Not my people

I'll never forget the moment I really started to understand what the phrase "these are not my people" means. I was standing around with 3 coworkers and two were talking about going to Mammoth, as in Mammoth Mountain, as in snow and exercising outdoors. They paused at one point in the middle of their gushing about Mammoth to ask "What is the highway you take into Mammoth again? It's been so long..." and I looked at the other coworker who hadn't said a word since the beginning of the conversation and we both shrugged: Our people do not vacation in Mammoth. We take road trips and make things. While you are discovering the freshest snow, we are discovering the freshest pies. No judgement, it's just not our thing.

Lately I feel like I've been joining a lot of organizations that are filled with people who are not mine. Loud and lazy volunteer club, sorority-infused women's networking group etc. When we meet I want to be focused on what you're saying and the work we're doing and not on how meticulous your eye makeup is and how many times you've pretended not to hear someone calling your name for help with something heavy.

Maybe I've just become more of a hermit or maybe I'm displeased with the fact that these people, the ones I have a hard time getting motivated to being around, are the ones who will get me my next job. I feel like I'm not listening to my heart when I agree to spend more time with them but I also feel like I need to commit to these programs so I can truly decide if it's for me or not. I usually approach these situations like I did dating: we meet, I don't care for you, I don't try to force it, a second date is never set. But now I feel like I'm an adult and I will always have to work with people I don't care for so, might as well give it a try.

I met with someone from the sorority-infused women's networking group this morning who let me know our next conference call would be during my vacation - the only vacation I will likely take this year. I said "oh darn, I'll be out..." and she replied "CALL IN! Lots of people call in during vacation and travel because it's not really work!"

REALLY? The only time I've had off of work AND school since August of 2010 you're going to tell me that I should totally spend an hour plus talking about hot topics affecting women in the public sector? No offense...but I plan to be at Disneyland.

Little does she know how hard it was to even get excited about meeting and that I purposely dressed a little weird (business casual weird?) so she'd get the hint that I'm not her people. But maybe I sort of am?

Released into the wild

Upon commenting to my BFF that finals are over and that I now feel like a caged tiger released into the wild, I was sent an email with the subject: "Is this you?" and the following photo:
 

It's good to have friends.

Medjool Dates are the new Sno-Cones

I like writing about my embarrassing moments. Not because I like reliving them but because I feel like a lot of the time we're all working to look like we've never peed or pants or made mistakes or done something weird and that maybe my sharing will make everyone want to share too. Because let's face it, f-ups are funny.

My story begins in the summer of 2004 when I was a junior at UCI. I moved directly from the equivalent of a sorority house (mine was co-ed for those in my major) to an apartment on-campus. Filled with social awkwardness and the anxiety that my previous living situation was less than zesty, my mom took me to sign in and set up my room.

As we checked in the girl behind the table exclaimed "HEY! We're in the same building!!!" To which I replied:
"I have a sno-cone machine; you should come over and we can have sno-cones."
I forget her reply but I'm sure she was confused and likely had a moment of reflection wherein she reminded herself to stay FAR away from me and avoid me when she saw me approach the building we unfortunately shared.

I have never lived this moment down and my mom and Todd still remind me of it now and again. To me, friendship is about sharing. I like being able to help someone find a new dentist or to feed people or to bring someone a little token I know they'll appreciate.

I've tried to forget it but a couple nights ago I was on the other end of the awkwardness. I went to a mixer after turning in my term paper and met some very nice women in a sister program. We chatted, I think there were 6 of us. At the end of the mixer this girl points at me and a professor and exclaims "HEY! You two should come get dates! I'll bring them in at 4 tomorrow!"

It was....adorable. Totally socially awkward but filled with the love of wanting to share and make new friendships. Her parents own a date farm and she often is sent back to school with lots of organic, fresh, amazing medjool dates. I have a feeling we'll be fast friends.