The Day I Went Grocery Shopping For The First Time In Months Thanks To A Grocery Outlet Gift Card

(yesterday)

5:20 AM: Wake up.

5:25 AM: Really wake up.

5:30 AM: Get out of bed. 

5:42 AM: Leave for work.

5:44 AM: Clock in, start brewing coffee.

6:00 AM: First customer.

7:00 AM: Shaun arrives.

1:30 PM: Nick arrives.

1:45 PM: Clock out, gather computer, leave for home.

2:30 PM: Sean arrives. 

3:00 PM: Meredith arrives. Smoke joint. 

3:45 PM: Meredith leaves. Leave for ATM.

A travesty (see below)

4:00 PM: Buy beer from Grocery Outlet.

5:00 PM: Leave for Chipotle, dine in. 

 5:45 PM: Leave for home. 

6:30 PM: Kirsten arrives, stitches removed.

7:30 PM: Kirsten leaves. Kelly arrives. Smoke joint.

7:50 PM: Leave for movie theater. 

8:00 PM: Watch thirty minutes of previews, then Green Hornet.

10:00 PM: Leave theater, pleased by film. 

10:15 PM: Sean leaves. Kelly leaves. 

11:00 PM: Fall asleep. 

Can't say my evening with Kelly promoted anything further between us, romantically or otherwise, but it was still fun. The movie wasn't half bad--given credit, perhaps, simply because it was Gondry's work and I love anything that bastard makes. Kelly was a fun guest. Hard to consider it a date since Sean was there, so it never felt like one, but we had a good dialogue running throughout the night. Takes me a while to really shake the shy vibes when it comes to getting comfortable with people, but I think having Sean around made it smoother.

I have to admit, meeting a customer outside of work for the first time is a big deal for a barista. When you remove the register from the interaction, it's a whole different dynamic. It's what I imagine online dating would feel like in real life, if that makes any sense, these brief snippets of people I glimpse across the counter that may or may not be who they are in the real world. And for the most part, Kelly is who I think Kelly is, but of course this was just the first time we removed the register, so I don't really know.

That said, the evening ended on an awkward note with a sloppy hug, the only real miss I noticed but kind of a bad exclamation point to leave on. I know the only reason I'm dwelling on the whole experience is because I have a crush on her. I'm such a girl. 

Always good to get Sean out. Always good to share a joint with Meredith.

Health Inspector came to Old Soul. Made a few marks on her notepad and made us replace the milk refrigerator under the espresso machine. The new one opens in the opposite direction, making you bend over the door any time you want to reach inside. Busy day. Shaun was being dramatically overwhelmed. Found out Tessa doesn't have a boyfriend. She's moving downtown. Unlike Kelly, I've gotten more comfortable with Tessa, and a part of me thinks I might like her like her. 

It's possible. 

The thing about last night was how much I'd hyped it up for myself and then how quickly it was over, like Thanksgiving dinner. Maybe taking the whole thing a little less seriously would help. I'm all about being Mr. Nonchalant. Gets harder to do when there's a pretty girl around, but it doesn't have to. Because what does it all matter in the end, anyway? We're just people.

Oh, and my first ex-girlfriend, Amy, is four months pregnant. Thanks Facebook. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Just big news, kinda. We're not that close these days. I think she's a teacher. 

Dark Chocolate Reese's are the shit.

A motorcycle convention just roared past my window.

- Left to Fry