New York and Indiana... Jones

I realized, looking back over past journal entries, that even the mindless mundane things can bring about memories that make me smile. I was reading about Shane's visit in May of '07 and it really brought that long weekend back vividly - I only jotted down a few things, but it really helped me remember how things went. Crazy how things change in a year, huh? But I'm still here, marching relentlessly on, just like time. Ha!

So we're going to New York this weekend. I CAN'T WAIT. From the plane ride to the trip to FAO Schwartz to the boat tour to the hotel to seeing our friend Shelaine and her baby, I CANNOT WAIT!!! Wheeee!! It's going to be so much fun. We still haven't planned out a lot, but I think that's a good thing. It'll keep us from feeling like we're missing out on things when we don't get a chance to do them. So far I have a list of about four things: WTC Memorial (or what's been built of it), boat tour, Central Park, FAO Schwartz. I feel like I'm forgetting something. There are lots of other little things like shopping in SoHo or having brunch with Shelaine on Sunday (and eating the famous New Yorker's brunch of bagels, lox and cream cheese), but I just expect those to come as they will.

Tonight I'm taking my mom to see Indiana Jones 4. I hope it doesn't suck!! This is part of her mother's day present. For Mother's Day this year, my sister and I were especially broke, so we decided to surprise our mom in a way that was worth a lot more than money: we showed up in church and surprised her. (We normally don't go to church with her.) It was great. She was SO surprised. She had to be up at the front and walk out with the choir to read the morning's greeting, so she had no idea we were there, and right in the middle of saying hello to the congregation, she stopped mid-word and her eyes welled up with big tears and she said in this whispery little voice over the microphone, "my children are here". Everybody turned around to look at us - all big eyes and blue hair and wondering faces - and I said, "happy mother's day!". It was awesome. It was also free. Which is why I'm taking mom out, now that I have money. And of course I want to see Indy 4!! I grew up on the Indiana Jones movies. Bwah-ha-ha...

I'm still writing. Haltingly, but still plugging along. My latest story has grown to 23 pages. Right now I have a general concept of the story arc, but I'm just writing it one page at a time and really discovering it as I go. Which is a lot of fun, actually. I just wish I had more time to work on it!! It's been a few days since I pumped out some pages. Things have just been so crazy lately. Hopefully I can make some time next week after our trip to NYC. Right now I'm probably about five pages ahead of myself in my head. Meaning, I know where we're going up to about five pages after what I've actually written. The rest of the story is there, but I'm not thinking about it too much. I just pick it up and carry it as I can, and sometimes I get myself into binds, but I have fun figuring them out. Right now I have to figure out how a homeless guy, a dude in a wheelchair, a lady who has no concept of modern society and an infant are going to get from South Carolina to New York City with exactly $41.79 and no car. Fun!! I'm playing "Can You?" in my own life... move over, Paulie Sheldon... ::well-meaning leer:: Hahaha...

(I'm also really looking forward to being a big ol' artistic sponge in NYC during our trip, and soaking up this and that (or dis and dat, if you prefer) to stick into the story to make it even more realistic.)

I had more to say, but it's all flown from my head! I need to head out of here anyway. Next time, I'll probably have been to THE BIG APPLE!! YAY!! And I'll update accordingly, of course.