I freaking hate New Jersey
(apologies to anyone who lives there)

This weekend was a whirlwind of travel and activity which, unfortunately, took me to the armpit of the U.S.

New Jersey.

A few months ago TBD and I talked about me joining him for a drum corps weekend in Wildwood (he marches with a senior corps during the summer, and yes, he is that much of a band geek). I wanted to go because it was a chance to get to the beach and see just what it was he did during the weekends when he went out there. I was anticipating the trip taking me about 3-1/2 hours. Just a quick trip across the PA turnpike, hop on the Atlantic City expressway then just a hop skip and a jump along the Garden State Parkway.

Yeah, right.

I don't travel east to Philadelphia too much anymore (I live about 1-1/2 hour away) and had no idea that there was major construction right around the Surekill...I mean Schuylkill expressway. I sat. And sat. And sat in stop and go traffic for the entire trip around Philly. By the time I got into actual moving traffic I was not in a good way. Then I missed the turn off of the Ben Franklin bridge (stupid Mapquest). That put me in Camden, NJ. No where near where I was going. Let's just say the blood pressure was up about 50 points and I was NOT happy.

With the help of some friendly guys at a Hess station, I got back on track...and sat, and sat, and sat some more on the A.C. Expressway. And got cut off about a million times. And flipped off some stupid kid in their mom's car when he popped in front of me and forcedme to slam on my breaks, hard. Stupid idiot. While we're talking about New Jersey and the oddity of a road system, why are all of the the major roads toll roads? It's not like they use the money to repair the roads you're paying to drive on. And what about the rest stops? Why for the love of God are they on the left side?

But I digress.

After leaving at 11:30 a.m. I finally arrived at the Wildwood Convention Center around 4 p.m. I was hot, tired and not in the least bit happy. TBD had called me as I was driving in to tell me we wouldn't get to see each other until after the show so I had about two hours to calm down and enjoy the sunshine. I walked up and down the boardwalk taking in the scenery. It was definitely not the same boardwalk I remembered from my childhood.

TBD and I met up after the show and spent the rest of the night drinking. And drinking. And did I mention we drank? Overall I had a good time. The people he marches with are very fun and nice. I felt very welcome and accepted into the group. If I can figure out a way to do it, I'd like to march with them next summer. After flirting all night with one of the girls he marches with, he pulled me aside to tell me they were going for a "walk" down to the beach and did I mind hanging out at the bar? Being the good friend I am, I said no, I was o.k. with it since his friend Anthony would be there to walk me back to where we were staying. Anthony and I hung out a little longer after TBD and the girl left, then started making our way back to the corps house.

I guess my radar is a little off from lack of use but I thought for sure there was a connection between Anthony and I. We had flirted a little bit at the bar and talked the entire walk back to the house. But that was where it ended. Originally he had agreed to sleep on the air matress I brought with me as he had a hole in his. Guess who ended up sleeping alone?

Disappointment seems to be my constant bedtime companion lately.

Today I bugged out early. My original plan was to stay and hit the beach but I was tired, bummed and just ready to get home and get some sleep. The trip home wasn't nearly as bad as the one down, although I still hold the opinion that New Jersey drivers are the worst in the country. They're called turn signals, learn to use them Jersey.

This afternoon I crashed after I made sure I called my parents to let them know I had made it home in one piece. My four hour nap made me a little more pleasant to be around. I'm still a little down about the weekend. TBD knows how frustrated I am lately about the lack of male attention and had originally told me I had good prospects for this weekend. It's not even that I didn't laid, it's the fact that I put for the effort, I flirted, I smiled, I played the freaking game and it got me nowhere.

Sigh.

So the streak continues. This week, I think, is going to include a lot of me trying to look ahead and get refocused in the gym and at work. Right now, it's all I've got.