The Anti-Heather
My cousin's baby shower, March 2001: I was away on a lost weekend that involved a Donnas show.
My sister's bridal shower, June 2002: I had tix and went to see The Gossip immediately after.
My sister's wedding weekend, July 2002: That Friday was the unofficial Spunk Lads CD release party @ Continental. Saturday I had to miss The Mooney Suzuki and The Donnas @ Siren, after seeing these bands for like the past 4 years. Sunday, after the wedding, I put my bag down and turned right around and went to Brownies to see The Donnas. I still had all these bobby pins with pearls stuck on them in my hair. At least I wasn't in my dress and heels. Though I would've gone down there in my dress because when the hell else would I ever wear it?
My sister's baby shower, November 2005: What a surprise, I bought a ticket a while ago before I even knew when the shower was.
I knew the timeframe when this thing was going to occur but what were the chances that it would be the same date? Besides this is my dumb luck? It's kinda funny that this show is @ Continental. I told them the one day I was unavailable and that's the day they have the thing.... Aside from the fact that I'm the godmother and should've been planning this whole thing myself. So I went online to see if I can make the show on the 11th or 12th. I couldn't find a Chinatown bus--or any bus--to Cambridge for the 12th. The only other choice is Philly on the 11th--and I just bought tix for that day as well, not to mention that it's a hike from the bus station to the venue. I called my mom and wailed at the injustice of it all and now I'll have to see if I can take off work to run to Philly. I was convinced that they planned it on the one day I was unavailable on purpose because this is the way my family is. No, seriously, it is. Even as I was on the phone bawling I realized how stupid I sounded but I didn't want to listen. My mom offered to reimburse me for the ticket but it's not about the money. What if the girl hosting the party had a conflict of interest? my mom asked. It isn't always about you, I tell myself. Still, I laid out my argument: I'm not a baby person, they knew when I was busy, am I going to have to have every weekend open until this kid starts kindergarten, I have a life too, I resign as godmother, this shower is in less than a month and the invitations have yet to go out, blah blah blah. My mom suggested I email them with the dilemma and put the blame on them since we've been emailing/calling for more info and they never return messages until the last minute. (As is the norm with my family for any get-together.) I could imagine the response: Do what you have to do (but you better do the right thing). So either I create a whole big scene and go to the show and feel like a guilt-ridden asshole or create a whole big scene and let them know what I've given up and go to the baby shower and sulk about the show. My mom said to email them and let them know the dilemma and see if they can reschedule, since the invitations have yet to go out. But I don't want to be the reason for causing a whole big thing.
I never emailed them. As I went to bed I realized that I sounded like a total baby the way I was carrying on. And no ticket, no show at The Continental, is worth the fallout that will follow my announcement that I'm skipping out on my own sister's baby shower. (Yeah, I'm Anti Heather. That's how I sign cards for the kid.) Besdies, I may be missing out on one show (and I've seen the headliners a few times before already. It's just that they're one of my few favorite touring bands) but now that I know when the shower is, I'm cleared for going out on the other target nights. So I may be losing 1 show but gaining 2 others, plus the show on the 11th, so 3 shows gained in all. And besides, it's probably going to be another mess @ The Continental--freezing outside, packed to the rafters inside and no air, me almost passing out, getting crushed in the crowd, moshers/crowd surfers, etc. It's not like this is the farewell tour for the headliners and the other supporting act I wanna see. There'll be other times. I'm sure I can sell the ticket at the show on the 11th and if not, $16.20 is a small price to pay for family harmony and not being a bigger black sheep than I already am.
My sister's bridal shower, June 2002: I had tix and went to see The Gossip immediately after.
My sister's wedding weekend, July 2002: That Friday was the unofficial Spunk Lads CD release party @ Continental. Saturday I had to miss The Mooney Suzuki and The Donnas @ Siren, after seeing these bands for like the past 4 years. Sunday, after the wedding, I put my bag down and turned right around and went to Brownies to see The Donnas. I still had all these bobby pins with pearls stuck on them in my hair. At least I wasn't in my dress and heels. Though I would've gone down there in my dress because when the hell else would I ever wear it?
My sister's baby shower, November 2005: What a surprise, I bought a ticket a while ago before I even knew when the shower was.
I knew the timeframe when this thing was going to occur but what were the chances that it would be the same date? Besides this is my dumb luck? It's kinda funny that this show is @ Continental. I told them the one day I was unavailable and that's the day they have the thing.... Aside from the fact that I'm the godmother and should've been planning this whole thing myself. So I went online to see if I can make the show on the 11th or 12th. I couldn't find a Chinatown bus--or any bus--to Cambridge for the 12th. The only other choice is Philly on the 11th--and I just bought tix for that day as well, not to mention that it's a hike from the bus station to the venue. I called my mom and wailed at the injustice of it all and now I'll have to see if I can take off work to run to Philly. I was convinced that they planned it on the one day I was unavailable on purpose because this is the way my family is. No, seriously, it is. Even as I was on the phone bawling I realized how stupid I sounded but I didn't want to listen. My mom offered to reimburse me for the ticket but it's not about the money. What if the girl hosting the party had a conflict of interest? my mom asked. It isn't always about you, I tell myself. Still, I laid out my argument: I'm not a baby person, they knew when I was busy, am I going to have to have every weekend open until this kid starts kindergarten, I have a life too, I resign as godmother, this shower is in less than a month and the invitations have yet to go out, blah blah blah. My mom suggested I email them with the dilemma and put the blame on them since we've been emailing/calling for more info and they never return messages until the last minute. (As is the norm with my family for any get-together.) I could imagine the response: Do what you have to do (but you better do the right thing). So either I create a whole big scene and go to the show and feel like a guilt-ridden asshole or create a whole big scene and let them know what I've given up and go to the baby shower and sulk about the show. My mom said to email them and let them know the dilemma and see if they can reschedule, since the invitations have yet to go out. But I don't want to be the reason for causing a whole big thing.
I never emailed them. As I went to bed I realized that I sounded like a total baby the way I was carrying on. And no ticket, no show at The Continental, is worth the fallout that will follow my announcement that I'm skipping out on my own sister's baby shower. (Yeah, I'm Anti Heather. That's how I sign cards for the kid.) Besdies, I may be missing out on one show (and I've seen the headliners a few times before already. It's just that they're one of my few favorite touring bands) but now that I know when the shower is, I'm cleared for going out on the other target nights. So I may be losing 1 show but gaining 2 others, plus the show on the 11th, so 3 shows gained in all. And besides, it's probably going to be another mess @ The Continental--freezing outside, packed to the rafters inside and no air, me almost passing out, getting crushed in the crowd, moshers/crowd surfers, etc. It's not like this is the farewell tour for the headliners and the other supporting act I wanna see. There'll be other times. I'm sure I can sell the ticket at the show on the 11th and if not, $16.20 is a small price to pay for family harmony and not being a bigger black sheep than I already am.
posted by heather @ 10:51 PM
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