Junie's Online Thoughts
Thursday, January 01, 2004
Happy New Year!! Its 2004. How about that?
Noodle wasnt too busy last night, although I did make some decent money throughout the whole day. I didnt feel much like whooping it up, (thanks anyway, Chenise & company!) so I came home to have a few beers and to watch the Dick Clark countdown. Even though we've lived here for five years now, we've never been around for New Years Eve. Since I was finally in the same time zone as New York City, I tuned in long enough to see the ball drop, got all misty eyed at the possibilities of a new year, and crashed into bed by 12:05.
Like a true slacker, I didnt get out of bed until 11:45 this morning. Not sure what Im going to do before my dinner shift at Noodle tonight. Cant really run errands since everything is closed. But since Kim and Paul are letting me use their car while they're out of town (THANKS!), who knows what inspiration might bring in the next three and a half hours.
Have a wonderful New Years Day, all!
Monday, December 29, 2003
I had a Ghana flashback today. When I left the airport and got on MARTA, the train, I had the immenent feeling that suddenly someone would stand up and start preaching or selling some foul-smelling miracle remedy out of a suitcase, much like every single long bus ride out of Accra I've ever been on. There, people seem to expect and tolerate it, although it always made me angry and restless. I looked around the train, and it took me a full second to realize that no, that wouldnt happen here. Or if it did, it wouldnt last very long.
I got off at the Avondale stop, and had a real struggle with my baggage. All my Atlanta posse was at work, so I had to fend for myself, which was fine. The problem was that I'd forgotten to bring luggage in the car when I drove to WI. I had to borrow this massive, old time, four wheels on the horizontal bottom suitcase from my folks, the kind that always tips over and never rolls straight. It was too heavy to carry the entire way home (49 pounds!), so I would sling my big shoulder bag over my arm (filled to capacity with all of my magazines and breakables so I wouldnt have to pay for an overweight bag at the airport), then heave the suitcase about forty steps. Rest. Switch arms. Rest again in a whimpering, quivering mass. I was sweating in my tshirt/sweatshirt and jeans. (It was snowing when I left MN and it took 35 minutes to de-ice the plane before take-off. This climate change business is really confusing!) Finally, after much cursing and pleading, I figured out how to roll/partially lift while bending over the suitcase for a full block before both of us had to stop. When I got to Kim and Paul's house, I nearly wept at the thought of not having to push the suitcase another inch.
I promptly unpacked my bags, opened a beer, had a snack, checked my post office box, tried on all my new clothes and am now waiting for Kim and Paul to get home so I can say hello. (And that Im back.)
Thanks again to all of my generous family and friends. I really felt like I didnt have my crap together this year, and it was amazing to see everyone else picking up my slack, knowing that next year I would probably be back on track. I have a great community of kick-ass people both near and far....thanks to all of you!!
Now Im home and I dont have to work until Wednesday. (Yahoo!) I started reading the Da Vinci Code on the plane and I think my brain nearly exploded. I truly believe its one of my favorite books EVER and Im only halfway done. It got me all fired up and excited about art and history and cryptography and paganism and religious battles and cops and mysteries and riddles. Da Vinci was a miraculous genius and this author is amazing too. Its one of those addictive reads where I want to devour the book, and then sob because its over, then read it again immediately. He reminds me of a linear, less flightly Tom Robbins, mixed with some extra mystery. I LOVE IT.
Anyway, Im back in Atlanta until the 8th of January. Im car-less, but thankfully I have few errands to run and can walk to work.
Thanks again, everyone. The holidays were fun and nutty and interesting and satisfying. Let's bring on a new year!!
