H is for Holy Crap: The Squeakuel

I don’t even know how to start this one. Here are some options:

1: 16 months. Sixteen. Months.

2: That far-off shouting you heard a couple of weeks ago was me.

3: I wasn’t crying, it was just raining on my face. I had something in both my eyes.

4: There’s a reason I got a Droid Incredible.

Pick your favorite, and proceed.

So, I don’t really know who reads this, other than, like 4 specific people. But I can guess that anyone other than those 4 people probably knows what I’ve been going through for the past 16 months: lots of frustration, tears, hope, disappointment, learning, building of character, and unequivocally the craziest and unbelievable-est amount of love and support from friends and family.

It all came to a head a few weeks ago, when I found out I had actually done it.

I finally got a job. In the arts.

I’m trying to not put too much stock in one job, but…this sort of validates everything I’ve been doing and going through for the past two and a half years. Yes, it was that long ago that I chose to quit my job and go back to school for something I truly cared about; two and a half years of trying to start a career.

It’s finally starting.

It feels so good to just say that. It feels better to tell you that today was my first day, and it went great. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow.

H is for Holy Crap

Tara and I ventured to Annapolis today. I could make up a much more normal story about why we went, something like - exploring a new place - but, I'm going to tell you the ridiculous reason we went. Because I keep it real.

When Tara and I were in school (during which we were inseparable, did you know? If our classmates saw one of us without the other, they would instinctively ask where the other one was. This really happened...several times.) we spent many afternoons at Metro Diner, right in what I call Old Timey Fairfax, what I think normal people call Old Town Fairfax? Downtown Fairfax? Whatever, it's Old Timey to me. Metro Diner, I believe, is an off-shoot of Silver Diner. It had free wi-fi and cheap but decent food and Diet Coke and it was our little place. We spent an unusual amount of time there.

Several months ago, sometime in the fall, Tara and I made plans to go again - we were feeling nostalgic and wanted to relive the good days of Metro Diner. Well we show up and GUESS WHAT. It's not there anymore!

But! Posted on the door is "Come visit us in our other location!" - Well! An invitation so welcoming and friendly must also mean that they must be right down the street, right?

We were 0 for 2 at that point.

Yes, I know this story is about as transparent as an episode of CSI. Whatever.

Annapolis. That's the other location. We were so sad! But we vowed to go there and make a big deal of it.

Well friends, that day was today. We drove up there (took about an hour) and we found our little place, RIGHT NEXT TO A TARGET! I know, I know, it's not like I've never been to Target, but I always get excited about new ones. It's like traveling for me. It's a new and exotic Target! It's like a really cheap plane ticket to Europe without being stuck Coach, forced to sit through Big Mama's House 4 times in a row! And also, if one of our favorite places can be next to another one of our favorite places? Well, Annapolis, you are saving the day.

Uh, what? Anyway, Metro Diner was awesome. And don't even think we didn't tell the first employee we saw where we were from and why we were there. We expected free cupcakes and possibly the opportunity for us to sign a framed 8x10 of us to hang on the wall...but neither of those things happened. But the food was good and Diet Coke was cool and bubbly and we had a good time.

After going to Target we stopped by this cute little stationery store, and I got the CUTEST greeting cards. 5 of each of the designs below. They are by a person named Marc Johns, and he calls them "serious drawings". Marc, I think you and I might be soulmates.

The banana one is my favorite :-)

Part Two of H is for Holy Crap will be revealed in a few weeks. There even might be a part three!