Happy New Year...2011

Hey Singles...it's another year!

I apologize but I have been sort of out of it. I took 10 days off work from Christmas to New Year. Spent Christmas in front of the TV, watching Hung,  drinking and "shopping" in copious amounts. When I felt that may be too much for me, I decided to take a trip somewhere. The closest place with a beach was Panama City Beach. That became the destination of choice.

It's so great to go to the beach in the off-season, everything is so reasonably priced and hopefully, rid of families. So to Panama City Beach I went, all 6 hours of it. This is my first road trip by myself so you can understand I was a little apprehensive. I actually didn't discuss this with anyone on this earth because I didn't want to live through the moments of ridicule and fear. You know how people tell you about the worst even though deep down inside you may already be telling yourself about it. Why are you telling me this, just shut the fuck up! I know what I am doing, I know what I am getting myself into, I don't need someone else to instill more fear and doubt into me.

In the end, the drive was not that bad, but because I had told myself to expect the worst I had to obey the speed limit, in turn angering every driver behind me. I possibly could have made it in shorter time if I hadn't obeyed the speed limits, just floored it all the way through, but as they say, it's better safe than sorry.

All in all it was nice, clean fun - the beach was a little too family friendly for my taste. It was not blow out fun like Myrtle Beach and Austin but I am quite sure, 100% sure that it was much more fun than Atlanta would have been if I had stayed home. Plus they are an hour behind Atlanta so I added one hour to my New Years' celebrations. Go me! If I had known what I know now, I probably would have gone to Destin instead. It looked like more fun (better shopping experience, younger crowd, nicer beaches) when I drove to it on New Years eve, if not that it was 40 miles away it was popping a lot more than Panama City was on New Years eve. I could have gone to Baytowne Wharf with the rest of the singles and listened to all the cover bands play in the village as we counted down the New Year. I still did that, but on a much smaller Panama City scale.  I have to tell you though, nothing beats the beach any time of the year. Yeah, in the winter it's not as much fun, the closer you get to the water the colder it is, and the horrid wind...but nothing beats the magnificence of the beach, just looking over that ocean, feeling the sand, and looking over miles and miles of blue nothingness. It's breathtaking and relaxing, and surprisingly, never gets old. At least, not for me.

I made it home safe today. I made it safely there, fielded the multiple questions from people about "why are you here alone, who are you here to visit, why are you vacationing alone," etc, all the ignorant bystander questions, even from men who are doing the same thing, I fielded, baited and survived all their ridicule and made it home to my quiet, monotonous abode.

And I would do it again. Maybe not to Panama City but somewhere else. It's always good to spike your life a bit, like adding some brandy to your coffee. It keeps you alive, keeps you breathing and hoping for more. If people think I'm crazy so be it. I keep wondering where are all the women who travel by themselves, not just locally but internationally, where are they to save me from these inquisitive ignorant people, from the people who live in the shadows of others and fear experiencing life on their own? Where are those people to stand up for me? If only there were more of us, it would save me from the debate, murmured commentary and stares I face. But it is a New Year and I can't hate them for having people in their lives to share life's pleasures with. This is just my path and I shall walk it with pride.

All I can say to those who just may happen to be alone...go out there and be, even if it is by yourself, no one knows you better than you, so be the best friend to you, the best, most adventurous person to you...you deserve to laugh, even if it is by yourself. One day they'll understand.