BFFE

It's amazing the effects that that much-needed, long distance, hour-or-three-long chat with your best friend can have. Like plunging an epi-pen into your heart after having an allergic reaction to life. I love you.

LoveFest

So when I got back on Monday, I took my dog for a stroll around my neighborhood. But first I went to the Produce Place and picked up my bi-weekly brown bag of goods. I love the Produce Place. I love buying groceries. I love putting my groceries away and seeing my full refrigerator and my full cupboards. It makes me feel like a grown up. As if I've accomplished a major feat by being able to feed myself (I guess I sort of have, but, you know). It makes me feel secure to see all of that food in there, especially the healthy stuff. Veggies for colorful salads and organic milk and quinoa. And I love my neighborhood. I love the houses. I love meandering through the state streets with my dog and never getting tired of picking out which house is my favorite. Which houses I'd want to live in. Which one is better than the other and for what reason. I love those first warm days when everyone is out. And I can get a glimpse of the people whose houses I've been envying for months. On days like this one, I love being alive. Can smell life in the air. The sadness and negativity and bullshit fall off, and what's left is the person that I wish I were all the time.

Fleeting, perhaps, but at least she's in there somewhere, right? Just waiting for a little sunshine...

Tomorrow I Will Be In A Mitten

Or "The" Mitten, if you prefer. My cousin is having a baby. I'm going up for the baby shower. It is supposed to rain-turn-into-snow all day on my trek north. I am, however, really looking forward to seeing my family. I am excited to be sharing this first baby shower of my generation with all of the women (and maybe some men) in my family. It's a milestone. It's a little bittersweet. I'm not looking forward to the drive. But I can't wait to see them. All of them.

The Move, The Move

Is happening Sept. 12 at noon. It's actually been happening all week. I've been packing and dragging what I can carry to the new place during my lunch breaks. I'm hoping to only have the big stuff left by next Saturday.
I need some things. I'm looking forward to the fall. I'm gonna' relax into myself and my new place. I'm gonna focus on my health. On my pooch. On hanging with the people that are important to me. I'm gonna work enough to get my apartment in order and hopefully pay down some debt.
This fall/winter has self-improvement written all over it. And I'm right on top of that, Rose.

Today Was A Good Day

And it's not even over yet! Apparently being sans boyfriend makes me very prolific. I feel the need to update all three of you on my every single move. Day 2 of Solobacheloria has matched my forecast quite well, though I didn't make it to the dentist - I got up too late.
I did, however, make it to work early. I hit up Trader Joe's during my lunch hour. It was my first time. Oh my crap. I think that that store made my day. Possibly my week. I dropped $100 on my first selfish grocery excursion in years. I am not going to lie, I bought every single thing that I wanted. It was awesome. If there was a cult of Trader Joe's I would be there, drinking the Kool-Aid.
I still managed to get in some overtime. I left promptly at 5:30. I took my dog for an awesome walk/run around our well-landscaped complex. I am currently making Polenta Provencale: With Spinach & Peas in a Spicy Creamy Sauce. Tonight's movie shall be The Wackness or Mamma Mia! I may top it off with ice cream before attending my dance party for one. I may not.
Have a day like this. Where you do some little things that make your heart happy. Where you find yourself enjoying some unexpected pleasure (like organic, preservative-free food that doesn't cost as much as a small pony). Do something nice for yourself today. Or tomorrow. Or Saturday. You won't regret it.

Twitter

I just joined. I feel like an odd sellout about it. More pressure to come up with witty slogans that prove I'm charming and funny. Really, I just checked out the site for the first time after all of this chatter about Ashton Kutcher and John Mayer. Then the website won me over with all of those cartoon birds. So pretty. You know what they say about rednecks, we like anything sparkly...
Well, that's what I heard the other day, and it certainly applies to me, so I must be a redneck. Ha, I swear the Jeff Foxworthy reference was an accident.

And just in case you were wondering, but you probably weren't, we're going to the Elite Eight!!! Awesome game. Go Green!

Ticky Tacky

"And they're all made out of ticky tacky and they all look just the same." Five points if you know what that's from...Yes, Random House. That's the name of my game.
Hmmm, to do the year in review or not? I can't decide. I think it's still too fresh. Being 367 days past its prime and all. I did, however, make New Year's resolutions. I will list them for you:
1. Call Austin every Sunday.
2. Exercise 4-5 times per week.
3. Eat more fresh fruits and veggies.
4. Shop at the farmer's market for said fruits and veggies.
5. Go to ALL of my book club meetings (I was a tad absent in '08).
6. Buy a house.
7. Pay 1/2 of my credit card balance (numbers 6 & 7 should maybe be reversed, no?).
8. Have dance parties.
9. Be grateful.
10. Volunteer.
Personally, I think ten is a nice, round number. I'm sticking with it. I'm sticking with these resolutions too. I will MAKE them happen. That's how I'll be rolling in 2009. This year's motto is: Time to stop talking about it and start being about it. Sounds badass, right?

Life Is Good

Tony was offered a position for the job he interviewed for on Monday! It's in the office (as opposed to the warehouse) for the company he currently works for. What's funny is that when he starts his professional career in 2008, he'll already have put in almost 10 years of service at this company. Holy crazy hell. He's going to be one of those examples that the company tells new hires about.
I am so excited for him. He was so bummed out after his interview, because he thought he had screwed it up. I suppose this is what love is. Being as excited about the other's achievement as you would be if it had been your own. And I suppose that this is a milestone or a turning point or something in our life together. Soon we'll both be working adults instead of one working and one semi-working, matriculating adult. We'll be a dink household. We'll be out of the strange limbo period I've felt us to be in and into something new.
In other good news, my car is treating me well after become a legal citizen of Davidson County. That's all I'm saying for fear of jinxing myself.
I feel good about today. I feel like I'm just going to relish this good feeling. Bask in the glory of great news and not worry about all those things that make me worry. Where my life is going? If I'm living up to my own expectations? What's going to happen with my mother and brother? Whether a roach will be waiting for me in my bathroom this evening?
Sometimes it is enough to just take a moment for what it is. And appreciate those good things that life hands out to us occasionally. Love. Employment. Stability. Pets. Enough money to eat grilled cheese and watch Waitress. A warm bed. A favorite song.
I guess my Thanksgiving just came a week late.

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Words cannot express the joy of getting your car fixed. I mean, really, they really can't. I'll try anyway. The sum total I've spent since August getting my tags came to $588. That's for three mechanics, a tune up, emissions, two tickets, and the actual price of tags. And while that sends me into a frenzy of panic over how I will ever pay off my credit card, and how I will ever make Christmas happen, much less get to Michigan for the holidays...it is an enormous relief to have my car back. To not be hitching rides to and from work. To not be stuck at home once I've gotten there. To not tremble in fear every time I drive past a cop with my 3-month expired tags.
Ahhh...sweet, sweet freedom. When the lady at MARTA told me I'd passed the test, I seriously wanted to hug her. I broke into this huge grin and told her to have a good day instead. She returned my well wishing halfheartedly. Then I headed to the Hermitage Police Precinct to get my new tags. It was like angels shining down upon me when I stuck that new sticker on.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
I will bask in this calming light and ponder whether maybe the universe does transpire to help you achieve the things you need. More on that later.