lessons learned
A reading today with the Stone Soup Poets went off well. I was lucky enough to have been granted use of that podeum for a full 20 minutes as one of the featured acts. The other feature poet, whose name I am afraid has already escaped me, was older and considerably more experienced than I, but after the show hecongratulated me on a job well done. That meant a lot to me.
I had a bit of a crappy day. First of all, the coffeepot exploded AGAIN. This is actually a bit of a farce and was not, in and of itself, enough to ruin one’s day however I had allowed myself to get involved in a nasty little e-mail fight with my mom. It happens once in awhile. I guess things can’t always be sparkly freakin’ rosy all the time but itreally was a horse turd in the middle of my parade. Since arriving in Boston, I have been so incrediblycontent. I enjoy nearly every aspect of my life, which is such a very pleasant change from events of the recent past. (my friend chris keeps begging me to putpen to paper about some of my misadventured, but I am scared to) Anyway, it issuch a thrill to be doing things well for a change. That silly fight was anincredible contrast against it, and so in my mind I think I probably blew it out of porportion.
For the first time since arriving here, I felt alone. I knew I would feel better if Icould only vent, if only I had a knowing friend to confide in. I spun throughthe catalog in my mind for the right friend for the job… Luke perhaps… No… He might preach to me about the destruction of oppressive bonds and that would do prescious little to calm me down. Who knows what he would say? Kelley was somehelp, but that conversation was really short, and she doesn’t really know thewhole history. I get tired of having to explain to my friends of several yearsthat yes, I have two moms… one of them raised me and the other one gave birth to me… and then I have to describe all of that… I wish I still had my best friend around, Nik, but we lost him a few years ago. Quickly enough my imaginary catalog produced a well worn record: Ashley. As it turns out. I arrived in my apartment to a letter from her, all the way from Thailand, and covered in stickers. Ashley lovesbrightly colored stickers. She said to me, my mom must love me very muchbecause …she has bragged about you so much that the news of it has traveled allthe way to Thailand… Somehow, that was enough to puteverything into perspective, and my stupid quarrel with my mom just melted.
Later tonight I got an IM from my friend Diane in Atlanta, and she says a client of hers has read my novella, and absolutely loved it. He says he was thrilled that Diane knows me, the author.Someone loves what I wrote! Things aren’t so bad after all.
I learned a few important lessons today, like, check for broken springloadedcontraptions, whether social or mechanical, before employing hot water, andalso: don’t check your personal e-mail at work anymore! I guess the biggestpart of being an intern is learning how to accommodate your life to your work,and vice versa.