For that kid I can't say the right things to...

Sometimes I fall in love simply because what someone else writes is so perfectly hilarious, soulful, and interested in the life that is persistently feeding them opportunity. Optimism and motivation are contagious and deserve praise, but unfortunately I am often too shy to open up my mouth and dole it out. This is as close as it gets.

Thanks, to all the people who live with their eyes open and know how to make a good joke.

Wild Geese

I sent this little poem to a friend a couple of weeks ago, just because it snagged my attention as I was rummaging through one of my anthologies and I thought he'd think it was nice. I told him I'd sent him some mail--to be on the lookout--but it seemed to have gotten lost and wasn't making any appearances in his mailbox. Then, yesterday, after I had pretty much given up hope that it would get there at all, it materialized on his doorstep.

It'd been a bad day, he said, and the poem was a good thing to get. Life has such funny and serendipitous timing. So I thought maybe I'd post it here too, because I'd like to send it to everybody, but I don't have all of your addresses.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

from Dream Work by Mary Oliver

Lately...

The last week has been a complete whirlwind, and I'm having a feeling that the next twenty days--and then even into the summer--are going to be more of the same thing.

I am officially 22, had a wonderful birthday with my family and friends, and even got a nice new tattoo with Ms. Hopfauf on Thursday. Personally I'm pretty darn pleased with it.

Then I spent the weekend hanging out with my favorite family of kiddos, cooking a lot of corndogs and watching Spongebob and Simpsons episodes over and over. My (perhaps annual?) stay with these boys is as big a dose of birth control as anyone could ever need because, though I love them and enjoy them very much, I am exhausted by the end of three days and can't even imagine being a full--time mom right now. BUT the best news out of it all is that Tom and I were gifted three free months of rent from this lovely family, and will be moving into their mother-in-law sort of apartment within the next couple of weeks (I'll move in a little later, obviously, but I can begin the process!) I am so grateful and relieved that we don't have to worry about trying to find a house right away while I'm doing a million things this summer, and it's a perfect space for the two of us for now. Also, and maybe most importantly...not having to pay rent means a lot to two unemployed people...and I think my parents will be pretty happy not to deal with a big load of crap landing in their living room.

Anyway, things have been dang good for me lately, and I don't mean to be bragging, but I am certainly celebrating a little good fortune coming my way. Hopefully this means I've been putting some good karma out there. Hooray!

Happy Mother's Day!

the cutest parents

Pop

Much to my chagrin Tom really wants a tattoo of an oriental poppy and he's nominated me to be his tattoo artist. This is made possible by his brother in law who owns all his own tattooing equipment, and who also is very into the idea of me learning this craft. While I'm fairly up for the idea of learning how to tattoo, the thought of scarring Tom forever is pretty horrifying. So I've been practicing poppies day and night. Also, while I'm on the topic of poppies, I saw Betsy's poppy popped today (very exciting news!). 

My week had started out kind of poorly, with a geography test this morning, but I tried hard to turn it around and I feel successful. Matt and I took full advantage of the lovely day and drove out to Deming for some beer & pizza at the Northfork Brewery, and I planted a lot of seeds, some marigolds, and transplanted my Earth Day seedlings that I started at work. 

The apartment hunt is also increasing my stress levels significantly, it's becoming hard to give a damn about anything school related, and my (lovely) mother keeps buying plane tickets that will prevent me from getting any kind of real job until the middle of July. Maybe I'll just slit my wrists sling pizza for another year or two? Hopefully not.

On the bright side, I am totally psyched about this season of growing. I want my own garden so badly. I came home from all my activities today and prodded around in the little raised bed I built last summer, and thought to myself that we really cannot help turning into our mothers. I even put on my old jeans and stuff. Like a total plant nerd. Next thing you know I'm going to be hosting plant sales on the balcony of my apartment with my best friend or something. 

Ridiculous. 

Talent Show

When I'm Gone

Lately I've been realizing that I am also blessed with so many lovely, artistic friends. Click on that link and listen! Also, props to Miss Ullman for pulling together an art show. I so wish I could have made it, but from near and far you encourage me to be more proactive and creative.