Impropmtu Alley Party

The school psychology Praxis II is one of the required components of all graduate school psych programs. This morning at 7:30 AM, yes 7:30 AM...I had to take this licensure exam at the University of Maryland so that I am eligible to be licensed once I complete my year long internship. I didn't really study because I spent the last two years fully immersed in all things school psych, which I felt has more than prepared me for the life of a school psychologist. I did not however, plan on having a hangover when I took the test, so now I am unsure of how well I performed.*

So how did I end up with a hangover the night before an important and very early test? Alson usually takes Kona out at around 5 0'clock, (We have finally got her on a three times a day schedule!) and last night he happened to go out the back door of our building so that Kona could be in the less traveled alley. Four of our neighbors as well as a neighbors friend were all sitting out back in the alley having an impromptu happy hour get together. I know, the alley sounds like a gross place to hang out, but ours is actually nicely shaded with trees and all the neighbors we met have the entrances to their condos back there and it is nicely kept. I did not, however, know that it was the cool hangout in our building. The way our apartment is situated, we can enter from either the front or the back, and we just never happened to see anyone out there if we did use the back door.

Anyway, Alson called me out so we could finally meet some of our neighbors, and I was offered a beer. We sat out back (antique folding chairs and a large patio table umbrella provided for a nice atmosphere) and met a bunch of other neighbors on their walk home from work, as they were headed out for the night, etc. etc. Well one beer turned into two, two turned into a glass of wine, and before you know it we were eating pizza with one set of neighbors at Dupont Italian Kitchen...and it was 11 o'clock. Yikes! I like ran home, chugged water, took some Advil, and went straight to bed so that I wouldn't be miserable when 6 AM rolled around. False, I felt terrible this morning.

Now don't get me wrong, it was really great meeting everyone and I had a TON of fun chatting with everyone, but somehow time flew by, we didn't eat dinner and I ended being drunk instead of in bed getting a good night's rest before the big test. You would think that I would be able to control myself and take responsibility of my drinking, right? Well I have rationalized that being bombarded with potential friends is definitely not something we experience everyday, and we just couldn't afford to turn down the opportunity to hang out and get to know some new people. And although it came at a terrible time in terms of "professional" responsibility, it was perfect timing for our social life (or lack there of) because I was seriously starting to get discouraged with DC and I have been missing my friends back in NC and NY terribly. So here is to hoping that we will hang out with the neighbors again and that I get licensed!

*Honestly, the test was not that difficult and I do know my stuff, I am probably just overacting and being a basketcase.