Plus/minus

It's been a good weekend, in the balance. But there's been some darn annoying things as well.

I've been stood up no less than four times this weekend by four different friends. Two of my friends bailed, independently, for the movie last night (you know, after I'd bought the tickets, so like ten minutes prior to the start of the flick. Fortunately, the theater refunded me for the two unused tickets). Another friend was supposed to go with me to see tigers this am, another thing involving tickets, but I woke him up when I called to say I was ten minutes out, and he was...clearly not feeling so hot (ahem. I got in at 2, okay? I was moving. AND I had coffee waiting). So he bailed. I was a little annoyed when I hung up with him (not as much because of the ticket, not so much because of the last-minute-ness, but mostly because I had to drive 45 minutes out of my way to get him and didn't realize how far away CH is from Pittsboro, and I was already running a little late). I was pulling off the highway, so I gave his coffee to the guy panhandling at the exit. Who was very kind and grateful, and I think might have been a patient of mine at some point. So that made me feel better.

Today is the Chinese New Year, and it is, of course, the year of the tiger. In fact, it is also a metal year, the combination of which is associated with white tigers. And my friend happens to volunteer at the Carolina Tiger Rescue, where they just happen to have a white tiger. His name is Jellybean.

So she invited some of us to come take her tour this am and ring in the Year of the Tiger with...well...actual tigers. It was awesome. They have a bunch of different predatory cats in their sanctuary, most of whom have remarkable stories (i.e., the two that were found wandering down the street in a town in MO. Or the one chained to a lamp post. Or the one who turned up on the CTR doorstep one morning in a crate with a note, like an abandoned baby. Or the two that lived in a junkyard, and one of them is blind, which the owner didn't know. How does one miss something like? Anyhow...). Jenny's been a tour guide there for a number of years now, and the cats love her. It was a great tour; very informative, and a lot of fun. Not to mention, of course I took WAY too many pictures.

I was supposed to have lunch plans today as well, but, once again, got stood up. The friend I was supposed to have lunch with never called and didn't return my text, so, I decided to wander my way home and stopped to take some more pictures of the Haw River. Which was fortunate that I didn't just turn around and grumble my way home, because shortly after I stopped Jenny texted me and asked if I wanted to join them for lunch. Which I did, and had a wonderful time with her, her boyfriend, and a coupled set of their friends. It was also a really good time. Plus, it got me over by the Target, where I needed to go anyhow...

When I consider the things I got ditched for this weekend - the movie, the tigers, lunch - I really can only come to one conclusion, though: Wow. Four of my friends did a really good job of missing out on some seriously awesome stuff.