Just Call Me Herman

Friday night, my friend "Drew" IMed me. His primary mission was to give me crap about having a snow day when he did not, but he also wanted to see if I was up for beer and wings and hanging out. I told him I couldn't do it because I had homework that had to be done before class on Saturday.

A couple hours later the phone rang. It was Richard. He also wanted to see if I wanted to go to the bar with him that night. Again, I told him I had work to do and class the next day so I really couldn't.

Now, I did do some of the work I needed to Friday night, but most of the evening was spent on the couch in front of the TV. I ended up getting up a little early on Saturday to finish my work.

Then it was Saturday. I got home from class and waited a short time before changing my IM away message because I knew that Drew would want me to hang out again... and I just didn't want to. Instead, I made my own plans of watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (which I purchased months ago, but hadn't had a chance to watch yet, although I saw it in the theater) with a nice bag of microwave popcorn.

Sure enough, when I let Copper out a few minutes into the movie, Drew had IMed me with an invite to Midland Street with him. I didn't even respond because he had sent the message about an hour earlier, plus I was quite comfortable in my PJs.

As I was talking to Heather this morning, a thought dawned on me... Am I becoming a hermit? It seems like most times I receive invitations to do something with friends, I claim that I have grad school work to do. I actually do have that work to do, but I rarely end up actually doing it during the time periods in question. When Richard inevitably calls me on Friday nights, I always tell him that I can't go out because I have class the next day. But, let's face it, I don't even leave for class until 11:00... surely I could safely go out for a beverage or two.

Am I just blaming graduate school when it's really that I don't want to go out? And why don't I want to go out?

Well, I think there are several issues at play:

• First, the invitations I receive typically come from these two sources: Drew and Richard. Well, I've told you about Richard before, so I'm sure I don't really need to say more, except to mention that he still thinks I'm hot for him. Which I'm obviously not because if I was I would probably succumb to his innumerable charms. Drew is another matter. Drew is a pretty nice guy that I had a class with several years ago. He had a girlfriend and I was dating Richard at the time, although Drew still flirted with me pretty heavily. And still does. Actually, it's not so much flirting as brazen overtures. Which would be fine if I was even a little bit attracted to him. Drew thinks I've never taken him up on the offer because of our friendship, but it's actually that I really have no desire what so ever to sleep with him. Still, I like having him as a friend and he's usually fun to hang out with, but I really hate that everytime I see or talk to him he has to make some crude remark about how he wants to sleep with me. I know he's just joking around, but it skeeves me out. And makes me not want to be around him.
• Second, it really is the fault of graduate school. Really. See, while I'm not always busy with the work that I say I am, my time to myself is really quite limited. So limited that, when I do have a little time to myself, I want it to myself! I don't want to share my "me" time and I don't think I should have to. People are just going to have to understand that I'm out of commission for a couple more weeks.
• And finally, there's the timeless favorite of, I'm getting too old for this. Honestly, I was a little repulsed at the thought of going to Midland Street last night. I was really glad when I went home before the party moved there the night Heather was home. I'm 32 years old. I think most people max out on Midland Street at about 24. The main purpose of the bars there is to get trashed and find someone to hook up with for the night. That is so not what I am about. I don't have a good time there because I don't enjoy drinking until I puke, and I'm ten years older than most of the other girls, so, while I do look younger than I am, I don't even get a second look from most guys. Not that I'd want to because I'm not looking for one-night hook ups.

So, I don't think I'm going to worry just yet. If it gets to be January and I'm still blowing off invites, then I should probably have my head examined. Or at least find some different friends.