Never Felt So Alive

Wednesday morning I was unpleasantly awoken by two phone calls in the middle of the night (one of many in the past week or so).  It was Randy.  I didn't answer, because, well ... I was asleep.  Then, he called again.  I was so annoyed, I hit "Reject" on my phone.  When I got up in the morning, I called him on my way into work.  I actually had a seminar that day (where I was hit on by a 40-year old married guy with kids--Yuck--but found out that I still pass for 19--Yes!) and could have used a good night's sleep.  I told him that I did not appreciate phone calls in the middle of the night since I had to get up at 5:30am. 

No apology.  Just: "Ok, now I know."

"Now you know??"  I said in disbelief.  I had told him about a thousand times that I got up at 5:30am ... every night when we were on the phone and I said I had to go, he would whine and complain, and I would say, "I have to go.  I have to get up at 5:30am."

He said, "Are you mad at me?"  I said yes, that I thought it was disrespectful of him to call me in the middle of the night when I had to get up for work.  He said, "Well, I was up and I wanted to talk to you."

I said, "Well, I wasn't.  I was sleeping because I have a job and responsibilities (which he has neither being that he got a large inheiritance upon his 18th birthday)."  I eventually hung up.

The day got better though since Val and I went out for Chinese that night and then to a Braves game where I saw Sean!  Didn't talk to him though and don't know if he saw me.  He was with a girl and I didn't want to interrupt.  We got on the big screen ... AGAIN.  Those cameramen somehow always seem to find us, lol.

Friday I left for Ohio.  On my way here, I called Jason, my 32-year old new "friend" who was SUPPOSED to keep me awake while I was driving but he must have been asleep. 

Coming to Ohio has become more and more difficult.  Just too many bad memories and bad experiences.  Eventually, I worry that it will get to the point where I won't be able to come back at all.  I got a little emotional on my way here, but then Dustin called (who seems to have a knack for calling when I'm emotional and cheering me up).  He asked if he could fly me up to Kansas City.  I said that was expensive and why would he want to do that, and he said, "So I can see my girl." lol

I have been having a great time with my mom.  We did some shopping yesterday.  When I got home, I had a voicemail from Randy saying, "Don't even bother stopping by my place (which I wasn't planning on it anyway).  If you get upset that I want to call you and tell you to have a nice day and that I'm thinking about you, then you're not as nice of a person as I think you are."  Mom and Dad were pretty upset about how he turned it around to make me look like a bitch. 

I also had a voicemail from Steven.  I was a little surprised by that.  The way he was talking the last time we spoke, it kinda sounded like the distance and our schedules were just going to make a relationship too hard.  But he said to call him and he would see about coming to Atlanta??

Right now, I am on my way out the door to the cemetary.  This weekend is the one-year anniversary of Nick Zimmer's death so I want to stop by his grave.  One year and I don't think there has been a day that has gone by without me thinking about him.  I just want him to know that he hasn't been forgotten. 

Steve and I spent a lovely night together Tuesday.  He was going to drive all the way to Atlanta to see me after his finals.  I said no way.  For him to drive to Atlanta in rush hour traffic would have taken about 3-4 hours ... just to spend about 10 hours together.  So instead, we met up in Anniston, AL which is about halfway for both of us. 

Wednesday, who calls me?  Not Steve ... but Randy.  Not Randy from Georgia, but Randy from Ohio, which was a surprise because I figured I probably wouldn't talk to him until August when I went home to visit.  Now because of him, I am planning a trip much sooner.  He went on about how he feels about me and how he wants me to come back home.  I told him that's pretty much impossible ... I finally have a life built in Atlanta ... I have family here, friends here, a job I can't imagine ever leaving.  He offered a lot to come back though ... he's building a house, he said it would be ours, he said he had to breakup with his girlfriend because he couldn't stop thinking about me ...

I do have feelings for Randy, and they're confusing ones.  I feel like I need to go home and figure out exactly how strong these feelings are, which we can both do now that there are no distractions (i.e. X).  Then, we can go from there ... but moving back to Ohio is not anywhere in the foreseeable future, that's for sure. 

So, I'm thinking a trip Memorial Day weekend sounds good.  That way, I get to watch Nascar with my dad, lol.  Yep, I was a redneck even before I moved to the South ...

Wow.  So much to write about with a five-day vacation so the best way to sum it all up is with the most memorable quotes from the trip ...

"What a great way to start a vacation ... drunk."
Val, referring to a couple of nights before we left when we popped open my champagne.  I had two glasses ... she had FIVE and promptly passed out.

"Let's see if these still work ..."
Steve, before holding my face in his hands and kissing my forehead, testing to make sure his lips got their feeling back.  He met me at the Birmingham airport before we took off for Florida AND about 5 minutes after he had a root canal! 

"I bet you get a lot of practice saying "Oh's" "
Steve again.  He said he liked how my accent made my O's sound when I said words like "know" and "Ohio".  Then, he said this and I looked at him absolutely shocked.  I thought he was being a huge perv but he actually meant that I get a lot of practice since I'm from "OhiO" ... not because of anything else ...

"I think his bathing suit bottom is smaller than mine."
Val on the numerous Speedos we saw on the gentlemen of Miami Beach.

"The sad part is, I actually thought about going in like that."
Aunt Eileen at the pool on pulling down her shorts and realizing that she wasn't wearing her bathing suit bottom ... just her underwear. 

"If you were a guy, would you be able to call another guy 'Johnson' with a straight face?" 
Mom to Uncle Tom on the name of Val's current boyfriend.  His response:  "Well, IF I was a guy ..."

"Oh, you'll just have to give us your phone number instead."
Mom's response to the waiter who apologized for the fact that they were out of tiramisu.  Mom and Aunt Eileen spent most of the vacation trying to pick guys up for us although we were uninterested!  Val's response to this most of the trip:  "If you think he is so cute, why don't you ask him out?"  The waiter actually agreed to leave his phone number and then my mom scolded him:  "At least play hard-to-get!"

"He snuck it in."
Aunt Eileen on two guys not so inconspicuously picking their noses at the table across from us.

"This Bud Light is fabulous."
Uncle Tom, surrounded by women all week, going on about the things girls go on about, especially food.

"You make me feel better even when I get stuff thrown at me."
Me to Val on our last night in Florida in Fort Lauderdale.  While we were walking back to our hotel room from the bar we couldn't get into, some guy pelted a fruit at me from a car window.  I was slimy and had a welt on my stomach but Val was still able to make me laugh.  We agreed to give Fort Lauderdale a big "F--- you" as we flew back home.

Wow.  Where to begin about last night?

And how much to tell??? LOL

Last night was Round 4 of birthday celebrations.  Kris, Hannah, and I went to Tongue & Groove, a dance club in Buckhead.  I picked the girls up at 12:15am and we got into the club at about 1am.  We saw Evander Holyfield and Charles Barkley there!

The club was very "ehhh ...".  Very small and a little smoky.  Too crowded but plenty of good-looking guys to knock your drink all over you, lol.

So, I met this guy Steve there.  Hannah and I had lost track of Kris at one point.  While I was looking for her, Steve came up to me and said, "Who are you waiting for?"  Then, I spotted Kris, getting hit on of course by this guy Eddie, and said, "Her." 

Kris walked up and Steve said, "Waiting for anyone else?  Any guys with you girls?"

We said no.  So, he introduced us to his friends, Chris and "Jeeves" and all of three were HOT!  Kristin told him we were celebrating my 21st birthday and he asked, "Does that mean I have to buy her a shot?"  We all nodded.  Steve then told Chris and Jeeves that it was Hannah's and Kristin's 21st birthday and that they had to buy them drinks, lol.  Then, Steve danced with me and Hannah while Kris danced with Eddie.  Eventually, Jeeves started dancing with Hannah. 

Steve said, "Now that I have your friends taken care of, I can focus on you which is what I've been waiting to do all night." 

When the club closed, Steve said that they weren't done partying yet and then invited us to their hotel room.  I thought for sure we wouldn't be able to go since Kris and Hannah had to get up early in the morning but surprisingly, they agreed! 

So Steve caught a ride with us and when we got to the hotel room, it was dark and the only other person there was Billy, who was in bed and asleep!  Steve called the other guys to find out where they were and Kristin jumped on the bed next to Billy and woke him up! LOL

While Kris, Billy and Hannah were talking, Steve was in the bathroom ending his call with the guys.  When he finished, he looked at me and whispered, "I want to kiss you!"  So, I walked into the bathroom, shut and locked the door and kissed him. 

When we came out of the bathroom, the rest of the guys had returned and everyone was in bed.  I don't even remember what we were talking about, but I don't think I have ever laughed so hard as I did last night. 

Now, the BEST PART:  This morning, Kris woke me up in a panic.  "It's 7:45am!!" she said (we probably should have left around 7am).  I got up out of bed quickly and started looking for my shoes when Kris started yelling, "Michelle! ... Michelle!" 

"What??!!"  I asked, and it was then that she pointed to my exposed left boob.  I looked down and screamed, "Oh my goodness!" and as I was pulling my shirt back up, "We have to leave RIGHT NOW!!" 

Kris and Hannah headed for the elevator while I still searched for my shoe.  Steve got my phone number and his friend, Sam, who had come back to the hotel around 6am, asked for a "birthday hug."  As I went over to him, he said, "Hey, you're kinda hot!"  lol 

They are headed back to Birmingham today but are planning on come back to Atlanta again since they had such an awesome time partying with us!

Tonight is Round 4 of my birthday celebration!

Previous rounds have been awesome so far!  Round 1 occurred Thursday night.  I spent the day counting down the hours until midnight and when midnight came, Val, Kris and I walked into Wild Bill's and straight to the bar, lol. 

Kris and I only had one drink though.  We had to get up early in the morning for work which normally doesn't stop us, but we were extra-busy at work this week.  We, of course, picked up guys ("Haven't had a bad night yet!") but for the first time, didn't do our usual tradition of Waffle House following the club with the guys :(

Friday morning, I got to work and my cublicle was decorated with streamers and confetti ... all done by Trent!  Earlier in the week, my dad also decorated my cubicle by sending 21 roses to my work.  As soon as I got them, I called my parents to thank them and of course, started crying which got most of the other women in the office crying too. 

Also when I got in, Becky handed me a large bottle of champagne.  It's called Domaine Ste. Michelle.  I have never heard of it but it's got my name on it so that must mean it's good, lol.  Then, the rest of my coworkers came over to give me my gift of wine coolers and martini glasses.  Exactly what I wanted!

Friday afternoon, 11 of us from work went to my birthday lunch (on the company, of course) at, where else ... Macaroni Grill.  Our waiter sang "Happy Birthday" in Italian which was so awesome I left him my phone number after much prodding from the rest of my coworkers, lol.  Trent said, "If he doesn't call , he must be gay" which I think is a compliment ...

Friday night, Val met me at work and we went to the Braves game.  I don't think there is anything in Atlanta better than a Braves game.  We had awesome seats, came close to a few foul balls, and ... GOT ON THE BIG SCREEN!  The Braves, of course, won 9-4! 

As I was driving home from the Braves game, Dustin called me (you didn't think I would write an entry without mentioning a boy, did you? lol)  He said he was so disappointed he missed my birthday and that he had wanted to take me out and buy me a few drinks.  He asked me to meet him at Cowboys but I was exhausted and wanted to go to bed.  I think we were both disappointed because he is going back to Kansas City for 3 weeks tomorrow :(

He asked, "Has anyone been backing into your car lately?"  I laughed and said no and he said, "Good. That's my job."  lol

He said he still felt really bad about it and that he wanted to pay to get it fixed.  I still don't know if it's really that big of a deal. 

Then he said, "Well, I want to take care of it because I treat girls right, especially a girl like you." 

Today, I'm getting my license renewed at the DMV.  I guess that can count as Round 3, even though it's not a fun round, lol.  Later tonight, Kris and I are hitting all the swanky Atlanta clubs I couldn't get into before for Round 4.  The birthday celebration concludes with Round 5 ... our trip to Florida!

This birthday already has been unforgettable!  It makes me realized how incredibly spoiled (blessed) I really am!