Ok, so I gave in. I went back to Raleigh.

After spending a couple of days in eastern NC on what was supposed to be a productive hiatus, I found myself hooked on DVR’d Oprah shows instead of writing sponsorship pitches and generally planning that whole tour thing I’m doing. Next thing I know, I’m crying over an Oprah kid’s talent show finale. Hooray for productivity.

Anyway, my Raleigh withdrawals have been immediate and overwhelming. It would be one thing if I was currently driving across the country (and thankfully I will be in a few days), as I would constantly be distracted by something epic and amazing. But there are few distractions here, other than Oprah, and I really just can’t justify sitting alone in New Bern trying and failing to do work when I could be in Raleigh partying for my last southern Fourth of July.

And so that’s what I did. I snuck back into town on Saturday. On my to-do list were three cookouts. I would have loved to do more, but I had to limit myself for the sake of my sanity.

Highlights of my night:

- Logan-made iced coffees.
- Having someone tell me their mother is randomly a big fan of my blog.
- Lighting fireworks in the street until the neighbors come out to inform us that “this is not the right kind of neighborhood for that.” It’s July fucking fourth. Before 10:00 on a Saturday night. Sorry.. for acting logically.
- Lots of costumes and cross-dressing dudes. I’m starting to get used to this.
- Drinking a bottle of champagne and being surprised that I wasn’t feeling particularly tipsy.
- Blacking out shortly after this.
- Giant waterslide structure in Molly’s back yard purchased from Costco for half-off (originally $800)… probably intended for children, but chock-full of adults by midnight.
- Waking up in the morning on a couch, in a living room, with no blanket, in only my underwear, covered in bruises and scratches (from extreme watersliding), with a Sharpie arm tat that reads “SAN FRAN OR BUST.”

Proper last night in Raleigh accomplished.

I mustered enough strength to go meet up with Tim at 3rd Place Coffee and get some serious work done for this phototour we’re about to embark on. Big updates will be coming your way in the next few days…

That is all for now. END!