Shoes

My roommate and I are each in our bedrooms staring at a computer screen, madly typing away. Our reasons for staring, typing, pondering, stretching, however, are vastly different: Lana is writing to learn, and I am writing to relax.

It's funny.

For a long time I knew Lana's chair all too well. The pile of essays and readings and essays and readings and exams upon exams upon exams didn't seem like it would ever let up. I had paper cuts on my lungs and ink marks on the soles of my feet. I discovered my caffeine threshold and mastered the 2 am half hour nap. Once I even decorated a documentation project while driving to school to hand it in seconds before the office closed (I'm sad to say those stick men did not display my best artistic ability). I lived in grey sweat pants, ugly old glasses, greasy pony tails, and that sweater with a hole in the armpit. Staying up all night multiple times in a row no longer phased me, nor did the image staring back at me in the mirror.

I haven't really left that world, though (perhaps a depressing thought). If I look around me, I still see piles of readings and piles of essays. I still read until the page starts talking back to me in Donald Duck's voice. I still doodle in margins. I still savagely chew at LEAST three sticks of gum and have bubble blowing contests with myself. I still have mini temper tantrums and whimper and foam at the mouth at no one in particular. Yeah, it's all still familiar, all still there.

Except for here.

Here, I have found something -- a dump of sorts. Here, I can throw away all the words I have saved for far too long, and that honestly haven't served much purpose sitting on shelves in my bedroom. Here, I can use the piles of essays as booster seats or foot rests. Here, I find application relevant, grammar handy, thoughts delicious. Here, my other foot is bare.

And free.



P.S. Ray and Jo threw the Chubs and I a SWEET engagement party this weekend (Chubby has a more detailed account). I was overwhelmed. I'm not used to being the one receiving parties and flowers and presents and so many new friends. I think I could get used to it, though! Especially the part where I got chocolate and sesame snaps!!!