Searching for a Happy Medium

Moving to Las Vegas has meant leaving most of my good friends behind and striking out on my own in the world of single and free. While this sounds glorious to some of you with children and families, and it is pretty nice, I have to admit I have had my share of lonely moments where I'm missing my friends. But I know that I can make new friends and find "my crowd" to hang out with if I just open myself up to new possibilities. I began with my roommates, whom I knew casually from classes or seminars in school. They are nice girls, however, I learned quickly they were not "my people" when I was told I was watching trash on television and that anything that cost of $5 was too much money to spend on doing something. (The trash I was watching was Friends and I can absolutely appreciate thrifty people, however, in Vegas, it just happens to cost more sometimes.) I tried to convince myself that despite their extremely conservative and cost conscience lives, I could hang out with them once in a while. I learned the hard way (after banging my head against the wall in frustration) that I could not go to bed at 9 o'clock or attend only $2.50 viewings of PG only movies and talk about being a teacher during every moment of our excursions out on the town. I decided I needed to find a different type of people to get to know.

I recently got a job working at Applebee's and on the first day of training, this very friendly, and wildly sarcastic gay hispanic asked if I wanted to go to a party with some other employees from another store. I accepted, of course, feeling desperate for social interaction and eager to meet new people. Of course, I knew I might be getting myself into something a little interesting and I informed him that I wasn't a partier, nor did I drink. He assured me it wasn't a problem and convinced me to go. The group would be meeting at a club in Sunset Station (a Casino off the strip) called Club Madrid. The club usually books a big show once in a while, however, on a regular basis they have an 80's night where they play only 80's music and everyone dances and has a good time. ( I did a little research just to be sure I wasn't meeting at some stereo typical Sin City club where anything more than lingerie would be wearing too much. ) I arrived at the casino on my own and decided to take a once-by to look in the door of the club and see what was going on inside before just traipsing in there. From the first walk-by I noticed people dancing and a band on stage. The music was Love Shack, which I thought was awesome. I walked by again, slowing down a bit to really look inside. This time I noticed a woman, in black leather lingerie on the table, cracking a whip, and dancing rather provocatively. My pupils dialated and I rubbed my eyes wondering if I had seen what I thought I had seen. So, again, I sauntered inconspicuously by the front entrance to the club and heard the lead singer of the band shout out through the microphone....

"Is anybody horny?????"


With that, I gripped the strap of my purse and headed towards the door laughing and shaking my head. I knew it was too much for me that night. Not only am I the Eddie Bauer poster girl and a country bumpkin, but I am fairly conservative myself and knew that if I was going to be spending the evening with my new gay friend, I would already be entering a new realm of people, the likes of which my roommates would choke on their own g'fawing as they listened to him talk and joke around. After hearing the golden question of the evening inside Club Madrid, I knew I had overstepped myself into a place that I just wasn't laid back enough to enjoy. I realized that the reason people must drink before going out is to lose their inhibitions and throw caution to the wind. So, I'm back at my staunch and uptight apartment listening to rebellious music on my iPod and watching PG13 when no one else is home so I don't disturb the balance of good, better, best and untainted roommates. I am determined to find a happy medium or I'll just have to consider moving back to Idaho. ** gasp **