#WTF: About the last 24 hours ... can I get a rundown? (brunch w @daveholmes, cussed out by cabbie, knife fight)

So, yesterday was Gay Pride Day here in West Hollywood. It is literally the greatest day ever as Santa Monica blvd is shut down and 400K of your closest new friends come out and play with their self expression and self exploration.

@AmandaEBoyle and I had met up with these British boys over at Saddle the night before, and because they didn't have access to their cells we agreed to meet up at the Hudson at 1pm so we could show them around the parade.

This is one of the dudes, btw ...

Me thinks he's going to like the parade!!

So, we then peaced out of the house and walked down Santa Monica arriving at the Hudson right before the arranged meeting time. Before we walked in though I saw this little girl who got REALLY excited when a drag queen walked by her. Instead of her parents being upset at the little girl's excitement they encouraged her to run up and give her a hug.

It seems like such a small moment, but it absolutely floored me and I almost cried. This little girl has NO IDEA how cool her parents are for being so accepting. My mom and dad taught me growing up to love everyone unconditionally ... ALWAYS. I wasn't allowed to make fun of anyone, and if someone had a disability or was in need in some capacity my parents would reprimand my brother and me if we didn't offer a hand.

I had NOOOOO idea obviously growing up how much that UNCONDITIONAL level of love and acceptance would shape my life - and even my business. Way to go mom and dad for being so awesome!!!

<tangent> To this DAY I cannot wrap my brain around the fact that gays do not have equal rights regarding marriage. Literally ... I can't even speak on it - I'm just so shocked and it is entirely outside of my frame of consciousness. (Besides you know there are SO many producers out there that would love to make Gay Divorce Court, and Groomzilla.) </tangent>

We then kick it at the Hudson and unfortunately don't see our British boys.

::sad panda::

We then agree to just grab a table and enjoy in the wonderful bottomless mimosas.

Dudes, the Hudson is LEGIT on those, btw!! Normally places have like one ounce of champagne and the rest OJ ... WHOOOOIIIEEEEE ... not the Hudson, I was DEFINITELY feeling the bubbles.

A few minutes into us sitting and chatting ... @itsmejoolie was there btw with her new beau who is pretty awesome ...

Nice photobomb btw from the ginger. Watch out, she might be stealing your soul.

Anyway, a few minutes into us sitting there chatting I look over to the table next to me and spot a familiar face. I am an EAGLE eye when it comes to spotting the most RANDOM and OBSCURE people. I can't tell you how many times I've gone up to someone on a reality show and said I know I know you from somewhere ...

::Insert awkward internal monologue::

I know I know this person ... think think think ... have we dated? slept together? maayybbbeeeee

Oh no, they were just on Road Rules.

Whew, that was a close one.

Meanwhile you're still standing in front of the person looking slightly constipated from thinking so hard. You then casually remove yourself from the area as you then avoid that person for the duration of your time at the grocery store.

I knew I knew this guy .... I then whispered into Amanda's ear, is that Dave Holmes from MTV?

She looks over ... replying, I think so.

I then search Dave Holmes on twitter into google and pull up his feed.

He makes mention of being at the Hudson.

I FREAAAKKKKK out saying omg omg omg omg it IS him!! He's an MTV VJ god!

See, Dave was the first runner up back in 1998 on Wanna be a VJ. <tangent> He actually lost out to Jesse Camp who is also from CT and my 8th grade english teacher Mr. Hart had him as a student. I was in 8th grade in 98 and I remember Mr. Hart yelling at us saying Jesse was no one we should look up to and that in class he was a horrible student. </tangent>

VJs in the 90s had the best. jobs. ever. I can't even begin to tell you how many audition tapes I sent into MTV and how baaadddllllllyyyyy I wanted to be a VJ.

Dave always seemed so warm and INCREDIBLY down to earth - he was in my living room EVERY afternoon growing up, I realized I had to say SOMETHING!!!

Instead of me being a normal human being however, I figured that twitter was my best course of action ...

Is this REALLY happening, I thought!

Dave IMMEDIATELY @replied me back, and even started waving. He then took a read at my twitter bio and we struck up a solid conversation about the time Julie and I danced on stage with Prince.

Dave is seriously one of the NICEST people ever. We talked for about 15 minutes, then they enjoyed their meal and left shortly after.

I'm excited though because I not only got a hug, but we are now following each other on twitter - and I offered to help him if he needed any social media advice. (click here to follow Dave)

WINNING!

So that happened.

I then popped back home for a bit to get my schtuff together and head on down to the bus so I could get to this social media meet up in Santa Monica.

I normally never ... ever ... go to those things, but it was with a chickadee that I spoke on an awesome panel with at the WITI summit last week.

She's from NY and was making a pitt stop in LA en route back.

I then had to walk ALLLLLLLLL the way down Santa Monica blvd to pick up the bus at Rexford because of the rescheduled routes because of the parade.

FML, I thought. Rexford is in Beverly Hills, and while it isn't exactly unwalkable (FTR, via my couch surfing days I can physically walk up to 11 miles in a 24 hour period.) it is def not going to be the easiest thing ever.

I then sat for a few minutes still taking in some of the sights from the parade, and as I did so a cabbie stopped next to me and motioned for me to get in.

Front seat, he shouted at me.

I can't tell you HOW many times I've had cabbies stop and ask if they can give me a ride somewhere - I actually just tweeted about that last week. I had yet to take one up on the offer, but I figured in that moment why not! There are 400K of my closest new friends all around, and it's still daylight - how bad can this be?

I then got in the front seat of the cab and he asked me where I was going.

Rexford, just up the street, I said.

Not a problem.

He then turns to me in kind of a skeezy way asking, so, you got boyfriend?

No, I say out of stupidity.

Really Friel, really? Being honest in situations like this is not exactly a good idea - but again I have no filter.

He then placed his hand on my leg as I quickly removed it tensing my body up. 

You gay, he asks?

No - I'm conservative I reply (excluding the partially slutty dress I was rocking of course).

Where are you from, I ask quickly changing the conversation.

Russia and Armenia.

Wow, that's quite the combo I say.

I then notice a tattoo on his left wrist.

What does your tatt say, I ask?

H.P. It is for my first love, he says with his thick accent.

Ah - how funny! I have love tattooed on my wrist!

I then show him my right wrist and he smiles.

Moments later I arrived at Rexford.

Thanks for the lift, I say getting out of the cab.

I want number, he says. I'd like to take you to Sunset and Crescent Heights for sushi.

My brain then scans the plaza there, and I realize he is talking about Sushi Dan.

Sushi Dan? You mean?

Yeah, he says.

FTR, saying "I want to take you to Sushi Dan" is like saying to a chick anywhere else in America, "I'd like to take you to Chilis for a nice dinner."

It made me laugh actually because it was so random and so ... not a date place ... but I then gave him my actual number to which he immediately calls.

I HATE IT WHEN GUYS DO THAT!!!!

He then said, I drive you to airport anytime - no charge.

Really, I thought, considering all of the traveling I do ... THAT is something I can use.

I then smile and shake his hand saying, deal!

I laugh as I got out of the cab thinking well, at least he didn't try to kill me. My curiosity has now been appeased and I have no plan on taking any more unsolicited taxi cab rides.

I then took the bus down to Santa Monica, and as I got off at third street promenade I looked up and spotted yet ANOTHER familiar face.

Holy shit, I thought, that's @helslevy!!!

I scream her name (I'm not at all subtle with friends) and she looks up and smiles.

JEN!!!!

We then kick it for a bit as we talk about life, love, and all things social media.

I then realized I was pretty late for my event so we embraced and I walked the final half mile to Casa Del Mar.

The meet up was pretty cool all around. Again, I hate hate hate going to those things normally because people pitch you on projects and it all comes out as nails on chalkboard to me. I'm GENUINELY never mad at it, people have to follow their passions, but I can't tell you how many times I hear - "but what is the return on twitter, really?" It's like COMMMEEEEE ONNNNNNNN people you can't think of it that way - twitter is a utility, like the telephone!!!!! One person can use it one way and have absolute success with it, but it's NOT cookie cutter and there are a TON of variables when it comes to the desired level of engagement and communication brands/ platforms/ people should use.

It miffs my muffin and I'm too passionate to not get REALLY heated at parties. One woman admitted to using bots and I screamed NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO you're doing twitter wrongggggggggg!!!

Ugh, fail.

I'm even right now turning a little red typing this out. I understand people don't "get it" but those that do REALLY do and THOSE are the people I want to kick it with.

As always though, I was grateful for the debates and inspired by learning from people that I normally don't get to kick it with.

My buddy then walked me back to my bus stop and sometime around midnight I called it a night.

I sat at the bus stop and flipped on my iTunes, and the first song that came up was this ...

I placed my hoodie on and over my head to get a bit more "on the DL."

I started lip syncing the words at the bus stop and I then realized how white I am. There is nothing in this song I can relate to. The hoods of what, West Hartford Connecticut?? Could I BE more of a cracker?

Whatever, I thought - this is gangster, it's midnight, you're sitting alone at a bus stop in Santa Monica.

I then feel a tap on my shoulder, I turn around.

Hi, says a guy on a bike.

Where are you going?

Home, I reply.

No, you're too pretty to go home alone.

HA! I said, you have no idea what you're getting yourself into with that comment. (read this post dedicated to all future beaus)

He then lifts up his shirt and shows me a 1" wound on his forearm.

The beat of the song still playing on my partially misplaced headphones, I can hear the bumping of "minute after minute, hour after hour" as he says, I got stabbed tonight.

Wait, WHAT, I say???

Yeah, a homeless guy just came up and stabbed me. It's looking better now, he said casually.

Dude, you have to go to the hospital.

I'll live, he said.

Dude, no, seriously, you have to get a shot to make sure it doesn't get infected.

See, when I got hit in the head with the brick I had three shots. Two were numbing agents for when I had to get the staples and the third was a tetnus shot to make sure the wound wouldn't get infected.

While this guy's arm was definitely starting to clot and heal, it was still obviously very fresh and depending on what he got stabbed with could get a MASSIVE infection.

GO. TO. THE. HOSPITAL. I say sternly.

I'm fine, he said as he began pedaling. I wouldn't mind though if you wanted to take me.

Hahaha, hell no, I thought - but nice try.

The bus then rounded the corner and as I got on my phone started ringing.

It was the cabbie.

Ah, fuck, I thought. I don't want to deal with this right now.

I let it go to voicemail.

Seconds later, he calls back.

and again ...

and again ...

and again ...

I then notice that he called earlier in the evening too - but I obviously didn't hear because I was at the event.

I look down and also see I have a text from him.

He's a very digital motherfucker, I thought.

I open up the text message which he sent at 9:41 ...

I'm pretty sure he meant to type Fuck. You. It's kinda funny though how he delivered it, I can hear his Russian/ Armenian accent clear as day ... haha this guy is so pissed we're not going to Sushi Dan's. 

Well done, Friel.

My phone continued to ring for the entire bus ride back - and again, I let it all go to voicemail.

I then safely got back home and passed out.

So, that was my Sunday. How was yours?

#thatisall