"I hear in my mind all these words. I hear in my mind all this music.
And it breaks my heart."
~R. Spektor

Summer, 1985. I'm six years old. My parents have scrimped and saved for over a year, so that we can take our first vacation as a family. The drive seems to take forever. I try to remain patient for our final destination. Eventually tiring from anticipation, I fall asleep.

It's been claimed that smell is the strongest sense tied to memory. There are clearly survival benefits to having senses tied to long-term memory. Science has also shown that senses are linked to emotional memories as well.

I wake up...nighttime. I gaze out the window, hypnotized by crashing waves. The humid air is oddly refreshing, in fact I find it intoxicating. I lean my head back to play peek-a-boo with a full moon high above the palm trees. Calm, I listen to the music playing on the radio as we make our way down the coast:

• Level 42, "Something About You"
• Simple Minds, "Alive and Kicking"
• ABC, "Be Near Me"
• Don Henley, "Boys of Summer"
• Tears For Fears, "Head Over Heels"
  
• Bruce Springsteen, "I'm On Fire"
• Ann Wilson/Mike Reno, "Almost Paradise"
• Cyndi Lauper, "Time After Time"
• Dan Hartman, "I Can Dream About You"
• Tina Turner, "What's Love Got To Do With It"

I don't remember much else about my first trip to the ocean. However, when I hear any of these songs, this particular memory washes over me. For a moment, I'm a little girl again, realizing that there is an entire world full of boundless possibilities...beckoning me to explore.

Third Time's the Charm

"I have been a song man for a long, long time.
Coming up with some melodies...trying to find some words to rhyme."
~H. Chapin

I was serenaded three times last week. I am such a lucky, lucky girl.

Serenade #1: Monday

On the phone with Bill, an attorney that I referred a case to recently.

Me: Hi Bill. Christian called with a question, so could you give him a call?

Bill: Mmmhmmm, sure! Sister Christian, oh the time has cooooome. And you know that you're the only one to sayyyyyy, O.K.

Me: Hmmm, what?

Bill: I was serenading you!

Me: Oh. Um. Thanks. I haven't been serenaded in awhile.

Bill: It will help you with your Manic Mondayyy!

Me: (Nervous laughter)....uh yes? I do have a bit of the case of the Mondays.

Bill: Normally I just walk around with my boombox over my head like John Cusack.

Me: (more nervous laughter)

Bill: Hey! I was in the office last week did you see me?

Me: Uhhh. No....

Bill: You didn't see the hot guy walking around your office last Thursday?

Me: Sorry, I didn't.

Bill: Too bad...how is life treating you?

Me: Um, fine. So you're going to take care of Christian, right?

Bill: 10-4!

Serenade #2: Tuesday

Again, on the phone with Bill.

Me: Hi Bill.

Bill: More, more, morrrrre! How do you like it? How do you like it?

Me: I'm sorry?

Bill: I'm listening to a random CD I bought. It's awesome. Just like Alice Cooper said on SNL...(have no idea what he said here as my head was in my hands)
Me: Hey, do you listen to Pandora?

Bill: What?

Me: Do you have speakers attached to your computer? Go to pandora.com. It's self-explanatory. (Am hoping that this will get his singing out of his system...)

Bill: You kids and your fancy internet.

Serenade #3: Saturday

I went to see a friend perform comedy at a local theater. One of the performers asked me to come up on stage so that he could sing to me, as I looked like the girl he wrote the song about.

The subject of the song? Premature ejaculation.

*swoon*

Someone Get This Girl A Drink

"That's all they really want....some fun.
When the working day is done - girls, they want to have fun."
~C. Lauper

Walking around with Mercedes today, debating where we should eat lunch:

Me: "So, do you have a taste for anything?"
Mercedes: "Not really. Oooh, there's this one Italian restaurant...do you know which one I'm talking about?"
Me: "No, where is it?"
Mercedes: "Well, it's hard to find. It's, like, in a building."

Thank God it's almost the weekend.

Serenity

All my life's a circle, sunrise and sundown.
The moon rolls through the night time, till the daybreak comes around.
All my life's a circle, but I can't tell you why.
The season's spinning round again, the years keep rolling by.
~H. Chapin

Last year at this time, I was just getting back from my epic Barcelona trip with Kula. The following week, I found myself in Puerto Rico with Tiny Dancer, "studying" for our Civil Law study abroad program (aka enjoying cold beers while sunning on a pristine beach and sneaking into resorts at midnight to swim in the jacuzzis and stargaze). Ohhh, how I loved January 2008.

This January has not been as kind to me. What's keeping me from hiding under my covers and completely disappearing? Kula imbibed me with a night of champagne and Jager, which she probably regrets doing now, haha. Warrior Mama, who is busy studying for the bar exam, surprised me with a lovely card this week and truly made my day. Artful challenged me to a friendly drinkathon. The Pickled Brits, Maproom and Wanderlust came out for drinks and a silly, impromptu bar-coaster game. I had an amazing brunch with my favorite Wildcats on Saturday morning. I'm wearing some crazy socks that Eddie gave me and everytime I look down at my feet, they make me giggle. The Mermaid took me out for Algerian crepes tonight for a quiet girl's night out.

Thank you, my dear, dear friends for simply being your wonderful selves. I would have lost sanity a long time ago if not for your amazing love and support. While 2009 is showing to be a bit of a challenge so far, I am eternally grateful to have such beautiful company with me. I hope your 2009 is filled with the love, joy and laughter that you have given to me.

Coping

Just got the phone call from Army that he is flying out to Iraq within the next few hours. The news is a bit harder to swallow than anticipated.

Stay safe, baby brother. If anyone messes with you, I'm going to personally go over and kick their ass. Just like I did with the neighborhood bullies when we were kids. Love you lots.

Time for a Change

How can we we dance when our earth is turning?
How can we sleep when our beds are burning?
~Midnight Oil

So Thanksgiving was not an easy trip home. The last post was a bit depressing, wasn't it? Well, I promise that tomorrow I will humor you with my latest dating fiasco. I really wanted to post about it tonight, but it is late and this is just too good of a story to throw together.

Also, I need to update this lonely blog with links and whatnot. I was playing incognito for awhile, but I think the coast is clear now. Why is my text size/style all funky? Hmmm. Must look into this.

For now, it's off to bed. I've run into a bit of insomnia as of late and sleep is in order. Eddie has been so kind to keep me company into the wee hours of the morning, but I fear if I keep him up another night it will wear our friendship thin. And then he just might hit me in the head with that cricket bat.

Thanksgiving Aftermath

Easy Hearts ~Whiskeytown

Put the houses in a row on the streets we used to know.
And all the things out in the yard that can hang there to and fro.

And if the money isn't right, can I be yours tonight?
I've an easy heart.

From the windows of your house, reflects back on yourself.
Then it gets you wondering if it means anything.

You move away when you're young. They take away where you're from.
And all the things out in the trees fall away into the breeze.

And if the money isn't right, can I be yours tonight?
I've had a pretty hard life.
I've had a pretty hard life, for such an easy heart.