This is Halloween

Jack Skellington is in town. The king of Halloween has come to visit for his holiday. Today he went for a ride on Miracle. I guess Zero wasn't available. I enjoy Halloween, not for the spooky stuff, Jack would be disappointed, but just for the dressing up. I always go for something cute rather than scary. Although me dressed as Ugly Betty last year was probably scary for some people. But I went to vote in early voting that day and no one seemed to notice. I usually end up picking things that are too subtle. I also visited Ralph at his store, and he had no clue either.

I have no dress up plans this year. Things are too hectic with work and my upcoming trip for the reunion. So I'll be handing out candy at the house. Jack will join me, so that will help.

Also I'm carrying my most appropriate bag this weekend, my Treesje Mortale Tote with the skulls all over it. But in my characteristic cheery halloween fashion, they are happy skulls. And why wouldn't they be, they are embossed on a very awesome gunmetal coloured b.a.t.? That stands for big ass tote, not the flying nocturnal mammals.

So tomorrow my day will consist of getting the treat bags ready, and watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas." A great holiday tradition. :)

Connection

Today I learned that there is a chat application on MySpace! Perhaps I never noticed it because I don't visit MySpace that often anymore. But today I logged on to leave a birthday message to Skip and lo and behold there he was! And Jazzie was online too! It was the first time in ages we'd all three been online together. A lovely surprise. And being able to re-connect with them made my whole day. It would've been nicer if MySpace had the capability to let us all connect in a single chat window. It doesn't seem like that's an option right now, so it was back and forth to Jazzie's and then Skip's window.

Yesterday, I went to the wedding of my friends Jeff and Annette. I know them from the MINI club, but what I didn't know is that they actually met through the MINI club. They had each recently divorced and they met at a party at the Moss' house. And the rest is history. It's nice to know that connections like that can still form. Unexpectedly, and yet perfectly.

All the MINI club people sat together at tables and it was natural that we gravitated towards people we knew. It was only when the crowd had thinned somewhat that I felt a tad more comfortable allowing myself to be pulled onto the dance floor by Annette. Still, Chris, who was dancing next to me said, "You look really uncomfortable." And I said, "Yeah, so uncomfortable." I'm not a dancer. But even if I was, it'd be a bit difficult for me to loosen up. I tend to be pretty stiff in public, specifically in large crowds. Like with Keir's friends. Sometimes though it's enough just to be around everybody and watch them having a good time. I'm always with them in spirit at least. And that's a connection I can be comfortable with any time.

Now I'm thinking again about the reunion. Should I go? It's less than two weeks away now and I have to decide pretty quickly here. There are arrangements that need to be made, for travel, and for my finances. But that isn't the biggest obstacle. I had such a great time when I went to visit Hina last month, but I'm not sure I'm ready to re-connect with all those other friends and classmates I once knew. I still hesitate to let them see me. I anticipate some awkwardness. At the wedding, as I hung out in the back of the hall, I could imagine how it would be. People dancing, paryting, re-connecting. And I'd just be there. With Hin, sure. I wouldn't be alone. I'd see Michelle and Melissa and a few others. But I can't say that I will be able to loosen up any more than I did yesterday at the wedding. But then maybe it's not supposed to be all about letting loose and having fun. Maybe partially it's a chance to revisit some of those old connections we made, and to see if there is much left of them. Or just to see how your old self connects to the current one. This is where I've been and these are those who I've known and it's all led up to who I am now. Times have seemed so disparate and unnconnected. But maybe completing a cirlce like this will bring it all together. And in the end, the person I most need to connect with is myself.

Hold On to Your Friends

My friend Jasmine was in town visiting last weekend. I hadn't seen her in two years since we met in London. Of course we go back much further than that. About 8 years via online chats and emails. I've known her longer than anyone here in Vegas, or in Utah where I was before this. Or even in California before that. But I've spent less than 24 hours physically in her company. This time was the longest. A whole day zipping around Vegas in MINIfir with her and her mum. It was a good time, but I was exhausted afterwards. I think it was because it's been a long time since I'd done so much talking! And we did take a very long walk in search of some frozen custard. Totally worth it by the way.

And she is just adorable and so sweet. And to think she's stuck with me all these years instead of slinking away when she got bored like so many others. It's pretty easy to disappear. Especially when you have a head start of about 5000 miles.

We talked about Skip of course. The third member of our little club. The one who never wants to see us at all. A fact Jazzie and I have learned to accept. Sort of.

Still I hold dear our times together. The three of us. And just Jazz and I. Skip made his comment about our visit on my MySpace. He said: Jen and Jazz out on the razz in Vegaz... clever Skip.

Sometimes I forget it was music that brought us all together. Semisonic to be specific. Now we all swoon over Muse. I guess similar taste in music can mean similar sensibilities in other areas. Sort of like the MINI club folks. How can having the same kind of car be enough to bond people together? I fail to understand. I just have to be glad.

A few weeks ago I wrote about visiting Hina, and some of the same mysteries that revealed themselves then. It's not something I envision solving any time soon. But I continue to ponder.