The Prologue

On October 23, 2009, two monumental things will happen:

Saturn will have made a its first full orbit around the sun from where it was in the sky at 12:22am on October 23, 1980.

I will turn 29.

I'm not going to explain what this means in detail (if you're really curious, check out this link: Saturn return).  Just know, it's a big year...a big time for change...and a time I'd like to keep a full record of.

That said, I've decided to write one entry for every single day of my 29th year, beginning on October 23rd...my 29th birthday.

They won't be long entries...typically.  A picture and one short story from something that actually happened in my day.  Short, to the point, and hopefully interesting.

Here's an example:

Friday, October 16, 2009:


I was standing outside of iO tonight, just enjoying a cigarette before the Jam.  I noticed an older man stumbling towards me, and of course...he wanted to strike up a conversation.

"Hey Miss, excuse me," he mumbled.  "Excuse me.  Can I buy a cigarette from you?"

"Oh, I'm sorry.  I left them inside!"  (I lied.)  The man totally saw through it, so I backpedaled a little bit and dug through my pockets and gave him a Camel.

The man pushed his face very close to mine.  "You're so beautiful."  His teeth were yellowed, and his lips were cracked.

"Thank you, sir."  (I lied again. I just wanted him to be on his way already.  I was also convinced he was a little too drunk to give an accurate opinion on my appearance.)

The man grunted a little.  "I've never had one of you before.  I mean, a white woman.  I've never had a white woman before.  I hear you white women are good."

I smiled awkwardly and uncomfortably, hoping he'd leave.

"So are you good?  I bet you are," he continued.


"Um...I...well..." I couldn't think. "Um, my boyfriend thinks...I mean...erm." (I lied yet again.  The closest thing I have to a boyfriend is my cat Clio who is so infatuated with me that every night she digs in my hair and buries her face in my scalp.  Oddly enough, this is also the closest thing to a make-out session I've had in a while. But I digress. Arg.)

"Your BOYFRIEND?  You got a boyfriend?  Do you cheat?"  He laughed.  It sounded rough and thick, like he had something in his throat.  "You're not MARRIED...so, you know it's not the same."  

I smiled awkwardly again, sucking down my own cigarette as fast as I could.  I let out a puff of smoke, and through a courteous, albeit slightly fake, smile said, "I couldn't do that.  I'm an honest girl."

As the words poured out of my mouth, I could feel the irony of the entire situation swirling around me.  I'd lied to the man multiple times already.  But no matter.  He chuckled, reeled back a little, and strolled away.  

"You got me there, girl.  Good night!"

I finished up my cigarette while quietly laughing at the exchange, and headed back into the theater.

 That's the form.  A short little moment from my day...no matter how mundane, and a picture.  (Unfortunately, I don't have a picture from Friday night.)  First official post will be 10.23.09.  Stay tuned!

-T.