Today was defined by discovery... pleasant discovery at that, which of course is the best and recently (with the posting of grades and living with parents) rarest kind.
I went to sleep at an early one o'clock, after contemplating a henna tattoo... and plotting a way to escape the chocking vice of my parents incessant nagging. I woke a good eleven hours later. Being refreshed, but dirty, I showered... which led to more personal things, of course. I called Reb-ecca and set up a lunch date... which for which I was characteristically late. Shock there. We ate at Arby's. Afterwards we jumped into the car and ended up at Best Buy. I had so much energy! She was looking for a CD, and I... well I bought a belly dancing workout video. We went back to her living room in order to test it out. Rebecca stopped about halfway through in order to do something a little less ridiculous looking... and feeling. She was the one with all the sense, because shortly afterwards her father walks in to a "belly dancing" Deirdre who happened to have her shirt above her breasts.
At five I left that situation in order to drag my mother outside for a walk, in which we talked about my drug addicted cousin and her child, who is looked after by his grandparents and their other daughter. This led to my radical views on government funded health care and such. In any case, we returned home and I attempted to shower again. I say attempted because I fell asleep halfway through... ach! When I returned to the living world it was seven o'clock... time to be at Ruthie's for the first party for the fab fifteen. Oh well, I am always late to these things anyway. It takes a while to fix my hair and make up, but eventually I am out the door. And by eventually I mean an hour later.
I was so nervous... seeing everyone again. The typical barrage of stupid questions assaulted me... Will they still like me? Will I still like them? Will we be able to laugh together again? Lord, I am filled with nothing but insecurity and doubt these days, blah! But as usual, I was being ridiculously silly. These are people that I spent some of my fondest memories to date with and though we are all different... well, for better or for worst they are still the people I love. Swimming with them, talking with them, giggling with them... all I can feel is love--> unquestionable, undeniable, all encompassing acceptance and love. I will love these people for all eternity. No matter how we grow... I will be forever tied with these wonderful people. How did I get so lucky? I must have been very good in a past life...
Just for the inquiring... I think everyone was pretty much shocked when I came through the door. My hair blown dry, curled under. My make-up done... and in a skirt no less. Liz didn't even recognize me. She told me later that I looked like a college student, which was a huge compliment.

*Highlights*
~ trying to teach Rebecca to syncro swim
~ cooter attacking everyone in sight
~ playing in the pool with Jessica
~ licking frosting off of Laura's finger
~ licking frosting off of Rebecca's finger
~ licking frosting off of Ryan's tongue
~ getting naked in the pool
~ having Ruth tell me she missed me
~ singing Happy Birthday to Laura at the top of my lungs... and trying to out-do Ryan (who is my partner in crime)