Sunday

Lovers,

I started out this morning by stepping into the bath to shave my legs.

I am a firm believer in a good day inevitably following a morning ritual of shaved legs.

Indeed, today has been great.

Today I went on an adventure.

Last night, a coworker catalyzed me into writing again.

For the past few months, I've been toying with the idea of creating a new food-story blog/website project based on restaurants in the Portland area.

My idea is to visit a new restaurant every week- and with a notebook in tow-  stay at that restaurant until the atmosphere, smells, taste and people inspire a short piece of fiction which takes place in the setting of the restaurant.

Each short story will be titled by the restaurant it takes place in.

Well, toying with the idea is something I am a professional at.

Initiating effort to bring it to life is not.

But....  That's where Eddie came in.

In a simple conversation a few weeks ago (between expediting drive-thru customers and making frappuccinos) about art, editorials and literature, I told Eddie about my idea.

Everyday I've worked with him since, he has demanded to know whether or not I've started yet.  And every single day I've had to hang my head in humiliation and murmur a pathetic, "no."

I even stopped trying to come up with excuses after a point.  I realized I had none.  I was just lazy.

Well, last night, Eddie had enough of my laziness.

He promptly (After a few moments of short sentences involving the words "DO" and "IT" and after much waving of the half-eaten banana in his hands) stated,

"Look.   I don't mean to sound harsh.  But I'm getting the sense that nobody is kicking your ass into doing this.  So, sorry, but I'm going to kick your ass until you do it."

I shrunk back into the chair, defeated.

".... Okay, you're right.  Okay.  I have the day off tomorrow.  I promise, I'll do it."

"Girl, you better."

And so, partially out of the fear of letting Eddie down, and partially out of mingled curiosity and excitement, I ventured out into the world.

To WRITE.

I've grown meek in the past months, lovers.

I couldn't even decide where to go so I just went where Eddie told me to go.  My lack of gumption astounds even me, looking back.

I got there.  I parked.  I stood in front of the door.  I almost couldn't open it, I was so paralyzed by self-doubt and long-term stagnation.

But it smelled amazing.  And I was STARVING.

So I went in anyway.

And when I came out, I came out a new woman.

I felt honestly good about what I wrote, and I felt GREAT about what I ate, and even though I think today was more of a practice-round in the game of food-writing, I'm still proud of what I did, and how I did it- and am brimming with new ideas of how to accomplish this goal.

So, all thanks to Eddie, and that banana, I've reignited my writing spark.

And now I feel I owe Eddie a great, big, Godfather-sized debt.

And I'm not sure how to do that.

Although, I could always find out if him and his fiance like cheesecake.  Because I can make a mean cheesecake.  And personally, I would LOVE to be repayed a debt in cheesecake.

I've been thinking about cheesecake all day long, really.....

So.

In celebration, I ventured into Powell's and bought Gatsby, because I've been longing to brush up lately, and Isla Negra by Pablo Neruda. (So thrilled.)

Also, this fancy, standard-sized black moleskine notebook, which makes me feel like Tennessee Williams.

 I also treated myself to a white mocha and a key lime tart (there was no cheesecake today) from my favorite little coffeeshop, Singer Hill.

I managed to fall back in love with writing, downtown, and to remember how good it feels to be treated like a local, all in one day.

And anytime I buy new books, magic is on the verge of happening.

It's been a long, cold, lonely winter.

But here comes the sun, little darling.

It's alright.

It's all.... right.