9:55 P.M. in Target on a Friday Night

Hilarious story, allow me to set the scene:
There I was, in Target, purchasing some last-minute necessities before leaving for Washington, and cutting it close to the 10 P.M. closing time. No problem. I'm closing in on the register. Then, and keeping in mind that I am totally finished with the students until the end of August, these three high school boys, whom I do not know, come strolling down the aisle, one being pushed by his friends in a Target cart. Morons, I think inwardly. The little kid getting pushed about starts doing some Borat voice and says to me, "Good evening, chubby girl. In my country, we do not have chubby girls." At first, I think, did that kid, who is getting pushed around by his sausage-toting friends in a Twin Falls Target at ten o'clock on a FRIDAY NIGHT really just say that to me? At first I felt a little pissed off, but then, I realized what I just stated in the above sentence and felt almost on the verge of delighted laughter! Hey, I am chubby girl, but at least I'm not a hideous breed of loser. Just to drive home my vindicated feeling, as I was leaving, so were they, and one of the boys looked at his friends and said, "Hey guys, I have to get home by 10:30; Mom grounded me for not cleaning up my room." Well, go get 'em tiger! Good times.

As I said before, I'm off to Washington. My amazing grandpa, without whom I would never have had a dad so passionate about fly-fishing, passed away yesterday. Yes, I'm very sad, but at the same time, I cannot help but be totally proud to have had such a fantastic, active, and hilarious grandpa! Again, I know that the occasion will be sad, but it will also be a chance to catch up on what all of my cousins, aunts, and uncles are up to. How can I be sad about that?

In the Zone

What is it about a fantastic backyard, a blazing fire pit, some drinks, and good friends that make the whole world suddenly click into perspective? I tell you the truth; you give me the worst week of my entire career and the most irritating days of my personal life (or what feels like it), then throw me in the mix with some great friends and a Friday Unwind and all the trials of my life just melt away in the blaze.

What cracks me up is that it doesn’t matter who else is there, so long as you have a few super-goods present. Even if they are super-goods you haven’t had a chance to catch up with in a long time. It makes all the difference to know you have access to them, that they care about having you there, that they have appetizers and people who are enjoying the end of the week. They may have no idea what is going on in your life, other than the basics, but they can still make you feel like everything is right in the world once more.

And what is it about the fire-side chatting, with the beers and the camping chairs, that just make everything feel right? It could have been 30 degrees out (actually, it might have been!) but the conversation and the chuckles keep you from freezing to death…or even noticing the cold. The flames are like hypnotic dancers that undulate in the background while you’re paralyzed with laughter and surrounded by your friends, talking about...anything, everything, nothing, memories, stories, whatever. This was far and away one of the best times that I’ve had in a long time. And it came at just the right time. You cannot plan something so perfect, it just happens. And when it does happen, you can only sit back, marvel at your phenomenally good fortune, and enjoy being in the zone with your friends!

Blank Faces for Picture Frames

I was sitting in my apartment the other day, and I was trying to decide what pictures to put in the numerous frames that I assume will one day soon adorn my walls. I kept thinking things such as, I love this picture, but it is of only me and some great place I've been. This made me start thinking, would it look conceited to have pictures of me in my apartment...everywhere? So, naturally, I asked the question that many an original decorator has asked: What do other people put up?

The answer, my dear friends, is simple. The other people I'm vaguely referencing put up pictures of themselves with their cute, little families, themselves with their spouses, themselves with (choose a meaningful loved one and insert him/her here). I mean, really, other than immediate family, my adorable nieces, and some fantastic pictures of great friends, what do I hang in the blank faces that stare up at me when I look at these frames?

I have come to the one inevitable conclusion that any single, still active girl must come to: me. So help me God, though I do not have any fabulous, handsome guy to put in my pictures (yet...I won't be single forever, people!), why shouldn't I put me with my other love? I have pictures of myself in some of the most beautiful places on the face of this earth. Travel, in some ways, is a relationship all its own. It is demanding, rigorous, time consuming, fund consuming, reciprocating in delight, and a pleasurable (mostly) experience. To me, this just about sums up the basic relationship dynamic of the average girl...well, nearly.

Hence began The Single File. Yes, this is for all of my friends who like to keep abreast of what their favorite single is up to. This is for me to ramble on and on about potentially nothing shockingly insightful--usually...though every now and then I do have my moments brilliance!

So, back to the blank face front. Oh, yes, I'm doing it! I will have pictures aplenty and conceited appearances be damned! That baby's not a blank face anymore! Then again, maybe it's not a bad idea to have some interesting modern art on hand to take up a little wall space, just in case it's a smidge creepy to see myself smiling back at me from all the corners of my apartment...