Back in Boland

I have dreams that have story lines. They don’t typically jump around—they follow the standard pattern of storytelling, they have clear conflict and resolutions. People do things in character.

The dream I had this weekend was based around a science experiment. In the dream, when I had moved into my dorm my freshman year of college I had signed paperwork agreeing to be part of a study on personal space. Our living on that dorm floor was conditional on us moving back into the same room with the same people 11 years later, when we were 29, and staying there for two weeks. Two weeks back in my freshman dorm room, with my freshman roommate. We had to take freshman classes. We were only allowed the same things we had when we moved in 10 years prior—if we didn’t have a cell phone then, we couldn’t have one now, if we didn’t have a car then, we couldn’t have one now—and we filled out surveys and had interviews talking about the experience. I think it was a study on perceptions of personal space, but I fully don’t recall. In the dream I was realizing how fascinating it truly was.

I hope the Woodchuck 32oz bottles come back too! Oh wait.

Now I can’t stop thinking about it. What would that be like? Would friendships rekindle or would we be insular after the years?And dear god, would we still buy Hooch?

Blindfolded and Packin' Heat

I haven't been posting much lately, so most of the posts I do manage to get off are a spray of gunfire at the side of a barn; hitting and missing with equal ferocity. And thus I load and fire.

• Murphy and Caroline came down this past weekend for an extended stay and a Bad Idea Girls reunion. Things we learned:

We love to eat. Constantly.
We also enjoy quality beverages
Murphy is funny without trying
I have a molester cat that lives in my house
I steal the covers.
Muffin Top is in Tennessee

We visited Jack of the Wood, Heiwa Shakura, The French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Laughing Seed, Sunnypoint, Mayfel's, Barley's Taproom, Asheville Brewing Company, French Broad Brewing Company, Dirty Jack's, The Thirsty Monk, among many other stops. Wow. I can't tell you how I love those girls. They make living fun. They are so many of the best parts of life. And so what if we aren't necessarily good at darts, and Caroline is still bitter she didn't get to go to high school with Heath Ledger like Julia Stiles did in “10 Things I Hate About You”. It was a weekend so necessary for me—I needed a time of hosting and laughter. I don't feel like I've had enough of it lately. Gunticles. Giggle.

• Saturday night I was sitting in Dirty Jacks with Chuck, Kelly, Caroline, Murphy, Sara C, Margarita, Nate, Anthony, Kara, Doug and Patrick talking and laughing and in that moment I fell in love with this place all over again. This is my home, this is where I'm supposed to be.

• My Cranium calendar on Monday was a science quiz: “What word can be made out of the periodic names for the elements Sulfur, Oxygen, Carbon and Potassium?” and I love that Caroline answered it in less than 5 seconds. (Answer: SOCK)

• I have boy drama once again. How does this happen? I don't try for it, I promise. Things seem to be circling around. Just call me angel of the morning, angel. I appreciate honesty, depth, vulnerability and humility more and more. I used to think what I wanted was someone like me, now I believe it may be just the opposite.

• I'm in the process of re-tiling about half of the house. The back bathroom with vinyl tile, the kitchen, hall and other bath with ceramic tile. I love a new challenge and adventure, love honing skills and love an excuse to get another tool. I could be a very good handywoman. I don't feel like I've worked my brain much at all lately, so at least some physical labor makes me feel that at least part of me isn't spiraling toward atrophy.

• Team name “If Clinton Didn't Inhale Why Did He Come to Asheville High?” won the pitcher at Quizzo Monday night. Now I've been doing Quizzo since July and my team never won a team name until last week and winning it this week as well makes us a practical dynasty. Booyah. (for those who don't know, Bill Clinton came and gave a stump speech at Asheville High School on Saturday night as part of his campaigning for Hillary, hence our joke). Shout out to Jane for coming up with the name. I also won my 4^th shout out question. Ridiculous.

• I've been asked to write something and read it in a wedding in September. I've also been asked to consider becoming an officiant and actually doing a wedding in October. Both of these: totally awesome. I adore public speaking.

• Watched “Into The Wild” on Sunday—read the book back in 1998 or so, the movie was fairly true to what Krakauer did in the original text. Story of a boy with too much intellect to recognize when one simply doesn't know what he doesn't know. Sad. One downside of the movie: Eddie Vedder singing. I have never cared for him. Sorry to offend.

Dodge These Bullets

• With the addition of the queen sized bed (thank you Leslie) I bought two new pillows. In other news, I'm still domesticated and mildly boring.

• Our Quizzo team finally won a pitcher for the best team name. This only took 7 months. And before you ask, yes, yes I do have friends. That I don't pay. Much.

• What ever happened to that cute girl from “Northern Exposure” with the mole and who could do that eye brow lift thing? The one opposite Aidan (I'm sorry even 5 years before “Sex and the City” John Corbett was Aidan. He still is. Always will be. That Aidan gets around) up in Alaska? Where the heck has she gone?

• Riding high on the lazy river-like tsunami of confidence from the McSweeney's print, Easter afternoon I got to seriously delve into some writings and I actually finished a short story. “Story” is a loose description, it's really a very stylized monologue from an old woman living on the coast in Maine. I like it, but I'm the only person who has ever read it. Time will tell whether it is any good or just adjective-heavy word vomit. Sometimes I feel like a Chimp playing with his own poop. Some may call it art, others call it “Hey, that monkey is playing with his poop,” while the monkey is thinking, “Wheeee!”. How's that for an artist's statement of purpose.

• Lately I've been stuck on the song “Sons and Daughters” by the Decemberists. I've had this song for over a year, but it's got new life. I heart Colin Meloy. He go wit his nerd self. Only person I know that can use words like “dirigible”, “Legionnaire”, “indolent” and “colonnade” in songs and still sound earnest.

• Friday night I had a very vivid dream that I was thrown into running a trail race that I hadn't trained for. In the dream it was a 7 mile race and I was three miles in and breathing hard. That's when I woke up having an asthma attack. I don't know if the attack spawned the dream or vice versa, but while I wasn't breathing I marveled at my subconscious' imagination. If I'm ever not breathing ask me where my inhaler is and I'll try to tell you. Or just yell “Does anyone have an albuterol inhaler!?” and maybe someone will throw one at you.

• Murphy and Romano: two days. Bad Idea Girls take on the Dirty South. Look for highlights. There will be many I'm sure.

• I got an email from Nat the other detailing how her drive back to her house was interrupted by a cow giving birth on her road. It got out of the fence and was giving birth, right there in the road. That is the part of my hometown that I truly miss. That sort of thing isn't exactly abnormal and part of some of my most fond memories. Being stuck behind cows was a normal excuse for being late to school.

• I don't think I've loved my family more than I do right now. After the McSweeney's thing, I got a voicemail from my mom that said, “It's mom, I just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and I'm proud of you. I love you, bye bye.” I cried a little bit, saved the message and now look forward to having it come up every few weeks. This message is a miracle. A true, heaven sent, blind man can see, deaf man can hear sort of miracle. I am so thankful for it.

• So the question about the obligation of citizenship that you all did a fine job of not answering is becoming an essay on its own. And if its any good and it goes anywhere, I'll make a point to not reference you. No no don't feel like you need to thank me. I know I'm gracious.

• Still don't get the obsession over fancy handbags. Don't get it. It must be how gay men feel about women. Sure they are nice and all but nope, not feeling anything either way.

Woohoo

Murphy and Caroline are visiting in 24 days.
Woohoo Weekend 2k8 with the Bad Idea Girls...Caroline was right when she said, "This won't Suck."
That is buoying me.