A Familiar Dilemma

Roughly one weekend in three I'll dash off to see friends who are (regrettably) spread out all over the country - nay, the world. The other two weekends I'll take it easy, do laundry and paperwork, read, surf, generally recharge my mental and physical batteries and end up in a pub or club with Bristol friends on the Saturday night.

It feels like every time my local friends have an event, i.e. more than just beers or a barbecue, it clashes with my plans to leave town. I didn't go camping with them because I'd already been invited to a party in Brighton by The Paranoid Mod and his entourage, and I could swing by East London to celebrate Shig's 30th birthday on my way home. I didn't go on a married man's "Gold Pass Weekend" trip to Amsterdam because a lady I'd been chasing for a while consented to go on a date with me the same day. Now I've been invited to Joeri's birthday party, by coincidence also in Amsterdam, on 2006-08-05. To-ne has been planning a cinema night with a big screen and amplifier in his Bristol back garden for months and only last week did he find a date that all his friends and family could make: 2006-08-05.

I haven't seen Joeri in six months, since he gave me the best Christmas ever. He was instrumental in getting me the hell out of America and back on my feet with regular career-type work. He's hilarious, a soul mate of sorts and I miss him. I've known To-ne since we were in school together and I don't want him or my other Bristol friends thinking that I only spend time with them when I've nothing better to do.

I can't believe I have another double-booking! Setting aside for a moment the annoyance that I'd be having more fun if I could go to more than half the things to which I'm invited, what on earth am I supposed to do?