6 December 2003

Here is what I like: every time I've done stuff with Stella, we've come up with a dozen more things we should do. And I feel like we will. Not every single thing, maybe, because there's always something about which you say, "Oh, we should do that," and then you don't. But there's a big difference between "Oh, we should take King Roo to Minnehaha Falls" and knowing it might not happen and "Oh, we should get together sometime" and knowing it might not happen. And after seeing Stella three times, I'm not worried about the latter any more. Because Stella is my friend. And that is what I like.

Here is what else I like: I am living my life. Mine. Even when things go wrong, even when things are not optimal, they are my wrong things and my not optimal things. Paying too much for parking at the North Star Ramp is not a cause for me to mutter, "This is not my life." Because it is. It is my life to stride through the skyways in my boots and layers of wool, and smile at couples in matching ski sweaters and clogs, and to have lunch in the basement of Dayton's even though they're calling it something else now, and to go to the Eighth Floor, and to have a sweet little biped laugh and laugh and teach me baby games and then sleep on me while his momma and I talk. And there will be pictures of that and pictures of the necklace Stella made me and Roo picked for me and also I have more treasures. That is what I like.

And here is what else I like: Uncle Hugo's is having an additional 10% off everything until tomorrow, so with our Friends of Uncle Hugo's card, I got 20% off my Christmas shopping and bought so much that Jamie had to give me a box instead of bags. And also I have a clerk at Uncle Hugo's I not only recognize but now know by name and he knows me and has my e-mail for a second time if he doesn't wash it this time. And I'm done Christmas shopping for Mom and Sarah and Grandpa and Scott and Michelle and Scott and Aunt Dor, and I have items for Mark and Timprov and Lin. And I have ideas for more presents, and we put up the tree, and when we're done decorating it, I'll have wrapped stuff to put under it. That is what I like.

And here's what else: I made a double batch of chili last night, and then Rachel and Ben called to find out what we were doing and if we wanted them to come play board games. So I said, "We're going to be eating chili. Do you want to eat our chili?" And there was a pause, and then Ben said, "Then what will you eat?" "Chili," I said, "we've got lots." "Ohhhh." And that's what I like.

Oh, and here's what else, because I like a lot of stuff: amid all that, I got to work on a short story and on a novel, and I'll get to do more today, because that's what I do. And it's what I like, too.

And I like getting royalties on e-book short stories even months later. I like that a lot.

And also: I like going to see Heathah if she's not in the hospital having this baby right this very minute now. (And I like playing with the baby once she's done, so really, it works well either way.) And I like getting more Christmas shopping done and coming home to relax and have quiet time. That's what I like.

And here's what I don't like: grown-ups who stand waaaaay too close to a display in an uncrowded area, so little ones in strollers can't see through their butts. And then they say, "I don't know, I just don't get the symbolism." About Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Riiiiight. That's what I don't like.

And here's what else I don't like: getting mail that was sent on the 15th forwarded and arriving yesterday. Or rather, not getting it until yesterday. Getting it yesterday is better than nothing. But the big ol' delay (almost three weeks!) is not so much something I like.

And here's what else I don't like: worrying that doing stuff I like is going to get in the way of stuff I have to do, or vice versa. So I'm going to try to minimize the worrying component of it and just keep doing stuff I like and stuff I have to do. Because it's the worrying that I don't like anyway.

You notice there's a lot more stuff I like than stuff I don't like. Funny thing, that.