Kind of Blue

Miles Davis just came on the stereo at Starbucks. Let me catch you up a bit.

***

I started writing a story a couple years ago. It's set in Philadelphia, in the area surrounding and including Temple University. Featuring an ensemble cast of 9, I loved my story and my characters. One of them was an arrogant, womanizing university soccer stud named Alex.

Last week at the arch, the real, actual Temple basketball team came through to go up to the top. When I saw them, I couldn't stop glancing at them, silently, nonsensically thinking-- "They probably know Alex. And Maddie! (His girlfriend) I bet some of them were there at that party when it all went down."

Story is a haunting, amusing, perspective-altering beast, isn't it?

***

Speaking of that. I miss my story. Stories. I feel guilty that I never finish any of them. I feel like the writer in me has suffered a terrible accident that has left her paralyzed and only able dream and absorb other people's art. She is grateful to be alive, but heartbroken that time and inspiration refuse to converge on her.

***

But maybe I'm just being moody because the past few days have been exhausting. On the employment front, I found a potential new opportunity. In the space of a week, I've been hopeful, then relieved and excited... then promised, shocked, disappointed, frustrated, surprised and grateful. And haven't breathed a word about it to anyone I work with.

On the househunting front, we've found 4 "perfect" houses over the past few weeks. Two were in crappy neighborhoods. The third got snatched up a day before we could draw up a contract. And the fourth, found us sitting in Starbucks across from our realtor last night, signing very important looking papers. One step (read: check) from turning in an offer on our first house, we pulled the plug. It's not time. We're staying in our cute, parade route flat with the busted dishwasher until further notice.

On the everything else front, our dog hasn't eaten anything weird in weeks. He's gotten really good at fetch too. I saw Legally Blonde on stage last week with a new friend, and it was delightful. I saw The Fantastic Mr. Fox on blu-ray and I highly recommend it. After reading one of Katie's lists, I've been reading A Tree Grows In Brooklyn for the first time and I love it. I'm also obsessed with these right now and planning on attempting to make them sometime in the near future.

***

Last week at church, my friend brought her new son, Cannan, to church for the first time. When she brought him into the children's room, five other women and I were there, watching Allie (6 months) and Cash (9 months) play on the puzzle piece floormats. Celeste sat down with Cannan and we all talked and laughed and watched the babies rolling and jabbering and teething and trying to crawl. Looking around at these six other women, so outwardly different, but so alike in heart and love for these little ones, I suddenly felt like we were a pride of lionnesses-- strong, brave, ever-watchful and community-dependent for survival. I loved it. And it took me a week to write it down, but there you have it.