long time no see

I'm sorry for not writing sooner. I've been busy, of course, adjusting to life in Austin. [How long can I live here before I'm unable to use this any more?] The dating scene also seems to be a lot less painful than Chicago, so I don't have as much content. Don't get me wrong, there have been a few funnies, like the chicken wing guy, the guy who put his hand out to "help" me across the street, or the guy who used his aunt and uncle's house as date propaganda.

This is not about them though. Nor is it a list of what's in & out for 2024, like I had thought about doing. It's a poem. A friend of mine just published a beautiful poetry collection and what can I say, I'm inspired! Admittedly, poetry feels to me like something that other people do (legit poetry anyway, not the silly little haikus that I'm fond of - see here). Not that I don't want to write it, I just somehow don't feel qualified enough. Ah ha! What better way to start the year than by doing something that makes you slightly uncomfortable?

I found it to be easier than expected to get these words onto the page, and I hope you like it! Wishing you many blessings for the year ahead.

Dinah Washington sang "What a diff'rence a day makes";

I don't think she was talking about the new year,

But it's a nice thought

That what normally passes in the blink of an eye

As dawn turns to dusk,

With a million little things in between,

(And yet nothing at all)

Holds so much promise

And things yet to be discovered.

The sun is shining as I sit here writing this

Heating up these cold bones and giving rise to freckles

And that's as good an omen for a new year as any-

Both the warmth and the pigmentation-

As if to say I've been wrapped in a hug by this place.

It's funny how a location leaves its mark

Is home where you came from?

Or is it where you are?

Or somewhere in the middle?

What once felt so much a part of my being is no longer recognizable,

A friend with her back turned, all the way across a great big room.

December makes you think about these things;

Once the parties stop,

The presents have been opened

The lights fade

And it's just you

Only you

Remembering, reflecting, reliving, reorganizing, recommitting, reassessing, reacquainting

Reality.

For now, I'll go get the salmon-

It's supposed to symbolize prosperity.