safe and sound

i made it home safely and soundly early monday night. colleen, my new roommate and old friend, pulled into the parking lot as i threw my bags over my shoulders and started for my building. she put her coffee-date plans on hold for almost thirty minutes to catch up. it was just what i needed after such a long, lonely drive, to feel her welcome and love. i had let another roommate borrow my bike for a three-week trip across the state, and while i was gone, he had returned the bike with a couple bottles of spanish red as a thank you. during the drive, i daydreamt of unwinding with a glass of wine but knew i didn't have the money, so seeing those two bottles as i dropped my bags to the floor made my sore eyes smile.

it was a strange night, that first one back in town. last night wasn't much less strange, but i'm easing back into life here. the job in austin is still pending, but i did decide to pursue it. being in a new place, with new people, every few days for a couple weeks made it difficult to want to come back to the same-old. i was hoping, even, the job would come through while i was away, and leave me only enough time to clean house and pack up, get in the car and go. being alone here is hard. i have my handful of friends here, but it's a slowly diminishing handful and i'm ready for something else. i don't feel at home, at home, anymore.

the radio station helps. i had a great shift yesterday morning, and my new music hour last night was good, despite waking up late from a nap and having to throw it together quickly. polyphonic spree have a new album out next week, and as a teaser, they put out a five-song e.p. yesterday with a couple songs from the album and a few covers. their cover of nirvana's "lithium" is pretty incredible, and it kept me up late last night, inspiring a new mix. i remember having a conversation with someone once, wishing i could make a career out of making mix cd's -- they shot back with, "yeah, it's called being a radio dj..."

at least i'm doing something right, huh?

nick and i started writing, finally. we've been talking about getting our story down, for years. just so much crazy shit has happened with us, it makes sense. well, during my last, rainy day in boston, i sat down and started making notes, and before long, i had built a rough-but-believable storyline. i called nick and ran it by him, and when he showed up for dinner that night, he'd already written an intro. that's something to hold onto. and being alone in champaign is helping me find the part of myself that has something to say. that, or it's quickly killing me. but either one is good for our story, so i'm trying not to complain too much.

woke up with a little to-do list today: get checks from comic shop, radio station, coffee place; buy books for school, or at least for spanish, since my first class is tonight. then work. i'm really having a hard time motivating myself. i haven't even done laundry yet. i have to help my roommates clean at some point, too. right now, i'm eating cookies for breakfast and listening to the long mix i started last night. honestly, this is what i'd rather do all day.

but if i've learned anything over the past four years, it's to go ahead and shower, and start your day. never know what's in store for me today. you just have to get up and go...