bad Friday...and more

Last night I was supposed to join a few coworkers for a poker night, but it never happened. We were supposed to have the poker game at one individual's house, but every time we tried to call that person, we got no response. The group of us (4 in all, myself, another Airman, and the married couple I've been hanging out with since their wedding) decided to go to a local bar to wait for the individual to get home. It was boring. I don't like going to bars anymore, but this is the regular hang out for the rest of the group, so I went. We played "Worst Song Ever," in which we all choose a song and have the bartender play it from the internet. Whomever's song is voed worst is the winner. I won with Tiny Tim's "Tiptoe Through The Tulips." We then got a call from a high-ranking AFNer that he would be at a particular bar near us, so the rest of the gang decided we should go and hang out with him. We kept trying to reach the poker individual, but to no avail. After the upper AFNer showed up, we decided there was no more point in trying to have a poker night. I played darts with everyone, and won, then played solo against the upper AFNer and won again, so he bought a round of drinks.
At this point I have to say, that I haven't been a drinkier for a very long time, but I still went to the bars with the group to be social, and to show them I'm just another "one of the guys." But, when the upper AFNer bought a round for everyone, he included me, so I had a drink. Then he bought another round, so I made it two. Remember, I haven't had a drink for a VERY long time, so two put me into buzz mode. I decided not to drink anymore that night. Soon, we left the bar for another bar, but it was mostly a dance bar, so I played pool. By the time we left there, it was pretty much curfew time, so the upper AFNer told us we had to leave, but then told us - so we wouldn't get in trouble - we should stay out until curfew was over (curfew starts at 1am and ends at 5am). Vanessa called me, but she was upset by something either I or the upper said to her, and she hung up on me. The upper then took us by cab to a series of bars not far from his house. And by this time, I was getting bored and sleepy, but I knew I was stuck until curfew ended. Around 4:30am, the rest of the group decided to leave and get something to eat. I was broke (I had only planned on a night of $20 poker, so I had no cash) and didn't eat. Once eveyone finished eating, the upper took us back to his house to crash.

I got to talk to Vanessa this afternoon, and she says she wasn't upset with me, and didn't hang up on me, but that our communication broke down when she thought I was done talking, but was really trying to tell her I'd call her later once I got home.

- - - -

I miss Vanessa so much! Even though we talk almost every night, I still miss her like crazy. I talk about her to my coworkers, I try to text message her at work when I can, but still, I find myself missing her like crazy. Ah well, another sleepless night without her, but soon, we'll be together. I long for these next two weeks to be over!

- - - -

I got to talk to my friend Tom today. I haven't gotten to talk to him since I left Japan. He seems his same self, though he's become more reclusive in the past couple of months. I tried to get him to hang out with Vanessa a little more, so she wouldn't be so lonely, so he wouldn't be so lonely, and so I'd get the chance to keep in touch with him more. Basically it's like this, Tom became my best friend in Japan, and I want him to be happy. He's a melancholy guy though, and usually puts himself down. So I try to pick him up when I can. He's a really great, nice, and funny guy (he can also sing like the dickens!) and will make some woman very happy someday. He just has to be willing to take the first step - something we're all afraid of sometimes. Hopefully you'll all get to meet him at Vanessa and my wedding. I'd like him to be in the wedding party, and he knows this. That's another reason I want to keep in touch with him.

- - - -

wow, this became a long post afterall.
I'm working very hard to get myself out of debt. I've set up a cash reserve in my savings account for those times that I can't quite make it on my salary. I'm paying my bills, often more than I have to, right from my check, so I can't spend the money. Hopefully, I'll be out of debt by May of 2007. After that, I can finally marry Vanessa with a clear conscience. I know it sometimes seems like I'm stalling, but I'd rather us get married on a clean financial slate, rather than bringing my debt into the marriage and lowering both our incomes. I've told her all along that this is something I want to do for myself and my wife. If not for that, we'd already be preparing for the wedding! Anyone out there with advice or first-hand knowledge about whether I'm doing the right thing by getting out of debt first, please help. Just leave me a comment.