilize the privacy for Todd and I have been kickin it a lot, and I had Andrew and Kevin over the night before last. It's a little sucky that my mom left me alone here for my birthday and Thanksgiving but I'm not one for making a big deal out of my birthday so I'm not expecting anyone else to do so.

Shan and I were planning to have dinner to celebrate. I showed up and there were a few other people there, which was fine but I wasn't expecting it. She made these stuffed tomatoes filled with baby shrimp and a light sauce. I had three total and followed them with four or five vodka in pomegranate 7ups.

I'm one hell of a wing man. Kevin and I went out and kicked it with his ex-girlfriend and some of her friends who were obsessed with karaoke. We went to one bar we'd never been to, one member of this party sang to some song I've never heard. And on to another bar immediately after that for him to sing "Cry Me a River" by JT. Me and Kevin had some beers and called it a night.

The weekend isn't over, and my mom won't be home until Friday. Looking forward to some spectre of a close-future good time. Hopefully.