Solidify

I just want to remember this great day, and there's no room left in my paper journal... where I usually put this sort of thing.

It started last night. After work, Jake met me at my apartment. We talked about our weeks--both not great. Just sitting together and letting everything else melt away is always good for stress. I sat on the couch, and he lay down with his head in my lap talking about the job that he sometimes hates/sometimes tolerates. Then we agree that we're both lucky to have jobs at all and enjoy a long night of just being close after days of chatting on stupid online programs. Then sleep.

He drives me to work. I'm five minutes late, because like a dummy, I just have to go and make myself fried eggs and toast instead of grabbing a cereal bar like normal people do when they're in a hurry. Anyway, work is quiet--which is always nice. It's basically time to read and chat online.

Then class. My teacher is a funny aging man with thick glasses, graying hair, and a wheelchair with blinking lights on the front. He talks in a thick accent that sounds like somewhere around Lafourche Parish. It's a good enough hour; most of it is a review of material learned in other classes. He has to leave early, which frees up more afternoon to check out an art show.

Jake and I walk to the art show after he picks me up. It was a mild, breezy morning, but now we're walking fast because it's all hot and wet. Clouds are coming in. We walk into the union gallery and are surprised by 3 lecturers. We sit in.

One woman talks about feminism and why female villains are known as villains because of their independence and focus on their own goals. I shrug internally and think that they're also called villains because--like male villains (independent or not)--they're not above harming others to achieve their goals. Then two men get up after her. One talks about Captain America and his place in our culture--what he's represented, etc etc. The next talks about the many faces of Batman--from silly and censored for the children's sake to dark, brooding, and gritty. After the lectures we enjoyed art from the Golden to the Modern age. It was interesting to see the transition they've gone through on a couple of walls.

Then I was hungry, and he bought me lunch. I got barbequed chicken, green beans, potatoes, and cornbread that was too saucy, too bitter, unsalted, and dry, respectively. But I'm just so happy to have an afternoon with him that it's the most delicious thing I've eaten all week. I hadn't had strawberry soda in about a year. I always forget how much I love it.

The rest of the afternoon was supposed to consist of coffee and conversation. There was still conversation, but it was in the comfort of my apartment, snuggled up close. A nice way to end the day-or-so we had. And I get to see him again tomorrow!