Jerry Timms

I wanted to take some time to write about the really fantastic night I had last night.

It started out with me meeting Rich and Justin at Amsterdam. It was kinda dead for a Saturday night, so we hung out and had a few drinks and chatted. One of the things I really like about Rich and Justin is that they don’t feel the need to be always “on.” It’s very comfortable to just hang out with them and chat about this and that, and then be a little crazy when the opportunity presents itself! Much like Jerry. It’s not exhausting to hang out with any of them, we’re comfortable just casually chatting (or not) and being in each others’ company.

We saw Mike at Amsterdam while we were sitting next to the bar, and hung out with him and his friends for a bit, and then again later at Burn. What I really love about Mike is that he is so open (physically and mentally) and just about the most positive person you’ll ever meet. You can’t help but to smile and laugh when he’s around. Great looking guy, and when he hugs you, you feel like you’ve known him forever. He’s definitely going places, and I understand some of the struggles and decisions he’s trying to make in order to get there.

After deciding that everyone was starting to head over to Burn, we got in the car and found an easier than expected parking space on Washington. We got in line, and observed how they obviously stole the busy outdoor line trick from QAF. A few minutes later, Jerry showed up (lucky guy gets to walk to almost everywhere from his downtown loft) and we were granted access to the inside of the club.

One thing you can say about Burn is that the music has been top notch. The place has a vibe that reminds me of early (busy) Crowbar days, and this is a place where everyone likes to dance. Indeed, I have done more dancing at this place in the last week than I have done in awhile. When the crowd is literally pulsating to the music, I have no problem putting some of my insecurities aside and joining in.

I believe this is the first night I have been able to hang out with Jerry, Rich and Justin all together. I really felt good about this because Jerry has been my best friend for 11 years, and I have known Rich for almost 10. I haven’t stayed in constant contact with Rich due to boyfriends, interstate moves and whatnot, but it’s so great to have him and Justin back in my life. For those who don’t know, Rich is primarily responsible for me choosing the career path that I did after college…and well, I am just not sure what I would be doing right now if I had never met him. I certainly don’t think I’d have this gorgeous house downtown, and it’s possible I might not have even stayed in AZ past 1999. It’s so interesting to take a look at your life now, and discern how all the people in your life play such pivotal roles in how it was shaped. Needless to say, I consider all of my friends as true mentors, and it feels very intimate and special when you realize that your friends are a permanent part of you and that you would be entirely someone else without them.

With Jerry it’s a unique situation because, as my pledge son in our fraternity, we started out in a much more formal active/pledge relationship. I don’t think we thought we had much in common in the beginning. But over the years, we seem to flip back and forth as to who is mentoring who. Jerry helped (helps) me come out of my social shell, I help with lifestyle advice, Jerry helps with fitness and style advice, I help with career advice, Jerry helps with relationship advice, and the list goes on. We can each count on each other for any amount of help, or just for the other person to be a sounding board for ideas and confessions. I hope we always have that.

Back at Burn, Jerry scoped out the place for awhile and was becoming frustrated with the defiiciency in female eye candy. There certainly were a lot more girls on Thursday, but tonight I think the fruit flies (ha, Justin’s term) were for the most part left at home. After some more drinks, photos, conversation and some mild stalking, Jerry went home and I stayed with Rich and Justin for a little while longer.

Something truly amazing happened just prior to close, and I was shocked that someone in the club I have been interested in for a very long time came up to me and started some conversation. By long time, I mean about 5 years… We have talked once online before, and that’s how he recognized me. I was extremely nervous because I’d been checking him out for so long (see mild stalking comment above), but luckily remembered almost every last detail from our online conversation about 2 months ago before I left for a long business trip. We’ll call him Glasses, the term I coined for him several years ago - and you can probably guess why - I’m not going to try to portray this as a creative nickname! He absolutely exudes the most amazing sexy intellect (think Michael’s hot college professor BF from QAF) I have ever seen and felt. It doesn’t take long to realize that his emotional intelligence runs high, and it was great to talk to him finally in person and swap numbers.

After the 2am harsh-lighting-in-your-face last call, Rich and Justin and I went home and stayed up quite late talking about music, circuit parties and travel, and life in our new Phoenix. I mean, there’s a reason why they call it Phoenix, right?

Ok, so there was a reappearance of Mr. X tonight. I went to the grand opening of Burn with 2 really great friends, and I saw him on the dance floor. Burn was ok, small but needed. Way overstaffed, hopefully they can scale back a bit to stay in business…and a little too snooty for my taste at the door. But appropriately named?

It was a hot night, and Mr. X and I were sweating on the dance floor. There’s something to be said for talking with your hands and your lips, when the music is too loud and that’s all you have. When someone gives in to the rhythm, and your arms, and looks at you like you were sent to them from somewhere else. That’s the moment you can’t prepare for, just have to let it happen.