jaysaint Getting it all down on paper…

Well, all my big plans to go to the Black Family Reunion on the Mall came to naught, seeing as its next month. I’m awfully disappointed. That would have been a great way for Damon and me to spend the afternoon. We wandered around the Mall a little bit, but pretty much turned around and went back to Arlington.

We did get to eat lunch at the little Italian restaurant I wanted to try — Something Pines? The tomato sauce was wonderful — fresh and ripe. But they charged for Coke refills, which left us a little whiny.

But we did go on to a lovely cookout at Geoff’s house where we met a spy! He called himself an intelligence officer. But he was a spy. His name is Joseph and he was a favorite for the both of us. Unfortunately, he lives in New Jersey. But he’s applied for grad school in DC, so maybe he’ll come back and we can make friends with him.

I would like for all the unpacking to be done, please.

I’m tense. And I’m sure it’s that the apartment is still pretty boxy, and that Damon is about to leave, and that I report to AOL on Tuesday, and that there’s a lot of tension coming from Atlanta. So at least that makes it a little more bearable, since I know what it is, and that it will all go away. Oh, and I may be a little hormonal right now. I’m trying not to take it out on Damon.

Tomorrow should be a really fun day, which will help. We’re going to the Black Family Reunion in the afternoon and then Geoff is having a cookout. So we will be social and active and cheerful. Monday we’re going to the International Spy Museum.

I think part of my edginess is that I don’t do well when I don’t get a little home time to myself. But I’m dreading Damon leaving and want to be with him. Not that he has anywhere to go anyway. But when he comes back he’ll get cast in a show and that will build in alone time for both of us, since I work days. So all will be happy.

One more day, stumbling around in the wilderness — the cable guy comes tomorrow. I will be back in the land of high-speed Internet access and the Crocodile Hunter. We’re actuallky getting Video on Demand, which means I can finally pick up where I left off on the Sopranos. So thrilling. We haven’t had TV all week and I’ve realized… I love TV. I miss TV. I didn’t think I would, since I don’t watch that much of it. But it turns out that little bit I did watch most days was an important way to let my brain disengage. And I miss my pretend friends — like the cast of Friends.

I’ve been plugging away at AOL this morning. It will be much easier when I’m in the office. I just need to coast through one more business day. And I’m so sleepy. We’re in the bad habit where Damon and I collapse into sleep at the same time, but I get up about two hours earlier. So he’s ready to go, and I want a nap.

Speaking of naps…

I’m flat on the floor in a sea of boxes, and feeling pretty good. And I’m even typing this on a dial up! It’s like carving it out on a rock with rudimentary tools.

Damon and I have been reading the evening away, which is my definition of bliss. I’m reading “Into Thin Air” but it was making me so anxious that I had to stop and read a chapter of “A Wrinkle in Time.” Damon is reading “Fletch” after just finishing the play “Dark of the Moon.”

We’ve actually been good troopers about unpacking. We went to Target today and made our first joint purchases to outfit our bathroom in purple squares. I’m so pleased.

If I were fancy like Glenn5 I could post some pictures, but I don’t know how to do that.

In the elaborate planning of my day, I’ve come up with a few free minutes. I want to go grab Taco Bell for lunch, but to do that I need to burn the next segment of my book on tape. And I planned to burn the following segment as well, so that I never run out away from home. So now they’re burning and I’m waiting. I need to get some re-writable CDs or I’ll burn through them too fast.

This time next week I’ll be in my new apartment in DC. I’m nervous, excited. I wish I were already there because the absolute worst part of this is going to be saying goodbye to everyone. I’m trying to keep the sentimentality in check.

But one second at a time — as the alcoholics say — and it will all be done before I know it.