12.5.98

    I just made a horrible discovery. I was drying my hair after my shower and I got to thinking about that hat that the guys I'm working for gave me. It's a nice cloth baseball cap in a deep blue that has the company name on the front. Well, I haven't been able to find it. I just can't believe that I could have lost it because I wouldn't go somewhere wearing a hat and then take it off. My hair don't play that way. I was thinking that maybe it was in my backpack that we took sailing with us.

    I have my backpack hanging off of my skiis in the bedroom. There's just no other place to hang it. I took it off the skiis and looked in the large part of it. Empty. I felt the front pocket and it felt kind of lumpy. So, I opened it up and I would have just stuck my hand in there but a small swarm of fruit flies flew out.

    Eek!

    I picked up the bag off the floor (of course I flung it) and carefully looked inside. Something was in there but I couldn't make out what. On closer examination (not too close) it was revealed to be the congealed remains of a banana. Remains that were obviously hosting a whole colony of baby flies. An ecosystem in the pocket of my backpack. A vote was taken and the results were two to zero to simply throw the bag away.

    I can't believe I left a banana in my backpack. What am I? Eight years old?

    I found a dress to wear to the Christmas party. Thursday night T. and I went out to Westside Pavilion (on Pico and Westwood) and looked in Robinsons May. I found this full-length silver, sparkley gown and I walked out of there only $59 poorer! The dress was on sale for $89 and then they took more money off at the register.

    Before we went to the mall we went to look at a new apartment. I think we're going to take it if the company accepts us. The price is right and the units are clean and it just seems like we couldn't go wrong. This will be a hard time to move because of money and the holidays but we'll make it work.

    T. and I had a wonderful time together. We laughed and teased each other and he didn't seem the least bit irritated to shop with me. We had dinner at Hot Dog on a Stick (because that's the kind of cultured people we are) and window-shopped and made little plans.

    On our way out of the mall we passed a girl heading into Nordstroms and apparently your boyfriend just wasn't nearly on the ball so she screamed in a shrill voice, "Antony!" He jumped and turned to follow her into the store. For the whole ride home we mimicked what their conversations must be like and screamed in shrill voices, "Antony!"

    Have you seen one of the most intriguing bits of writing on the web? I bet you haven't. I have this strange habit of keeping my best links to myself. As though sharing them would somehow take away a piece of the value I have given them.

    If you like reading journals or you like reading at least this journal then you'll probably like it. Basically, it is a story. It's a work in progress. He doesn't update nearly enough to keep me satisfied but each update is better than the last. I'd call it a soap opera but that's not what it is. It's more meaningful, more intimate, more intriguing than that. I'd say it's some of the best writing I've seen on the net in a long while.

    So, go make yourself a cup of coffee or even, maybe, a butterscotch martini and settle in for the whole read. Or, draw it out and go back every few days to read the next installment. When you get to the end you'll be wanting more. Trust me. The story I'm talking about is called "She Hates My Futon" and it's from Craig Mitchell's personal site, My Boot.

    Go ahead. Leave me now. And know that this is one of my favorite places. A guilty pleasure. Enjoy!