Didn't really do much today of any real interest. Yes, the drama slowed down a little for 24 hours.

I woke up bright and early after getting 4 hours of sleep to the phone ringing. It was the Agency telling me that I didn't need to come in to work at the Chemical company because they were conducting interviews for my position all day and they thought I would feel uncomfortable in that setting. Last week the staffing lady was out and the manager left in charge took me in without consulting her. And she had set up interviews already for the position. So they want me back tomorrow and I'm really confused. But it's money. Just call on Chrissy, the Mercenary. She'll do any sort of office work for a quick buck.

I went back to bed and woke up after 2 pm. Sad. Slept the entire day away. Not that there was anything going on anyways. Watched talk shows in the afternoon and did some dishes. Had housekeeping come in and give me fresh towels (one of the perks of this place). Took a nice afternoon shower. Caught up on a lot of email. Tried to get a hold of my sister but she wasn't in.

Amanda called tonight and we made plans to grab some coffee at Denny's. While she was on the way over, the phone rang. I answered and said hello and the voice on the other end said "Hello little Chrissy!"

RYAN!

So we talked for a while, he's quit his waiter stretch at El Chico and is looking for another job. His band, Altamont Speedway, is going well, they're playing tomorrow night in Norman and on Saturday in Tulsa. I'm invited to come up this weekend. I think I'm going to go up on Friday night and hang out all weekend. I told him we'd also be up there for the Buckcherry show on June 16th and he made some Yogi jokes. Conversation moved onto James Joyce and Nancy Drew and he called me Cupcake (jokingly). As lame as nicknames are, it's still cute. So when he said "Goodbye Cupcake. Call me." I said "Goodbye Bonghit." Feel like vomiting? I don't blame you. But it's so nice to have a guy as a friend who likes you and you like him and there's no stress or heartbreak or worrying or nagging or anything. It's just cool and easy and we can totally be ourselves around one another.

And what is even nicer is that the two of us were both raised very comparatively. His parents are conservative like mine. We both have siblings. We were raised less than 200 miles from each other and share a lot of the same common cultural references. It's just eery because he understands me when I make a comment and I don't have to explain the background of it - one of the perks of knowing someone nearby and not through email -- like most of my better friends are. Except if I mention Mr. Peppermint. You only know Mr. Peppermint if you live in Dallas and even then, not that many people understand. And God knows how much I love Mr. Peppermint.

So I'm driving up to Oklahoma City in Keef on Friday afternoon. Missing Duff McKagan's Loaded on Friday night, but I'm sure getting to hear such hits as "Opus 4" and "Kamikaze Teriyaki Banzai Baby" on Saturday will make up for it.

Oh, Mr. Peppermint is a local kid's show where Mr. Peppermint wears a red and whited striped jacket and straw hat, uses a cane to make rainbows, and hangs out with puppets. His best friend is a raccoon puppet named Muffin that says "Hey Mr. Peppermint" but sounds more like "Hey Midtuh Peppuhmidt". And Mr. Peppermint is Gibby Haynes' (from the Butthole Surfers) dad. I used to wake up at like 6 am on Saturdays so I wouldn't miss an episode. My grandpa met Mr. Peppermint once and he says that he's really just a dirty old pervert, but I refuse to think of him as anything other than the man with the cane and the hat.

Channel 5 used to also have a kid's show where they'd sit around reading for a half hour somewhere in Ft. Worth. The studio had balloons all over it. I don't remember the host's name, but I remember that theme song note for note.

Most of my childhood memories revolve around playing or watching tv. Today I watched Hollywood Squares and could only compare it to the old version. And although Danny Bonaduce was sitting next to Florence Henderson in today's episode, it just lacked much of what the old version used to have.

Don't get me wrong about my comment earlier with the better friends through email ... for the past couple of years it seems that most of my better relationships, friend and boyfriend-wise, I've developed with people I don't see everyday and most of the communication is through email. Not healthy. I love my friends and I think these relationships are REAL, but it's nicer to make a friend in person. Hell, Ryan doesn't even use the internet except to check out websites for The Fall (his favorite band). And I admire that. However, the internet is one of my favorite things on earth and I'm not about to give it up.

I'm just happy to meet a normal boy the old fashioned way. I know a lot of remarkable people and have friends that live very thrilling lifestyles touring and being on MTV and stuff. And yeah, cool. But it's really more impressive to me that this person I'm getting to know is doing very normal things and is just so well balanced, and for once, this is something in my life that doesn't seem to be so plastic-coated. This seems genuine. And I am totally loving it.

And we may turn out to totally not be compatible in dating. Or we might fall madly in love. Or we may date for a while and then go our separate ways. But that's inconsequential right now. I don't feel rushed or head over heels or any of that sweaty-palmed sort of stuff. <sigh of relief>

I'm now far into the post-late night tv show schedule. And I have work in the morning. More Geniuses of Crack before I turn the light out. So it's off to bed I go.

PS I am sorry if a lot of you are going to leave this page feeling like puking from the over-saturated sweet talk. But rather than being bitter or cynical, realize that it's good to hear from people you're interested in. And if you are interested in someone, just give them a call. It can totally make their day.