THE DAILY DIVERSION

THE GREATEST DAY EVER KNOWN TO MAN! WELL, THIS MAN ANYWAY!

Not a whole lot happening this morning. I can't remember my dream from last night again, so I'm little disappointed about that. I did wake up with a different song in my head though. That's one positive. I'll start with that and maybe I'll hit up some other subjects.

Song of the day: Cold (But I'm Still Here) by Evans Blue from "The Melody and the Energetic Nature of Volume"

I've only heard this song probably 4 times total. The first couple times were when I was in Houston back in September. The album just came out last month, and since I don't listen to the radio, I hadn't heard it in a while. So, I downloaded the album, and had yet to listen to it. The only part of the song that I know is the chorus:
Man, I really like this song, and now that I've listened to the entire album, I like it even more. It's pretty good. It's more along the likes of Trapt and TRUSTCompany, than anything else. It's nothing close to the stuff I've been listening to lately. The lead singer's voice reminds me of Our Lady Peace (from their first album). There's nothing super special about the album, just well written lyrics and well played instruments. Sometimes it's the subtle things that are more impressive than the crazy and outlandish things that some bands put on their albums.

Since I can't remember my dream today, I thought I'd discuss a little bit about FATE, and how/why I fell in love with my fiancee. I like to start the story with "Yeah, I picked her up at a bar". This is partially true, but not exactly "like that".

She worked, for a very, very short time, at a bar that a friend and I frequented consistently. We knew several of the bar-wenches (yes, we used that term, but in a funny sense, some of them we called bar-skanks), but I'd never seen her there before this one night.

I know it was during the summer, and I think it was a weekend. We were sitting inside, even though the bar had a nice patio outside, and it was a beautiful night out there. I think a crappy band was playing outside and were really, really loud. My buddy and I have a tendency to like to talk about things, and that's none to easy when you have to scream at the top of your lungs to get your point across. Anyway, we're sitting back in the corner, closest to "Big Buck Hunter" as we could get. She was taking care of us for the evening, and we were just drinking beer, so her job wasn't all that hard. She could've just dropped our stuff off and jetted, but she usually lingered and talked with us, which is always nice. When two ugly dudes like us can have something as pretty as she is talking to us, it just makes your day.

When she'd leave our company to help someone else, I'd say to my buddy "Man, I need to ask her out". Well, I'm a big ol' puss, because I didn't do it, and left the place kicking myself (yes, I have long legs). I was just never one of those guys that tried to pick up some scattered ass at the bar. I know, I just had my "man" pass revoked!

Anyway, I just kept talking about her and we kept going back to the bar, but she was never there. I even found out what her name was and everytime we went back I asked if she was working. No luck! I became discouraged, thinking I'd missed my golden opportunity.

It had been at least 2 weeks and no sightings of her. I had pretty much given up all hope when we walked in the joint on a random Saturday night, and guess who was running around taking orders? YES!!! Tonight I'm going to talk to her and ask her out!

FATE has worked in my favor again. We intentionally sit where she's working, just so we can talk to her. We come to find out that she hadn't worked since that one night, and was only working tonight because one of the other girls called and begged her to. And, all this time I thought I was unlucky?

The night goes on, as well as some partaking of alcoholic beverages (I believe I was drinking Crown and Coke), and I finally start up a real conversation with her. I ask her "How would you like to go to a toga party with me? It's going to be crazy and August Christopher is going to be playing!" She looked pretty excited about me asking and said (to the best of my recollection, remember I was slightly intoxicated) "Sounds great!"

We exchanged phone numbers (actually I gave her my business card) and my buddy and I left shortly thereafter. I know the rule is your not supposed to call until the third day, but I could barely contain my excitement. I called her the Monday evening after I got off of work.

Voicemail! Damn! Umm... Don't sound like an idiot! Okay, thoughts are together...

"Hey, this is John, we talked the other night at the Boiler Room... about going to Dr. Jack's toga party. Anyway, I was wondering if you wanted to get together and get some dinner and maybe go try to find some material for our togas? Okay, my number is ... Give me a call if you get a chance! Bye!"

Crap! Did I sound like a complete douche or was that okay? Man I hope she calls me back!

Well, around 9:30 she does. Come to find out, she was taking some classes over in Evansville and was there when I called. She was on her way back while we were talking.

I can't remember if this was the exact night or not, but I think Dave and I were back at the Boiler Room, hanging out on the patio. I think it was Tara's birthday, so I asked her if she wanted to swing by and hang out for a few. Lucky for me, she did. We talked quite a bit that night, and I lost the moniker of "that" guy trying to pick her up at a bar. We set up our first "real" date that night.

Now, onto our first date (it was the next day)... I went and picked her up at her place. She was living with her brother's girlfriend at the time, and they were all there hanging out. I think they were just there to check me out though and see if I was "alright". I guess I was. The first thing we did was go to a fabric store and find some cool looking stuff for our togas. I had printed out what we needed off the internet, but it looked like way too much, so we got half of what it said. Ohh, bad idea!! At least for me anyway. I'm relatively tall, at 6'2, and could've used a little more fabric, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, we leave the fabric store and head down to my favorite Mexican restaurant on the riverfront in Owensboro. It's a beautiful evening, so we sit on the patio. We chat about this, that, and everything. She orders what becomes the "usual" for her at any Mexican restaurant. One chicken enchilada. That's it. I just thought she was being polite and didn't want to eat a lot in front of me?

Here's where the date goes absolutely right... for once... (how many times can anyone actually say that, and not get some booty that night? No, I didn't get some booty that night!)

Some college buddies of mine are there with their wives and kids. I chat with them a little as they're leaving. They stroll over to the boat ramp (across the street) and decide to shoot off the rest of the fireworks they had left over from July 4th. Now, I know this is really, really cheesy, but it was the first time either one of us had seen fireworks on our first date. What a perfect setting! A beautiful sunset, fireworks, and a beautiful lady with me! If I had died that exact second, I know I would've died happy!

I still think about that day, and it holds a very special place in my heart. At the time, little did I know that one day could mean so much. See, I'm really just a big sissy inside!