Hello Inspiration

Doug Varone and Dancers
(photo by Phil Knott)

E&P

These are my friends Elayna and Patrick:



Elayna says even though I'm not a teenager, she doesn't think I'm a grown up either. She's trying to come up with a more appropriate word.



Patrick's still deciding who he likes better: the Ramones or the Beatles.



These two still live in a world where the chocolate man sneaks sips of your milk when you're not looking and impromptu dance parties in the living room are always a good idea. The excitement of winning a hand of Uno is one to revel in, and reading the same library book 8 times in a day never gets old. They're also big fans of the playground.



And hanging upside down.




When Elayna says there's buried treasure in the sky, Patrick looks up and says, "How do you know?"

And Elayna simply points up and replies, " X marks the spot."

Where thou art, that is home.

September 1st I officially moved to Eastport, Maryland. Did I mention that? Just cruise over the drawbridge from downtown Annapolis into the MRE (Maritime Republic of Eastport) and there you are! Two of my dear friends and I moved into our little green house in the middle of a street:















It's good to be home.

Another Check Out Chat

Sunday night and it's raining. My roommate and I are sitting in the living room, lights out, watching Splendor in the Grass... god do I love Natalie Wood. I'm snuggled under a cozy brown blanket, flipping through a Real Simple magazine, relishing in the fact that it's Sunday night and I'm not working.

I then flash to the notion that, shoot, I'm out of toothpaste!

I throw on my rain jacket and run over to Rite Aid. Now, I take dental hygiene very seriously and refuse to be without my beloved blue tube of Crest. Of course I end up filling my basket with a few other things beyond the necessary item, though isn't that the curse of a store like this?

I make my way over to the check out where a young and rather chatty gentleman rings me up. He makes a comment about literally every item I purchase:

Toothpaste: "Ah, is this kind any good? I gotta say I'm a Colgate man myself."
Mouthwash: "I can't use mouthwash, dude. It like, makes my gums burn, you know?"
Toothbrush: "New toothbrush, huh? How often are you supposed to replace these? Like every 3 months? Yea, I don't do that. I think my current toothbrush is going on almost a year."

Me: Yea man, that's gross.

Hairbrush: "Aren't the wooden bristles supposed to better for your hair than the plastic ones? I mean, you have nice hair. Have you always used the wooden kind? I don't think I even own a hairbrush."
Bobby Pins: "So, haven't you always wondered where the name bobby pin even came from? Like, who's Bobby? I guess it's kinda like a safety pin, right?

Me: Well, no. Not really. Different shape. One's for your hair. Yea, no, not really alike at all.

Gum: "Oh you like Orbit? I like it too but I'm more of a peppermint kind of guy, you know?"
Nail polish: "Oh you know this color is really in this season?"

Me: Hah, how do you know that?

Issue of Cosmo Magazine:...

He gets a little red in the face and looks up at me and doesn't say a word.

Hah.

something wonderful happens

My friend sent this in an e-mail last night. I woke up this morning in the midst of a 'seeking clarity' moment, and this note from my friend was so perfectly timed. Pretty much speaks for itself:

Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colors seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.
— Bob Marley

For all you hopeless romantics out there, whether you've found your person yet or not...