How Much Ado Is Too Much Ado?

So how have YOU been, internet?

I know, I know. I got you all riled up about photos and adventures and a night out and blah, blah, blahgety-blah-blah, and then I leave you hanging.

Sorry about that.  What can I say? It's been a rough week.

Meeting up with bloggers is not something I expect to every thoroughly get used to.  I'm not good at cracking the code of social interaction when I'm "The New Kid".  When I was growing up, every two years (or less) brought a new move, and it usually took me a good year or two to find my groove and feel at home.  You know, just in time for another move.

When I was 14 we moved to California and finally stayed put for the next several years.  I even got to attend a single high school for all 4 years (something few of my siblings were able to do).  The only problem? Being a mormon in California was probably the worse possible place to be for a kid like me.  I was gangly, just coming into my height, totally unaware of my body or my appearance.  I had been told I was chubby my entire life, and I simply accepted it.  

When we arrived in California, I was actually a trim 135 pounds on a 5' 6" frame.  I felt fat.  I had a weird accent from living all over the place, my clothes were hopelessly out of style, and I hadn't the first clue how to put myself together or fit in with the kids around me who seemed just effortlessly cool.

By my junior year of high school I was 220 pounds on a 5' 8" frame.  I had given up on clothes, and my bleach-blonde hair had gone through various stages of being dyed brown by my sister (I spent half my sophomore year being questioned about the odd green shade, what with brown dye over bleached hair turning a lovely shade of puce-brown), and finally dyed a little-mermaid red to cover it.  I ate lunch at my locker, hunched over my dog-eared copy of Nicholas and Alexandra, rather than put myself through the cringe-inducing spectacle of trying to make conversation with the kids from my church group at "their spot" on the back lawn.  

By my senior year I had tried every possible way to lose the extra weight, and finally settled on running and walking as much as my body would tolerate.  I slimmed down to a healthy 140 and let my natural hair color grow in.  I still hadn't the foggiest idea about clothes or makeup or hair products, but I had found a group of friends who seemed to "get" me.... or at least to accept me as I was.  It took 4 years, but I finally felt at home.

Then I graduated and headed for Provo, Utah and BYU.  It was the final straw, and the beginning of everything else.  After 18 months, I moved to the East Coast and started again for what felt like the last time.  Maybe because it was the last time I would have to "reinvent" myself; or maybe because it was the first time I didn't have to, and could just discover who I was.

All of that backstory (this new honesty, it stings a little sometimes) is to say that so much of that feeling of "other-ness" rears up again when I put myself somewhere new.  I struggle to read the social cues, to pick up on the dynamic of the group.  The major thing that has changed is that I no longer base my sense of self-worth on whether or not I fit in.  But I still try to connect, and I hope that never changes.  Maybe I'll get better at this with practice.

So I made the 90-minute drive to Baltimore, stopping along the way to meet up with the lovely Miss Laurie, who was kind enough to take me under her wing to get me into the city.  

Once we arrived, I met (or re-met, as the case may be) some of the wry babes from MamaPop and a few of their friends.  What follows is the abridged story, in photos.  

What you won't see is how I giggled awkwardly at regular intervals, tried to make a point to talk with each person there one-on-one and, failing that, retreated to "Hey! I make cakes! My weird hobby, let me show it to you!" and basically, yeah, I'm pretty certain by the end of the night everyone there was wondering who had invited the crazy redhead, anyways, and should they start talking restraining order?  But, at least outwardly, everyone was lovely and funny and kdiddy is wicked hawt. (Sorry. I'm partial to redheads. What can I say?)  Although I don't think I'll ever get used to watching 6 people sitting in a row in a club and all twittering on their phones.  (in best old lady voice "you kids today!" etc, etc.)

And so, without further ado (because, good gravy, that was a lot of ado!) I present:

Babes In Baltimore:

Going out on the town. This is my game face.

Laurie and Sarah rocking the black. Aren't they lov-er-ly?
Wherein I learn it is not wise to attempt to startle the sweetney in its natural habitat. She sees ALL, y'all.

See, now I had always heard you could tell you'd had too much to drink if the tip of your nose was numb, Mizz Tracey.  But I suppose this would work, too... (now please don't kick my arse..)

Baltimore Gal and kDiddy have a heart-to-heart.

(Love, love, LOVE the green dress. LOVE!)
Disnazzio allowing me to make her totally uncomfortable.  And why, yes, she IS just as charming and delightful as that adorable smile would suggest! 

Um. The end?