My night out

The trip to Skiatook took a little bit longer than expected, thanks to Mapquest. I've been betrayed by them in the past. Directions to a friend's wedding reception led me to the middle of an open field twenty miles away from the actual event. This time, I led me directly to the bar, but took 45 minutes longer than it should. One of these days, I hope Mapquest will get it right.

The band, Three Penny Upright, was great. It was a blast to see a fresh crowd hear their songs for the first time, listening to the lyrics and genuinely being taken back by them. Of course, the beer probably speeded the process along a bit.

They only played for a couple hours, but our party continued over at our friend Pat's house a few miles away. Good conversation with good conversationalists, along with a few bottles of, aptly named, Miller High Life. I was so glad I didn't wimp out and go home early.

It makes me feel really good to have friends like these. I love them all dearly. It's nights like this that make me think really deep thoughts when I drive home; to take stock in what I have and what I've accomplished in my life. Tonight, I got to thinking about what I truly feel everyone must experience in their lives at one point or another...those life lessons that make us more well-rounded and wiser with age, and the sooner you learn these things the better. Once learned, most anything that happens to you afterwards is applied knowledge.

LIFE LESSONS EVERYONE MUST LEARN AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE (partial list):

1. Have a bad habit and quit it - I'm still struggling with the whole smoking thing, so...check, sorta.
2. Lose someone important in your life and not have the opportunity to say goodbye - I only say that because September 17th is the anniversary of my dad's death. Seventeen years ago today, and I still miss him terribly.
3. Lose someone important and get to tell them goodbye - Because thoughts of my father naturally leads me to thoughts of my grandfather. I miss you Papaw.
4. Get dumped - Happened quite a bit, actually.
5. Have to make the decision to dump someone - It's hard to admit when things just don't work.
6. Have a relationship fail where no one is to blame - Because it's so much better when you meet up with them years later and decide that you both did all that you could, then have a nice long talk over a few beers.
7. Have a strictly physical relationship - It gives you something to fondly remember when you're worried that you've never had any passion in your life.
8. Make a total stranger laugh so hard you thought they were gonna pass out - Like the time in line at Carl's Jr. when the fryer timer started beeping and I went "DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!"...oh, well, you had to be there.
9. Get drunk and make a fool out of yourself in public - St. Patrick's Day, 1999. Beers and margaritas on an empty stomach, then having a female friend pretend to be my girlfriend, just so I wasn't thought of as "that single drunk guy puking all over the place".
10. Have friends that, though you may not remember the exact moment you them, you can't imagine your life without them - latest example: tonight.

No pic this time...too tired to pick one out.