Butterscotch Popcorn

Sometimes I do know how lucky I am. It's Wednesday, and I have the entire day to work on my newest play. I zoomed with my writers' group earlier. Now I'm at the cafe with two cookies and a caramel sea salt cold brew. A producer just reached out asking if I was interested in a new project. "Sure" I respond now. There's a 10% chance I'll never hear from her again, but it's nice to be asked.

Last night Puhg had the living room, so I got all curled up in bed with a bowl of Jenni's (butterscotch popcorn). I opened my laptop to watch The Other Two. It felt so college and so 30s at the same time. I'd spent the day pounding away at my keyboard, revising and proofing B_rbie episodes for a big deadline. I stirred up gossip in my high school group chat. I had to send difficult emails, but I sent them.

Monday morning I hit the picket line early with a distant Chicago friend. I got a free iced coffee with a blood splatter straw. I fiercely planned two productions and wrote two B_rbie scripts I went so hard I had to powerwalk the 1.2 miles to my favorite Mexican restaurant. A closest friend and I gabbed for hours. I walked home dreaming.

I had no weekend plans, but Puhg and I hit the movies just because. It was so summer sitting on a patio eating falafel and later watching The Haunted Mansion with frosty Coke Zero in the cupholder. Sunday night I walked to the local bookstore, browsed for an hour with Yosh, then he bought me a milkshake.

Saint Tropez

I can't believe you tried to control me! The one thing I know for sure, is I cannot be controlled. Maybe that's why people disappear and unfollow, ghost and side eye with suspicion. Because I am not afraid to be alone.

Lessons In Gjetost

When I was 23 or so my aunt and I visited my sister in St Louis. We didn't have any plans besides definitely going to this adorable little spot The Chocolate Bar. Tax Aunt had been a couple years earlier. She loved it so much. We were all enthused about this plan! But then we left a little late and the drive took a little longer and by the time we got in, we'd have to race to the bar before it closed and we kind of looked haggard and we were spent, so to our dismay, we dashed our only plan.

But my sister rallied. She would make the cheese board of our DREAMS! And what do you know? When the cheese board was presented my aunt gasped at the sight of the gjetost on the plate. The fancy caramelized cheese we all first discovered at the Chocolate Bar! She said, "To be honest, the whole reason I wanted to go...was to eat this cheese." And then my sister said, "I just wanted to be with you both. I didn't care about going at all!" I agreed, neither did I! I just wanted for Tax Aunt to get what she wanted! And for us to have a nice time! And guess what? We did.