Considering most of you have come into my life through APW (and are female), this may come as a bit of a shock:
I hate girls.
I’ve always hated girls. The pretty pretty princess play of the girls in my neighborhood could never compare to the games of street hockey and dressing up as a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle with my childhood best friend, Eric. To say I was a tomboy would be putting it EXTREMELY mildly. I was the 7-year-old who teachers knew to keep separated from a particular boy … because we would physically fight when in close proximity. The 10-year-old who had a royal FIT when I was cast as the princess in the school play. Who wanted to wear a gold dress and faint when there were sword battles to be had? The 15-year-old who kicked a boy when he dared to suggest a girl couldn’t play soccer.
In the 13 years since that kicking, I’ve changed … a bit. Skirts are allowed (though I’ll generally choose jeans), and there are definitely more pairs of heels in my closet than anyone really needs. But as much as things change, things also tend to stay the same: with one very big exception (that’d be Skye … you’ll hear a lot about her) the majority of my closest friends are guys. I follow hockey like nobody’s business. I’ve had my sword fights … in and out of full skirts. I play hard and rough, and generally am annoyed when I have to “behave like a lady.” Which is not to say I CAN’T … but that’s beyond the point. ::winks::
So imagine my surprise to find myself ears deep in a community of thoughtful, intelligent, hilarious, caring WOMEN.
And loving every second of it.
I don’t know if it’s that I’m finally becoming compatible with women, or that APW attracts ladies who think the same way I do … I like to think it’s a little bit of both. But it constantly amazes me that I have this awesome network of women … those that I have met and those that I’ve gotten close to online … who I can relate to, share with, laugh with, fight for, and support … women I LIKE. Women I can jump on a bus … or drive 400 miles … to see, be sure of a couch to crash on, and know, without a doubt, we’re going to get along BETTER than we do online. Women I can count on for a happy hour, for a good conversation, for sympathy and closely kept secrets. And if the last couple of meet-ups have been any indication, there will always be at least one new lovely worth keeping each time we all get together.
So … Team Practical … and all the women who’ve always been on Team Sarah (whether I’ve acknowledged it or not) … thanks. I love you all. There’s a couch and a cold beer waiting for you, whenever you want it. Just say the word.
Little Pieces Everywhere 