Ladies night

Oh yes, it's ladies night... tomorrow. I really look forward to these events. I am not someone who seeks constant social experiences; I am pretty content to hang out at home and not feel like a loser! But, the rare (and becoming rarer, due to some people's not getting the LADIES only moniker) occasion we do have a ladies night is something I really enjoy. Perhaps it is because I only do it 3 or 4 times a year, I can really appreciate the company of other women. Growing up, I always was one of the boys. I liked hanging around the guys and being one of the guys. I just related better to guys: their love of sports, their sense of humor, their not needing to impress their peers in social gatherings... As I got older and then married, my ability, obviously to hang with the guys pretty much came to a screeching halt. I did hang out with a few guy friends after I was married and it was AWKWARD! It's just kinda weird to be with another guy who isn't your husband on what looks to others like an apparent date. So, I started working on making girl friends and hanging out with them. That was in Billings and it was pretty easy to do. Lots of girls and places to go! I had quite a few female friends, then we moved back to Joplin. One thing Joplin lacks is females that are my age who aren't already engaged in some sort of clique or another. I honestly shun cliques. It was hard at first and so to cope, I became a homebody to the point where I enjoyed my privacy more than anything. Not having someone calling frequently or needing to hang out was to me a relief. (I might add, I was not always like this.) Especially now with kids, I really didn't like going out; finding a sitter, the extra $$ spent that could be saved for better use later. It may be excuses to not do anything, but it's really hard to find babysitters, esp. in Joplin! But, a few years ago, my brother-in-law married an amazing woman and she has, whether she knows it or not, got my social life and gals paling around back on track. I am perfectly comfortable in our friendship: it's just right. And I perfectly comfortable saying that between her, my sister, and our families, I really have all the "girl time" I need. I still keep in touch with most of my close friends from high school. Their friendship will last a life time as long as we're both willing to work at it. (I had one friend that literally dropped off the face of the earth, not from my lack of trying. I can take a hint!) Those friends, when I see them, it's like we just pick up where we left off. But I'm talking more day to day; what keeps me looking forward to the next big event. Women can be catty, nit-picky, do-it-my-way-or-else and it was exhausting trying to live up to their standards, esp. when I'm thinking to myself, as long as it's done, does it really matter?! The females in my life are not like this at all, thank goodness! I have weeded out a lot of those unnecessary people from my life, or kept my contact with them to a minimum and my life is peaceful, content, and drama-free (well, for the most part! Drama can't be 100% avoided!). So, as I look forward to another Ladies Only Night, I am genuinely excited and relieved I don't do this every weekend!