Hello cyber world… I’m so tired and I feel SO behind on EVERYTHING. I still have to tweak my grad school essays and I have to start filling out 30 applications. The flu really had me out of commission for way too long and I honestly feel “out of it.” I don’t even know what’s going on in your lives – did Barry’s cat ever attack him in the middle of the night (deservingly so…)? I haven’t stopped by Sandy’s page to say hello yet. Hi Sandy! I’m coming! Have the kids driven Zoe Rights insane yet? How’s Papa Shane doing today? Has Sweet Mango written another love story? Did Court fall crazy in love? And what shenanigans has LiLu gotten into these past few weeks?

I love you guys and I’ve missed you! Thanks for being my BBs. I truly enjoy reading your stories.

I just got back from San Francisco where I experienced a series of intense and totally unexpected feelings (God I LOVE that city). I also fell madly, deeply, crazy in love with a boy in the elevator at MIA. I wish I knew his name. Trip details coming soon.

The GRE Subject Test in English Literature came and went and it was just as horrifying as I suspected. I’ve never been happier to turn the page and read “April is the cruellest month…” while internally screaming in joy because of course Professor Marcus has practically tattooed T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland on our foreheads. I was also trying not to cough and distract this room full of funny looking, nervous kids. We were the saddest group of nerds you ever saw at 8 AM in room 117 at The University of Miami. The guy in front of me was taking the Subject Test in Math *EEEEEEK!* and the kid in front of him was taking it in Physics *TRIPLE EEEEEEK!!!* . I’m thankful it’s over! General GRE coming up next month… one more to go.

I’m reading Paula from Isabel Allende. I forgot how amazing it is to read in Spanish. I forgot how long and complicated the sentences can be and just how different it flows. I was a bit taken back how "new" it felt and how language, no matter what it is and where it comes from, has often the inadvertent effect of making you feel things you may had forgotten to feel. It’s a wonderful story written to her daughter who is comatose and slowly dying. It’s the painfully true tale of Allende’s childhood, present, and unknown future. I highly recommend it, although I’m not sure you can translate such delicate rhetoric…

Well, the flu is gone and all I have is a stubborn lingering cough that’s just a nuisance more than anything. I’m back to work next week and ready to tackle all my deadlines. I’ll be going back to school and it’s now time for a little Emily Dickinson action. I’ve never read much of her poetry so I’m excited to learn a bit about her. All I know is that there are long dashes after every line, she never published while she was alive, and it’s rather morbid writing… we’ll see…

Not sure if there’s a lot of gratitude openly expressed here so just to recap: I’m thankful I’m finally healthy, I’m thankful for my blogging friends, I’m thankful for the opportunity to visit an amazing city and make some money along the way; I’m thankful I’m home safe and sound, I’m thankful for my new black boots and my checkered coat, I’m thankful it’s no longer over 90 degrees in Miami, I’m thankful for my DVR and coming home to my favorite shows, and I’m so very thankful that kid wasn’t in that balloon. Good heavens!

Now on to catch up on your stories… XOXOXO

Gratitude Note...Or Something Like It