Slow down...you'll get there quicker, or at least you'll get there

Yesterday we did the double birthday bash for friends. The first was a trip to the Sounds game, Nashville's own minor league team, for a neighborhood friend's big 3-0. We got minorly trounced at 4-1, the 1 coming at the end, when we sort of rolled our eyes at how the bases could have been loaded and caught us up! Sheesh. It was over the fence! The geek and I consumed green hamburgers, jumbo dogs and nachos so salty they made my mouth dry up! It was very fun. The camaraderie was the best part of all!

Then it was on the the next party, which was a bash for our pastor at the Rutledge. Live music, hot wings, cheese, fruit and two giant cakes with golf balls (made of icing) on them. We enjoyed music by Trigger Code and more - MC'd by Mojo, formerly of the O.C. Supertones.

While we had a great time and got to wish fabulous people a happy birthday, I found that in the second party, a rock show and outrageous birthday blowout by all accounts, I missed the intimacy and connection that I have so come to crave. I notice that craving is stretching to other parts of my life. It's easy to post here and know that you all will read it, and I don't have to make phone calls to tell you news or cool story to make you laugh, but while it's a great method of getting the news out, it's a sterile method of friendship. I haven't gone over my minutes in months! That never used to happen. We used to have to put a ban on talking or only talk at night in order to keep our phone bill out of the crazy range!

The geek and I, in passing, talked about maybe turning off the internet for awhile and getting still. It might not happen, but still, it's a reminder to me of what I value. And this blog, emails, Reuter's news, and silly cat captions don't come anywhere near the top of that list. You might hear more from me in the weeks to come as I practice being intentional with people. It's a skill I don't always come easily by. It's much more efficient to post, have a laugh, make a run by appearance at parties and then save my energy for writing or working, but it doesn't make a very good life. I am so grateful for all of you.