Generally Discontent

Here I am in sunny Charlotte! And man, is it sunny. And warm. I was getting used to the weather being in the 60's, and now it's closer to 80. I think I've somehow gotten jetlag from a train.

Seth picked me up at the train station, which was fortunately small so I didn't have to wander around too much. The trip back ran right through downtown Charlotte, which I was happy for - it's nice to see a big city when I come to a new place. As much as I like to walk around in the woods, and as much as I like seeing cows and farms and shit, I guess I'm more or less a city boy after all.

Anyway, Charlotte looks like a really nice place, with some big ass skyscrapers and lots of statues and stuff on the ground. I was still in a post-train haze, so I didn't really pay much attention. After awhile, we got to Seth's neighborhood, which is a nice suburban area. Picked up some beer and headed to his place...

...and were attacked by dogs! Oh, wait, this isn't a dog attack. Just Seth and his roomate's dogs, happy as hell to see us. So I met Baxley, Newman, and Sammy, as well as Seth's roommate Dwyer. Dropped my stuff on the futon I'll be sleeping on for the next two weeks, got a quick tour, then went out to the back deck to relax, smoke, and drink some beers while they grilled up some dinner.

This is a nice house, a great mix between bachelor pad and hominess. Homeiness...home...is that a word? Anyway, I like it here. It's going to take some getting used to, of course, after a month in Maryland. Definitely a different vibe here, but a good, laid-back vibe.

After an awesome dinner, we flopped down in front of the teevee with beers and watched Family Guy for awhile. I was pretty brain dead by this point, but managed to stay alive until they went to bed, and then I collapsed.

And awoke to someone passing through my room, which doubles as the computer room as well as the side entrance. I thought it was Dwyer, but found out later it was someone else. Whatever, I was too tired to care, and immediately fell back asleep.

Got up around noon and groggily took a shower, wondered if it was okay for the dogs to go outside or what. Fortunately, Seth came by around one with some burgers and advice on when to feed the dogs and, yes, it was okay if they hung around outside. I don't know shit about dogs, though. Last time I had a dog was when I was a wee lad, and I didn't really feed or walk her or anything. Lucky for me, they're all really good dogs. Sure is something to get used to, though, since the last animal I was around was a parakeet, and the most I had to do for her was pick up the occasional poo with tissue paper.

Later, while sitting on the toilet, someone came in yelling hellos. Again, I thought it was Dwyer, but upon exiting the bathroom, I met...um. He told me his name, but I can't remember it now. One of Seth's friends who was just stopping by to hang out for a bit. Or maybe it's his other roommate? Or uh...I dunno. It was the same guy who woke me up this morning, I got that part, anyway. Whatever, he seems like an okay guy.

I later learned that this was Harden. We talked a bit, he told me how much Charlotte sucks and gave me some info on the various sports teams around here, then took off. Kind of a bizarre introduction to the place, but whatever. Later, everyone came home, including Seth's other roommate Brandon, who I met for about two minutes. And then it was time to go out for beers!

We headed to one of Seth and Dwyer's favorite hangouts, the Press Box, sort of a dive-y sports bar place. Monday Night Football was on, and the buckets of Bud Light were flowing. Now, I've never been a Bud Light guy, but I can see the appeal if you're spending the night sitting in a bar, boozing it up, especially if you toss in the occasional shot of Jaeger. It was kinda nice not really getting drunk at all!

Some of Seth's friends came by as well. There was Tattoo, an older guy who is into an amazingly wide variety of music, from U2 to Poison to Slayer, a real audiophile and a pretty cool guy; Michelle, a laid back girl from Asheville, NC, the same artsy-fartsy, hippie-lesbian town that Vani's friend suggested I visit; and Sam, Michelle's boyfriend and a painter of celebrity portraits. All were very nice people. As a matter of fact, I've been pretty lucky with the people I've met over the last few months. With few exceptions, everyone's been great.

Today I woke up with barely a hangover, and then I spent the day hanging around the house, playing with the dogs, doing nothing in particular, really. Seth and I went food shopping, then stopped by Sonic for some late dinner. Of course, I didn't have my camera on me, so I couldn't document this historic moment. See, Sonic airs commercials all over the place - Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland - yet the closest Sonic to any of us Northern folk is somewhere in Virginia. So I was charged by Jamie and Vani to find a Sonic and sample its wares. I have done this, but I have no proof.

But considering how good it was, I'm sure as hell going to try to get Seth to go again. Plus it has cute girls on roller skates, so that's cool.

And now I sit, watching Highlander with Seth's roommate. So there you go!