I am double twelve, thrice eight, four times six. Twenty-four's an impressive number: divisible by one, two, three, four, six, eight, and twelve. LCMs: 2, 2, 2, 3. If I think of it this way, instead of as almost 25! which is half-way to 50! then I don't feel as old.
Tomorrow morning I fly back to California for the first time since last Christmas. It has been a couple years since I've had a dentist appointment. My hair-cutting roommate left before I got a chance to ask for a trim. I now have two mirrors in my room. And two candles. I found my frog behind my desk. My room is one of the warmest in the house. Two of my housemates made me amazing, rich chocolate cupcakes yesterday. And I made molasses ginger cookies. I normally don't eat much sweets anymore. Dark chocolate doesn't count. I think I can pack everything in my small bag. Christmas trees smell good. People are amazing. Difficult conversations are rewarding. I'm learning that breaking ice doesn't always lead to drowning or hypothermia. Sometimes you catch fish! I want to write more poetry. This snowstorm is lovely, but preventing me from driving. The plastic on the windows is helping. It's fun to eat non-pitted dates. Apparently I play the piano a bit like Jason Upton. Below 20 degrees and windy is COLD, and no one should have to walk 15 minutes in it. Drinking three glasses of milk last night - even though it was a small glass! - was a very bad idea. Oh, the gurgling! And other unpleasantness. This is why I don't eat dairy any more. But I like figs and dates and almonds! Living in community is a crazy thing. Complicated, but simply beautiful. Difficult, but rewarding. I agree with Christy - I'm glad the snow is keeping us inside. Nobody's super stressed right now. I now have an African violet to take care of. But Jasper is gone, so he no longer curls up at the foot on my bed and purrs. I think I saw The German fighting in the street yesterday. He's abandoned us, probably for other people who feed him. I find it ironic, considering the name we gave him, and what we call ourselves... I like having a BCP to use. I also like drinking mate, and rum & hot chocolate. Almond milk's good, too. I've had the sixth Harry Potter book sitting on my shelf for almost two months, and haven't opened it yet. But I read Artemis Fowl last week. Tomorrow I see my family again! And my trees, and my ocean. (Hush. I know they aren't exactly mine, but I call them mine. There's enough for all of us west-coasters to share the Pacific.) When you knock a bunch of rough diamonds together, you get sparks and splinters. I try to catch my splinters before the wind blows them away. This I am learning NOT to do: they stick in you and fester, or if they're big enough, make you bleed. Not to mention that what's beneath the shorn parts is better than the pieces that break off. Sometimes I like being cryptic. Sometimes random is good, too. I need to go eat lunch. Banana & chocolate cupcake for dessert!
