February 27, 2005

This morning, casually paralyzed with everyday indecision--should I have coffee first, or take a shower first?--I turned to my dog and very sincerely asked, "What should I do? Should I drink some coffee?"

Until I actually asked my dog to make a decision for me, I didn't quite grasp just how overwhelmed I am. I quickly snapped out of it, I chose the coffee, skipped the shower, made a few fruitless phone calls, and headed out solo for the restorative power of dim sum. Happily, I got a call from Lester, he of the magnificent mustache and the healing omelet, so I only had to spend half my time alone at a four-top with all those little dishes spread before me. True to its promise, the dim sum revived me. And coupled with this lovely, perfect first spring day, I feel almost bulletproof.

Speaking of bullets, when I awoke this morning only a little bit achy, instead of appallingly hung over (my rightful state), I recognized that I had dodged a terrible bullet. So I took it as a gift and decided that was that: my late-night pre-move binge drinking was over. I've been on kind of a bender lately, gorging on social interaction and booze, getting ready for my long hibernation from nightlife in rural Kansas.

I'm not yet ready to renounce human company, but I am done with the alcoholic overindulgence. It's just too taxing. Besides, the constant, moderate toxicity has inspired far too much contemplation of the Master Cleanser. And with all the packing and whatnot, I don't see how I would have time to spend a week on the toilet. Which reminds me: I need to install my new flapper.

I need to do a lot of things, not the least of which is to clean my house so the place no longer smells of dust and dog and unwashed hair. But that can wait. On a day so pretty the term achingly beautiful seems almost unpretentious, cleaning my house would be heretical. Instead, I'm going to walk the dogs like everyone else. Then I'm going to make some fresh lemonade with the two fat lemons on my little lemon tree, and I'm going to hula hoop until my shins ache.

1.14.05