How to stop being a homebody

When I was in high school I was rarely home. I'd leave for days at a time, borrowing friends' clothes and eating every meal out.

I moved out of my parents' house as soon as I graduated and things didn't change much for a while. Then I got a nice apartment and busy with school and work. I don't know if it was the having a beautiful home without my parents around or the not having enough energy to go out part that changed me, but you'd be lucky to catch me going out (my last attempt I almost fell asleep at a table at Unburger at 8:00 on a Saturday night...)

Now I'll hear about an art show or concert or party a month ahead of time and get pumped up about going. I might even plan to go right up until an hour before the event starts.

I'll head home to get ready. But by the time I make it into my apartment and take care of my cats, I'm exhausted. I'll sit down to think about what I need to do before I leave. Inevitably I'll look frazzled so a shower is needed. Then I'll have to redo my makeup and hair. Eating dinner will have to happen. While I'm making the mental list one of my cats will snuggle in on my lap. And it's over. I pick up a book or magazine within reach and spend my night right there.

As a journalist I think it's important to know what's going on in the city. It's important to get to know a lot of different people. In other words, it's important to go out and experience new things.

I've been trying to do this lately. How I've started to go about forcing myself to leave home is by turning everything into work or some other obligation.

Tomorrow night I am going to see Alannah Zeebeck play at Sam's Place. She is a musician donating her talents and time to a launch party I am having November 30 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the University of Winnipeg for my zine, Cockroach. I have to go to take photographs for the soon to be launched Cockroach blog. I also need to go to show her support and visit with a friend who told me recently (and unexpectedly) over Facebook that he is transitioning. Watch me try to get out of that one!