Yes, Virginia, there really are normal people in Miami

Development - something has happened that makes me want to rescind 2% of my previous Miami-bashing comments. I have a profile up on MySpace. I was basically pressured into it by a friend of mine who is a die-hard MySpacer even though I'm already a Friendster person. Anyway, I succumbed to his pressure (basically it amounted to this: "I'm always on MySpace and I'm going to be travelling a lot and MySpace is the only way to really keep track of where I am and what I'm doing, so if you don't care about me and what happens to me and you think we should lose touch then don't sign up for MySpace". Argh. I'm a doormat.) and yesterday was the first time I've really been glad I did.

Yesterday I got a message from a lovely girl down here in SoFl who started an online group of Northeastern women who have all moved to the south Florida area. She said she was just trying to build a network of "normal" people to be friends with and get together with now and then to enjoy each others' company. That might sound strange to you if you've never lived in Miami. This place is like an alternate universe most of the time, so I instantly connected with this woman. Well, she started that group just yesterday morning and now there are about 12 or so of us. I was reading profiles of the members and I read a very funny one from a woman who's orig. from Pittsburgh, like me. I messaged her and we've been email chatting for the better part of the day (oh Fridays...) and she's hilarious. She, the group founder and I are getting together for brunch tomorrow in South Beach. I'm really happy about that.

I know that part of my frustration with this place is that I haven't really made friends here. Sure, I chat it up with the folks at the office, but we don't hang out outside of work. I'm a very social person and I depend on my friends for a lot of support, whether they know it or not. Not being near them is very hard for me and I feel like even just this brunch makes me feel like less of a loser. It's not that my lack of friends has made me loser-ish, it's that my lack of effort to meet people has made me feel bad about myself. I had sunk into a rut of disliking this city and it had caused me to shut down all plans I had of going out and meeting people.

So, tomorrow I will go to brunch and I will have a good time. I have a solid feeling about these girls. Genuine people with healthy senses of humor. It's just what the doctor ordered.