It's Friday, I Feel Loved

Blog soundtrack:
Post-it Note to Self: I love the frickin' Cure; see them in concert soon! Since I have written here every day for the last month and a half, I was going to take a vacation day today; however, as usual, I found something to say, not necessarily to my readers, but more importantly to myself. I thought about my writing here today, and I realized something. The writing that I do here is largely for me. The side effect is that you all enjoy it, and, in turn, you all give me wonderful compliments. I write about my life here, because, probably like most people, I'm still figuring out what my life is supposed to be. Each word, paragraph, and goofy video is a step forward in the adventure that is my life. Writing is a big pain the ass to some, err, like you Nate! (Did you know that everytime I mention his name in this blog I have to pay him $5? Well, I haven't paid him so far, but he thinks he's entitled to some sort of fee!) But to me, writing is the way I think things over. For example, whenever I've been really upset with someone, I write him/her a letter. Sometimes I've sent the letter and then really wished I didn't! But, most of the time, I compose a email, keep in my draft folder for a few days, and then I have no need to send it. Writing is my way of sorting things out, well, when it's not buying a lipstick. :-) Though, my blog is a bit different from that, because here, I don't think I'm upset with anyone, well, other than my Freshman Writing Seminar professor at Brandeis! Anyway, I just wanted to say again that I thank you all for reading and supporting me the way in which you have. I appreciate it immensely, and most importantly today, "How sweet it is to be loved by you." <3 Today's bike ride was short, well, only 25 miles. I biked with Bill and Leigh. Bill and I bumped into Leigh on the rail trail, and then we biked up to the parking lot in Nashua with her. I then mentioned I was meeting a friend for lunch at noon, so I should probably bike back. Bill said, "Ooohhhh." I said, "No, you two go off. I'll bike back on my own. I just wanted to get out this morning and get a few miles in with you." Then Bill said to Leigh, "Hey, do you want to ride back with Jean?" She said she would, and they both rode the entire way back home with me. <3 On the way back, we rode at a "conversation" pace (i.e., less than 18 m.p.h.). Leigh mentioned that she biked yesterday with one of her friends, Suzanne. She said that Suzanne had played volleyball and coached it. I had told Leigh I had played in high school and college. She then said, "And, I told her you were an unemployed technical writer." Leigh went on to say that Suzanne's company might be hiring a writer, and that I should send her an email. Given that this was only the third time I had ridden with Leigh, it was most thoughtful of her to think of me in this regard. She and I then spent most of the ride home discussing the trials and tribulations of kid ownership. <3 In a previous blog, I had mentioned, "Say It Forward" and "Practice Random Acts of Compliments", and today I practiced the "Random Acts of Driving Manuevers." I always try to be courteous to other drivers, but I hate it when I am, and the driver doesn't wave at me in thanks! When at the grocery store, I started to back out only to notice that a woman was getting out of the car to my right. So, I stopped. Even though I had clearance, I don't like to back out unless I know there are no people around. She got out, and then opened the rear door of her mini-van. I thought she had to retrieve small children, but no, she just had to get her purse which was thrown in the back. She locked her car, and then as she walked by my car, she stooped down so she could look right into my open window and said, "Thank you so much!" <3 Oddly enough, as I was driving home, I stopped on Rt. 111 behind another car that was making a left onto Broadmeadow. Another driver was at the stop sign on Broadmeadow trying to make a left onto Rt. 111. Instead of zooming forward after the driver in front of me made the left, which I could have easily done, I stayed stopped and I waved the other driver onto Rt. 111. Her passenger's seat window was wide open, and she waved and smiled for about 30 seconds as she made her turn. <3 A year ago, life went so fast for me. But today, it goes in slow motion. As Bill once said to Bob, "Take time to smell the roses!" And, sometimes when you do, you'd be surprised by how much love you feel. <3