reclaim the atmosphere

and today we'll crucify the fear 

as love reclaims the atmosphere

be honest in transition when preparing for the feast

send blessings to your critics and careful with the least of these

a hectic past several months.

busying myself in oakland, pacifica, san francisco, napa, santa barbara, nola, motown, vegas, san diego
with bridesmaid duties, happy hours, live music, holidays, football games, work transitions, food (always lots of food) and maintaining important relationships in my life.

the latter especially leaving me thinking, thinking, thinking about if/how/when i did and did not do my due diligence to make sure these people know they are loved, appreciated, understood, and valued.

then the january calm arrived and i guess i expected the stillness to equate to peace of mind. but instead it felt more like holding my breath.

and with february, could it be finally a sigh of relief? clarity (thank you, jm) at the very least.

audacity in love

flipping through my journal last night, i found this excerpt from audacity of hope that i jotted down when i read the book a couple summers ago. our president, the romantic.

"eventually i wore her down. after a firm picnic, she drove me back to my apartment, and i offered to buy her an ice cream cone at the baskin-robbins across the street. we sat on the curb and ate our cones in the sticky afternoon heat, and i told her about working at baskin-robbins when i was a teenager and how it was hard to look cool in a brown apron and cap. she told me that for a span of two or three years as a child, she had refused to eat anything except peanut butter and jelly. i said that i'd like to meet her family. she said she would like that. 

i asker her if i could kiss her. it tasted of chocolate. 

we spent the rest of the summer together. i told her about organizing, and living in indonesia, and what it was like to bodysurf. she told me about her childhood friends, and a trip to paris she'd taken in high school, and her favorite stevie wonder songs."

solidarity

by far one of the most beautiful days in this city