28 June 2009

I Won the Lottery!

First of all, it's 4am & I'm WIDE AWAKE. I started off thinking I had some weird post-party energy. Then I realized that I've been guzzling Diet Mountain Dew. Dude, did you know Mountain Dew has CAFFEINE in it? Really? Okay, so did I. For some reason, that just didn't compute in my brain. I was all, ohhhh we NEVER have Mountain Dew! I love Mountain Dew! I will drink lots of Mountain Dew!

Not a good idea.

So then I was all, ohhhh I can write a blog post!

Fabulous idea.

So here we are. *waves* Hi. I'll try not to speak tons of LOLcatz, because I think we all know that happens when I'm overtired & over-caffeinated. This is called restraint. I haz skills. (Damn, that was LOLcat speak. I haz downfalls.)

Today (... yesterday) was my graduation/birthday party. Lots of family & friends came over, there was way too much food & somehow even more dessert -- we're Italian, it happens -- & an infinite amount of fun. Everyone was very generous & it was only slightly awkward when I had to open cards & presents in front of people. At least we had moved inside due to the crazy ass thunderstorm, so most people were in other rooms.

Someone got me 10 BINGO lottery tickets. FYI, BINGO lottery tickets? They take FOR-EV-ER to do! You have to scratch 27 call numbers, then go through the 4 BINGO cards on the ticket & see if you get BINGO -- a line, four corners, or an X. A line is worth so much, 4-corners is worth more, & an X is worth the most. Each card down those amounts increase. Have I mentioned that they take FOR-EV-ER to do?! I think it took an hour & a half to go through all 10 cards, & that was with my brother's help! So we're scratching cards & double checking to make sure we didn't miss anything. No BINGOs in sight. My brother decides to go to bed because now it's 2am -- how the hell did he stay up so late? I swear he's turning into me!

Suddenly I only have one ticket left. I feel bad because I'm thinking about how $20 was spent on these tickets & I'd much rather have the $20 + the hour & a half I've dedicated to scratching these damn cards. Then BAM, I have a four corners! BAM, I have another four corners! BAM, I have a line! All on the same ticket! Hey, it's only $25 ... but that's $5 more than they spent on the tickets.

But this entry isn't really about winning $25 on one lottery ticket. No, this is about the day I spent in wonderful company. I know it's cheesy, but I really did win the lottery when it comes to my family & friends.

Today there were people from my mom's side of the family, people from my dad's side of the family, people from my mom's boyfriend's family, & my made family -- my friends. I was sadly lacking my best friend who now lives across the country, but we talked on the phone on Friday, my actual birthday. The day was spent in truly wonderful company, from my sort of niece & her mom being the first to arrive -- meaning I got to spend time playing with her before anyone else showed up -- to ending the night by reading a pop-up graphic novel version of Moby Dick with some of the friends I made the semester we were in London.

I am so blessed to have these people in my life. My family is always willing to lend their support, their material goods even when they are lacking themselves, their hand when we need it -- like helping paint various rooms in our house & rip up carpeting. And they always bring smiles & laughs when we have something to celebrate.

My friends are the same too & it amazes me. I've known my best friend since elementary school, but other than that I've drifted away from the friends I had in high school. The friends I made in college though, it was clear from the moment I met them that things were different. The quality of these people ... I don't know how to put it into words. I always have an amazing time with them. I always miss them more when they leave than before. I always want more time with them. They know how to make me laugh when I need it. They know how to listen when I need to let something out. They know how to prod me when I need to talk, but I'm keeping it in & it's unhealthy. Sometimes they know me better than I know myself. They love me unconditionally & they chose to be in my life, the same as I've chosen to be in theirs.

I can't close without mentioning some other friends who weren't at my party. Some people might call them internet friends, & yes, I use that term as well when I don't know how else to describe them. Actually, I don't talk about them much with a lot of people in my life. At least not while mention that *shock, gasp* I met them on the internet. But that undescribable high quality as stated above? It totally goes for this group of people as well. Some of them I've *shock, gasp* met in person now, some of them I have plans to meet in person, & some of them I may unfortunately never meet in person. That doesn't change a thing though. These friends, they also love me unconditionally & it amazes me sometimes. Then I think about it & really, how different is it? I have friends who are moving all over the place & I won't be able to see them in person, but we'll still have the same connection. So what difference does it make that I may not have met these friends in person, may not hang out with them & go out to do things?

The answer is: There is no difference. Well, that's sort of a lie. It means that I'm doubly blessed.

So, I may have only won $25 on that lottery ticket, but the people in my life are priceless.

And because I'm still hopped up on caffeine & I feel like it's impossible to be completely serious while in this state, I give you a summary of this post in MasterCard commercial form:

10 BINGO Lottery Tickets: $20
20 Thank You Notes: $8.99
Kimmy's Family & Friends: PRICELESS

3 comments:

  1. "The answer is: There is no difference. Well, that's sort of a lie. It means that I'm doubly blessed."—Kimmy
    Quotably well said. Happy, happy birthday!

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  2. <3 <3 <3! Lovely post! Love you, and so happy you had a wonderful party. Happy birthday/graduation, again :)

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  3. It sounds like you had a terrific birthday & an awesome party.

    You are blessed, darling :)

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