Home Again

Well, I made it to Glen Ellyn all right. I knew you were worried. All sorts of crazy people were part of the parade of public transportation that I participated in today. People that make you really wonder what their backstory is. I had quite a bit of fun creating their backstories, actually. I wrote it all down and maybe when I'm not so tired (my day started at 7:00 this morning when the ferry left the island), I transpose some of them here. I am getting more excited about the reunion but also just a little bit nervous because there are only 35 names left on the email list that get sent out with updates. What if I made all this effort and no one came worth seeing?

I broke down and went shopping for a new outfit. I know that I said that I owed it to myself to go wearing an outfit that I would wear here, but I began telling people, "This is the outfit I'm thinking of for my high school reunion," and they would make these faces. I tried to explain that I don't want to be the odd-girl-from-high-school-that-shows-up-for-the-reunion-looking-totally-hot. That lacks subtlety. Plus, I still can't compete on that level and most people would only come away from the reunion with an image of me as mediocre since I would just blend in with everyone else. I want to be the odd-girl-from-high-school-who-shows-up-to-the-reunion-finally-comfortable-with-herself. Isn't that the ultimate measure of success?

I mean, I know that fussing this much about it indicates that I'm not fully comfortable with myself. However, I'm on the right path.

I actually went shopping because I was looking for something to do with my friend Hannah before both she and I leave the island. So, after going to the one place that had a niche on the island selling clothes that would normally be sold in any fashion store in the city, (Laura did not make any effort to understand the image I was trying to create and was actually pretty derisive about my style) we landed at a place tucked back in our only strip mall (it's a cute building with only architectural similarity to suburban strip malls) called Far and Away. We found almost exactly my pink linen shirt, but with some fancy touches, like some tasteful, funky beadwork at the sleeves and hem. The hem is actually hotter than my other pink shirt because it falls just exactly about the belt that I wear with my hot jeans, so the hottest part of the hot jeans can be seen clearly. Hot.

I did spend $40 on this shirt, which is more than I ever paid for anything when I was a recreational shopper. However, it really is perfect and that $40 is actually 30% off the regular price.

I left my pink shoes at Jeff's house and I wasn't go to go all the way for them with a 6:00 start necessary, so I packed my hiking boots. I think they will offset the beadwork nicely.

My dog recognized me when I got home.

Wish me luck.