2004-01-07 - 11:04 p.m.

A series of events

(perhaps I�ll write up some of these things in some future narrative)

So here I am. Back at the computer again. Time to refamiliarize myself with the old keypad after a long absence. What�s been happening with me? A sequence of events, following a period of disappearance, drifting just beneath the surface of my life: I broke up with Taryn� a sad moment. Then, a series of events: Allison�s dinner party, Paintball, the bachelor party. August muscled into my life in desperation, pleading to use my car, live in my space. A friend with no money and no place to stay can be a dangerous thing indeed. I was irritated, then cold, then sick, laying in bed for two days, then hopping on a plane for Boston and laying in my mother�s basement for a week. The good thing was, she brought me juice and tucked me in, just like she always used to. I recovered just in time for Christmas. A subdued Christmas, though frantic in its own way, and the next day I was on a plane back for Chicago. I came home to an apartment peopled by Dave, August and Joanne, strange bedfellows (Dave flew in Christmas Day for a cheaper flight). August and Joanne had decided, while huddling for warmth under the covers in my poorly-heated apartment, that they would go to New Orleans together. I signed them up for a rental car using my credit card, against any judgment I could have exercised whatsoever, but I had to get to Madison and I wanted the August situation to end. Dave and I scattered off to Madison, where we found Cindy and Jason outside the chapel and goofed around on the ice. Rehearsal, dinner, drinks, sleep. The next day, to breakfast, to the town, rolling along on the trolley, then to the wedding and the dinner, dacing and merriment, and a few after-dinner drinks with the old crew. The next morning, breakfast, scurrying, back home with Dave. Back home with Dave, August gone, a strange quiet, comfortable interlude, just doing whatever with Dave, playing Robo Rally, going to dinner with the gang, taking a tour of the art institute, playing video games. Then it was off to Florida, three days of sun and warmth and drinking. Seven or eight people doing whatever, going out on the uncle�s boat, playing mini-golf, visiting Busch Gardens or the dog track or the all-you-can drink dance bar. And then back to Chicago, where the winter winds are blowing, six inches falling, and the temperatures dropping to zero, and there�s nothing to be done but to sit by the radiator and read� But it is my apartment and I have it to myself to do with what I wish, and the New Year is mine to do with what I wish, there are new adventures to be had. My job is renewed, a new project, an English book, to think about. A new project, this Northwestern writing program, which I tried to attend today but they negleted to tell Heather and Sherry and me, the three new students, that they had changed the date to yesterday, so we went to a coffee shop and shot the breeze instead. Sherry is a freelance writer with a two-year-old child and a friendly, outgoing demeanor; Heather is a smart, pretty girl who takes summer classes in Vermont and aspires to teach writing at a college. I look forward to actually going to class, but this will tide me over for now.

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