Going Out Again

I think I did it on a lark, but now it's become a thing.  Some Sunday night some time ago I decided I didn't want to nest and check up on my parents' mail and instead wanted to go out.  I went to Buffalo Wild Wings and Old Chicago to watch the Sunday night football game and, well, eat.  I didn't do it for a couple weeks after I did it the first time, but at some point it's become a weekly ritual.

I did it the first time because I felt lonely, and I was feeling the stress of anticipating the problems I would have to deal with at work.  Now I do it because ... well, there really is no stress, although these days there's a certain ... free-floating uneasiness about what happens next.  That really isn't stressful; the direction of where the project needs to go next is unclear from my vantage point, but have work nonetheless.  (Oh, by the way: Wednesday is not my last day.  I've been extended at least another two weeks.  Don't exactly know what I need to do, but there is work to be done.  That's good.)  So I do it largely because I'm lonely.  It's a capper to a weekend where I ... well, I can't complain about my weekend or my week, so I guess I want to indulge for myself before I take any crap that I may or may not have to deal with at work.

The downside is what I alluded to in the parentheses in the paragraph above: I'm spending money.  I think I'm going to Old Chicago tonight.  Honestly I prefer Buffalo Wild Wings because it's farther away, and that allows me to rev up my car so it'll be at operating temperature long enough to burn off any impurities in the oil when I use it.  Also, I like it there.  But I don't have a discount they give you when you answer their survey.  I used one last week, and I guess they don't give you another one after you use one.  So I'm going to Old Chicago.  Better on the wallet; there are true Happy Hour specials at Old Chicago on Sunday nights, something BWW doesn't have.  (Well, they have it with food, but not drinks.)  But I'm still spending money.

I talked about this with my shrink.  The biggest expense for people usually is going out.  (For me it's strippers and handjobs.  I'm unique that way.)  That is what I've been doing a lot since my parents went on their trip.  I shouldn't.  It's totally damaging my checking account and preventing me from building towards the future.  But I guess my values dictate that I enjoy myself a little bit every day.  And that's what I've been doing: Eating out, every day.  I guess that's what makes me happy, helps make my day worthwhile.