Shoulders Back

I did it.  I survived driving back on the Sunday after T Day.  But barely.  My workout routine and my blogging routine suffered because of my time in SB, but it was much needed.

There was dancing, music, movies, games, good food, wine, beer, and ocean sunsets.  These are the things I miss about SB, and also something I didn't realize was present.  For some strange reason, I feel uber confident in Santa Barbara, land of the rich and famous, bold and beautiful.  I don't feel the need to shrink inside myself like I do elsewhere.  It's a strange phenomenon, one that was completely unexpected.  The results however, were tangible. I'll cite the times when I gestured and groups of people moved out of my way, both in the dance club, and on State Street.  Keep in mind, I was wearing my leather jacket and a hat, not the skanky ass-slapping dresses that so many women pair with the 6 inch platform pumps so popular these days.  Who needs them? Well, we won't get into that.

See the key to being successful socially is understanding the climate.  Santa Barbara I know intimately.  Because of the high celeb count there is only one way to go out in public - yourself.  That is, to give up the competition that might work in other locations and decide you have nothing to prove to anyone. Just be. Dress how you like, walk with your shoulders back and your head high, and you have it.  Once you reach that point, you can do pretty much whatever you want anywhere you want (within reason of course).

Naturally, this feeling doesn't come easily.  It helps when you are comfortable with a place like I am with SB and therefore feel secure in your actions.  Coming back to the Bay Area, I can't say I am ready for that kind of social boldness.  I'm close, but not quite.  The realization about myself in SB certainly helps.  This paired with my feeling ready to come out of the hermitage might do me handy.  The jump start of high velocity social interaction certainly helped to get me pumped to be out and about.  My phone battery dying completely is a negative two on the social robustness scale, but you can't have everything easy.  Otherwise, there would be no adventures in life.  Still, a little social confidence goes a long way to easing your situation.  Yes, I think it's time for some big guns.  So, thank you Thanksgiving holiday weekend!  Not only did you assure me that I am able to survive a tedious high traffic drive with my husband but also that I am capable of coming back into my extroverted room-owning ways.  Sweet.