Post weekend wrap-up. Pass the Excedrin, please...

This was quite a weekend. In Facebook, we had our monthly Richmond Expats Party, where we all drink together in different cities. To give us a sense of unity, we choose a drink, a theme, and a bonus item. July 2012 was Mickey's Wide Mouth Malt Liquor, a Hawaiian Shirt, and a hand-drawn map of Virginia with Richmond identified on it.
I'm also experiencing drama in my Peyton Place-like apartment complex. This one talks about that one; she's not speaking to this one; blah, blah, blah. The negativity abounds! My roommates are drawn into it, I'm seemingly getting sucked into this whole mess. It stems from a negative outlook and worldview, compounded by an almost alcoholic love of drinking. I'll admit--I imbibe, and sometimes may even over-imbibe--but I don't live to drink. Some of the participants in this reality-show-without-the-cameras freakin' live to drink. That's it. No helping people, no feeding the homeless, not even going to school, forging a career path, or improving themselves in any way. Just working an $8/hr job, racing home to sit in an apartment and drink, and look down in judgment of people. Rinse and repeat, seven days and/or nights per week. I'd find it laughable, if it wasn't so sad. While these forces are trying to draw me in, I refuse to play along. I choose to have a purpose in my life. I want to both help others, and improve myself. I'm not preaching; I'm not saying I'm perfect. I don't profess to have all the answers. I don't even look down on these people (though they look down on me). My faith and my God tell me to love these people and pray for them. So I will. But I also plan to stay as clear as possible from their quicksand of negativity, and elevate myself. To prosper in my life will be the best way to overcome this tar-pit. If I want to visit them, I know where they'll always be--on the same porch, drinking the same beer, and bitching about the same crap. I'll drop in on them maybe a year from now, just to remind myself where I've been, and to keep focused. It'll also give them more fodder to bitch about me behind my back after I walk away.  Just trying to help.
Have a great week, everybody, and don't let the negs in your life neg you out.