times and places

In my group of friends, I'm the loud one, the blunt one, the straight shooter, if you will. I say things that my friends often won't, either because they have much more tact or class than me or because they are just plain smarter.

But sometimes I wonder if I'm just weird and think weird things and see the world in a weird way and maybe that's why it is that I say things other people don't. Adding the internet into that mix makes me wonder if my thoughts and behavior are REALLY weird.

The lovely Suebob of Redstapler is headed to my next of the woods and she is coming here and meeting up with Count Mockula. Now, I've been following Suebob for a long time, but I had never heard of CM, and this fun little blogger lives in my town. In fact, she lives somewhere within a mile or so radius from my house. How do I not know her?

She seems about my age. She has a baby just a smidge older than my baby (and extremely cute with a very cool and unique name, just like my baby). She has a tall skinny hubby, like me. She's somewhat punk rock (ok, she's hell of punk rock, WAY more than me but in a way I'd like to be). She dressed her kids in Paul Frank. She slings her baby. Her family just took a trip to Santa Cruz and went all the places that we went on OUR recent trip to Santa Cruz. She's, like...a cooler version of me. At least from the superficial things I've gleaned from her blog.

And this is why I think I'm weird.

Because, it's very possible that I've seen her around. (In fact, I used to go all the time to see the band she is/was in). And when I see women like that around, particularly at my local Trader Joes (which is where I usually see other 30-something progressive/punk/liberal mamas) I always think "How do I not know this person?". And sometimes I even have the fleeting thought of walking up to them and giving them my card and saying, in a very 3rd grade kind of way "My name is Smarmy Mama, do you want to be my friend?".

I mean...am I weird that I look at other women around town and think "I should be friends with that person" or "How am I NOT friends with that person!??".

I live in a fairly progressive/lefty part of town and so I see these women out and about with their little ones fairly often. I can't tell you how many times I've held myself back from trying to make small talk...for what? Just because we kind of look like we lead similar life styles! Is that weird?

Confession: There was a Dansko wearing mama wandering Trader Joes a few weeks ago and her babe was wearing a kind of cloth diaper that I use. And you know what I did? I faked asking about what kind it was (even though I knew) just to try to make small talk!!

Whenever I feel this way or do something silly like that, I always wonder...am I the only freak who does that?

And, I wonder if it's ridiculous of me to wonder how I don't know these women. Yes I live in a big city, technically, but the particular part of town I live in feels so very small. The social circles are so small and so intertwined. I honestly will ponder for days how it's possible I don't know every other hipster mom in town when in reality, it's probably pretty stupid of me to even think that's possible. I mean, OF COURSE I don't know them all. I don't even hardly leave the damn house most of the week, for pete's sake.

Anyways...

Because of Suebob, I wandered around CM blog and found out who she was. And it was cool seeing my city through another's eyes. That was fun.

I wonder, though, if I'm the only 30-something year old woman around here who contemplates ways to make friends with people just because they look like they are kind of the same. Maybe I'm just a big weirdo.

Either way, Count Mockula, I promise I did not and will not stalk you. I would like to think that everyone is interested in other people around them who they have things in common with, but maybe I'm the only one.