What I learned during a night out

I had a good Labor Day weekend.  I exercised, relaxed, watch movies (e.g., "El Juego de la Verdad" was good!), wrote and hung out with friends.  I could probably write a few paragraphs about the family barbeque I crashed Monday or the fact that Mr. Rebound has reemerged (and I now know his age…).  But instead, I want to relate a few important life lessons that I learned Saturday night.

1) Best laid plans of mice and men –or- Stick to the standards

1.5 oz White Rum
12 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lime
7 oz club soda
2 tbsp. simple syrup
(or 4 tsp. sugar)

I invited a few people over on Saturday to pre-game before going out to Adam's Morgan.  A-M and I decided to make mojitos and I spent Friday night cleaning my apartment and burning a great mix of song, including a few by Celia Cruz.  It was my first themed event and let's just say that it sort of flopped.  A-M forgot the mint and I didn't have any ice cubes, so the gang had to head to Whole foods while I awaited the tardy pizza and the last guest.

I'm not sure what we did wrong, but the mojitos were awful.  Perhaps, it was the (coolly packaged but awful tasting) rum or not enough lime or sugar.

I am really disappointed with the 10 Cane Rum I bought.  I saw it advertised in a glossy fashion magazine and loved the way the bottle looked and was intrigued by rum made from pure cane and not molasses.  But a mere few hours after drinking it, as A-M pointed out, the rum took out its knives and started stabbing our poor stomachs.

Lessoned learned: K.I.S.S.  And supply a full range of simple mixers.

2) Boys get malicious, men remain respectful

While walking to the Dupont Metro, this guy appeared, seemingly out of the bushes, and started talking to us.  He was the epitome of a spoiled generic Georgetown jerk.  After a less than successful attempt to befriend and steer one of us home with him, he got mean.  He left with a simple, "you look like men."

Um, okay.  That's it, the surest way to a girls heart or, in his case, into our pants is through nonsensical insults.  Once before, my coworker and I were verbally abused by a guy who we flatly rejected.  Hey, if I'm not interested, I'll let you know and if you blindly and annoyingly persist, you'll get harshly shot down.  But don't get hurt and mean, just respectfully move away, reexamine your game, and try it on some other unsuspecting female.

Lesson learned: Avoid boys.

3) Make the first move
A coworker noted that when she's out, she makes a purpose of smiling at guys and being nice to them.  For me, the bar is a war zone and guys are the drunken, horny enemy in a predator-prey scenario.  Perhaps, that's why I haven't been approached by a guy at a bar in years.  I'm just so hardened and put too many barriers up—expecting the worse out of the guys around me.

She also noted the importance of making the first move.  Case in point, this large chick (tall and big-boned) approached one of the cute guys in our group (sitting down, of course, while us girls danced uninhibitedly).  Needless to say, after a few bump-and-grind songs, they left together. 

I don't think that I have the guts to approach a guy at the bar.  I would worry how it would make me look (read: like a skank) because surely, you don't meet Mr. Right in a bar, just Mr. Right Now.  But, I'll try to soften my temperament when out and stop reacting so defensively to the advances of males.  Maybe.

Lessons learned: If you want it, swallow your pride and go and get it. Also, relax--not all guys are players or date-rapists.