Walking in the rain

Last night was chilly, it got back into the 60's. Around 2 am there was another lovely thunderstorm. All day I've been thinking of that Ronnettes song, "Walking In The Rain".



I can't get enough of girl groups. I've been listening to Northern Soul singers more lately too, or U.S. hits that only made it big in The UK. If English people like a pop hit, it probably rules, they are NOT playing.

I'm happy in Little Rock, but I'm lonesome without my friends. I've never been lonesome in this way before, its strange. I really love my time I have with my family and my girlfriend, but I miss having friends to be with. The only person in my world right now that has similar cultural sensibilities is my mom. She's not chopped liver, but I wish I had a friend here that wanted to watch a foreign film, or share snobby opinions on music and pop culture.

Richard St. John's 8 secrets of success | Video on TED.com

Richard St. John's 8 secrets of success | Video on TED.com

I don't have the patience for self help books, so this was nice.
For future reference.

It's good to touch the green green grass of home.

I can't sleep, but it just so happens there is an incredibly powerful thunderstorm happening right now so its not all bad. I'm missing my friends. As I'm typing a crack of thunder shook the windows and made me jump. And now, after only a few minutes, the storm is rolling past. The rain is mostly gone now, although I can see lightning in the distance, and the drain outside is chugging along just the same.

I'm missing my friends. Missing the levity and simplicity of youth. My life has changed significantly in the last 4 months. It's all progress, I don't doubt that, but its hard sometimes. I don't want to grow up. I guess thats why I'm still not a grown up.

Spring is here. It's the season that makes life worth anything, the time when I feel good just being alive. There will never be enough good poems about it, its awe inspiring. Its my first southern Spring in 14 years and I'm a fool for it, I don't want it to ever end.

I really love Laura. Seeing her is the best part of my day. I feel like I can be myself completely with her, something I've never been able to say before with a girl. Tomorrow she starts production on Hairspray, I think her character is named Amber? She's the blond mean girl in the play in any case. Anyway, we won't see each other much between now and May 8th. She's free in the day and I'm free at night, what an inversion!
Oh, I meant to write about this when it happened, but last weekend we went to Brinkley to meet her family. I think it was a hit, her dad gave me an Elvis pillow and told me I had a workers hands. Her mom made me cheese grits, it was pretty cool. The next day I went to Graceland with Laura, and I think its safe to say that it was a life changing experience for me. I don't want to overstate anything, but I will say this: the night before we left I played "Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain" for Laura, and on the tour we learned that Elvis actually played that on his piano for friends just hours before he died. Coincidence, or spiritual kinship?

I want to read Hesiod next. Writing this on here so I don't forget.

I'm so sad that Japan is getting hit so hard. Like so many nerdy men in the world I love Japan, it is dear to my heart. I think we all should intercede for all the sweet, scared people there. Prayer seems so futile in the face of something like this, but I know it isn't. I'm breaking my Lenten fast to stay up and watch CNN, I guess I'll do better tomorrow...

Before I sleep:
I HATE WHEN MAJOR MEDIA OUTLET NEWS PROGRAMS QUOTE TWITTER IN BREAKING NEWS. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS ENOUGH. IT IS SO INANE AND CORNY. BROADCASTERS ARE PAID TO INFORM US WITH PROFESSIONAL SOURCES, NOT READ THEIR TWITTER FEED OVER LIVE TV.