in medias res

Pardon Our Mess...

I will be updating my dear readers (both of you) on my life recently, but not exactly to the present. On some things, I’m not ready to come out on the ole’ blog yet. Eventually...maybe...

Almost a month ago, I flew to Memphis for Mike’s birthday and our one year anniversary. (Well…officially one year. Legally one year. Prior to that, it was only in practice but with no social obligations.) A 1 ½ hour flight vs. 10 hours in a car made a world of difference. The best part about a flight is always the anticipation at the gate. I’m closer to him than I’ve been in a month, and I’m trying to watch movies and read and sleep to get my mind off of it. I was already kind of emotional prior to seeing him. They took my foundation and lip gloss at the airport. In my head, I composed an angry blog entitled “Not Without My Makeup.” I cooled off by the time I got on the plane. My neighbor, the talkative corrections officer from Louisiana, let me out first because of how excited I was. I saw that Mike called, but I wanted to be able to see him the first time I talked to him in Memphis. I followed the signs to baggage claim, smoothed out my appearance in the bathroom, and waited. Finally, I called him.

“Where are you?”

“Baggage claim,” he said. “Where are YOU?”

“Baggage claim. I don’t see you!” I said.

I ran through the halls, hoping to see him around the next corner. It took us a really long time to get it together, but we finally did.

It was wet and cold when I got into town. We went to a barbeque place on the way home from the airport and got two big plates of sweet and saucy pork, hot wings, and a six-pack of beer to take back to the house. We set up shop, watched Lost, talked, laughed, napped, read, and repeat for the next five days. That’s what Memphis is always like when I visit. I gain weight because he eats three whole meals a day – and an optional fourth meal late at night, and I never want to be that girl eating salad while the dude is eating a juicy cheeseburger. I sleep more. I fall even more in love with him and with Memphis. We went on walks this time. We watched In the Bedroom, and I got freaked out at how much Nick Stahl looks like my brother. He bought me two beautiful necklaces for our anniversary (and a card that made me cry). I got him a Crosley record player that got there a week early. We went used book shopping. I felt more comfortable with him and his friends than I ever have. He was surprised at how talkative I was. I had gone into this trip realizing that things were reaching a point when we needed to figure out what was next. I wanted to enjoy every minute of him.

I came back late on Monday feeling very good about my visit overall. We had worked through some things and were going to try to apply and get in the same area for school...

In other news, I also went on a fun trip with my church’s 22-35 year olds. We loaded up the cars and went to Panama City Beach for the weekend. The day before the trip, I got an email about a deep sea fishing trip for Friday morning. I am not a fisherwoman. It requires a patience I will never possess. But, I decided to try it for the sake of adventure. I paid my $50 and, at 6am the next morning, I was with four other people, headed for a six-hour fishing trip out of Panama City Beach. I bought a hat with a skull and crossbones that says “Calcutta” as my secret weapon, and it must’ve worked. I caught four fish – the most in our little fishing crew. (I had a deckhand named “Doc” who helped me out. He called me “Rookie” all day.)

The rest of the weekend, we were set up camp-style in a retreat at the far end of the beach. In the girls’ room, we stayed up late talking. My most ghetto self came out as prompted by Fergie or as the mood struck me. I do much better one-on-one and I’m not so good in groups; I’m starting to accept that about myself. I had good talks this weekend. Quality bonding. We also attempted a bonfire on the beach that only really consisted of a lot of lighter fluid and some newspaper. I left refreshed and missing even more those friends that are scattered across the country…

Looking forward, I go to Charleston this weekend. On Tuesday, I fly to Iowa with my family, and then I’ll return for the last few weeks of school. I didn't really feel like blogging when I

started, but now I'm happy that I did. Thanks to Edie, Heather, and Miriam for giving me a hard time about it. And now…a new year, new dreams, and I love that I have absolutely no idea where I will be twelve months from now, or even who I will be. Such is life.

(Is it my brother David, or Nick Stahl? You choose.)

posted by tara @ 2:55 PM