now i use both hands

She's been with me for over a decade, seeing me through a melodramatic and self destructive relationship ("you've had time...") and helped ease me into the most beautiful relationship I can imagine (I made Husband a mix tape; he was working overnights at the Shell gas station, and before we even had our first date, we used to write each other these lovely letters, and we'd give each other little things--books, a CD of music he wrote, an Ani Difranco mix tape, and we fell in love). I've seen her over half a dozen times and listened to her late into the night. And this week, my favorite girl Chris asked me if I'd like to accompany her and her two entomologist friends last night--a wonderful night of girl time, which is so precious, Tibetan food (so, so good--Everest on Grand--so, so good), and music. An eerie moment: I heard someone in a Steven Simons-like voice (a friend from high school), "Molly Rose," and I was spinning around, scanning the crowd, partially surprised that he'd be at this concert, and I ran into a former colleague of mine, who hadn't said my name, but who was right there--we hugged, talked about Old High School, how Emily passes news along about me, which is so sweet, and how I'm happy now that I've moved on. And back into the dark, into the music and the poetry of the night--Ani is such a wonderful storyteller, so fierce, and so good. Also: Melissa Ferrick, her opening act, is absolutely adorable. It was her birthday, she sang some beautiful songs, and I'm going to have to look into adding her to the playlist in my mind.

Thank you, Chris. It was a lovely evening. (And I woke up with one nasty cold--I knew it was coming! Always get one at the end of September.) It's always so good to be with a friend you love and admire and to meet new people who are also wonderful and admirable. I love smart, good women. They are such a blessing.