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July 27, 2008
Life Is a Highway
How did I get back to being such a bad blogger that you have been greeted by a blank page? Ack!
Here is a list of things I have been thinking about until I think of something better to post and sorry if lately my posts have been a little dating-centric but I think you'll agree you'd rather hear about that than work, no?
1. How do you care for basil? I bought a basil plant from Trader Joe's, and, small miracle, I have managed to keep it alive, but it looks, like, well, gimp basil with a bad toupee. There are weird flowery bits growing out HERE, and parts of it are deep green THERE, and part of it are celery green and limp here AND there, and really, what should I do?
2. I was driving back tonight from meeting awesome Gwen, in town for a wedding, at Little Next Door for some moules frittes and lovely girl talk, and I was heading East on one of those rare streets in L.A. where the lights are timed and you almost feel like you are on the highway.
And I think I've mentioned before my love for highway driving, my #1 alone activity, topping even a) watching "Persuasion" and crying my eyes out and b) rearranging my sock and underwear baskets by color and/or appropriateness for wear outside the confines of my apartment.
My favorite thing about highway driving is that once you've been going for about four hours, you lose complete connection with reality. Or at least I do. This is when my mind feels really free to imagine the possibilities in life. It's the only time I imagine the passionate affair I'll soon be having with Josh Radnor, or how I'll suddenly master the space-time continuum and be able to work 60 hours a week, go to pilates in the morning, run when I get home, and make beautiful, healthy meals in my immaculate home 7 nights a week. And usually, when I arrive at my destination, I half don't want to, because how is it going to compare with the glorious existence I've conjured up on the ride there?
Anyway, I was driving along this pseudo highway, thinking about the pseudo breakup I endured on Saturday, realizing how totally NOT devastated I was, AND, more importantly, realizing that despite all the driving I've been doing recently, how I have totally NOT fantasized about this broken-up-with person at all on these trips. That is WRONG.
I've had some ridiculous qualifications for a boyfriend during my lifetime, some of which include (albeit unintentionally): a) being an A-HOLE (years 14-18); b) and not wearing deodorant (years 19-24). But I've never NOT been able to conjure up a decent picture of our smelly, tension-filled future together on a four-hour road trip.
New requirement for future relationships: ability to conjure up some sort of fantastical daydream about the person by the time I hit Vacaville.
3. Even more embarrassing than the fact that this title references a Tom Cochrane song from 1990-something, is the fact that every time I hear this song I also remember my deep and abiding love for the Bryan Adams ballad from the same timeframe, "Everything I Do (I Do It for You)" and also, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, in which Kevin Costner gave up on his accent 12 minutes into the picture but I didn't give up on him EVER.
If I had driven back then, I'm sure I would have had no problems developing a very detailed Kevin Costner highway fantasy. I know, ew.
Posted by jen at July 27, 2008 10:57 PM
Comments
jen, you are PRICELESS. i love your catchup posts. so much fun.
i agree - if he doesn't come in a roadtrip fantasy, he is definitely NOT WORTH IT. :)
Posted by: carolyn at July 28, 2008 03:04 PM
Jen, I say now is the right time to give up on Kevin Costner. You can do this!
Posted by: Julie C at July 28, 2008 03:29 PM
Jen,
After you finish blowing out Josh's birthday candles today, I'd still be interested in taking you out to dinner sometime...
Kip
braintacomusic@msn.com
Posted by: Kip at July 29, 2008 10:50 AM
Hello, other commenters. I read this whole post and all your comments to find out about BASIL.
Of course, the rest of the post was quite rewarding and, really, what I came for. Fantasiz-ability is definitely a requirement. And also? I now have "Life is a highway" in my head and I can *never* remember any lyric other than that one.single.line.
Posted by: Daphne at July 30, 2008 05:46 PM
1. The basil, I don't know. Too much water? or maybe sun? But do pinch the flowers off, once it flowers it kind of gives up on leaf production. Or so my mother always told me.
Everthing else? You're the best. I also love highway driving. Except at night because if there isn't anyone else on the road the shadows always make me convinced that someone is on the road walking while I turn with the curves and that I will hit them. So I occasionally slow down (a lot) before curves in the road. *sigh* am crazy.
And man, that line about Kevin Costner, HA.
Posted by: Christine at July 31, 2008 08:41 AM
the basil...pinch off the flowery looking things. Really. You don't grow it for leaves, but for flowers, and they take away the energy it needs for leaves.
as for the variable color, don't know. but try the pinching!
Posted by: marybeth at August 5, 2008 01:20 PM
Hello. Another highway driving lover here. Nice to know there are others out there.
Posted by: Musing at August 9, 2008 08:09 PM