It has finally happened. Winter.
It has been a long time coming. I was enjoying grabbing a sweater and not having to scrape my car windows. The lack of snow delayed my change of season reflection. Now it is upon me. This season takes me back to my birthplace, California. I like to think of my birth certificate as a ticket. If they ever close the borders I will still be able to get in. My son has one too, though I don't know that he feels the same way. He can't possibly remember it. I too was torn away from its soft brown hills at a very early age. I went back as an adult to be with the love of my life, Norman. After being there for a week it became the place I love most in this world. Was it because I was with him and starting a family? That certainly has to be part of it.
A large part of it is the weather. I know it sounds superficial but, people ,THE WEATHER! It's glorious. Everyday. I don't need the uncertainty of the Mid-West . I know some people thrive on the thrill of "What will today bring?", but the mail provides that for me.
One very important piece of my love, I could get things done. All by myself, as a woman. I could call handymen, businesses, utility companies and someone would listen, perform the task and ask if everything was satisfactory. Here I can not. I can try for weeks. The minute my husband calls someone it is done, immediately. Seriously?
"What about the people?" Someone asked me that once. I was at a loss for words. There are so many different kinds of people. Colors, languages, rich, poor, local, tourist and every other category we like to put humans in. A day is full of so many random variations of people that you can't possibly put it into words.
I also happen to be a movie fiend. I love them. Nowhere in the world can this obsession be fed as well as it is in Los Angles. One of my favorite days, we took in an 11am show, went to lunch, wandered around some shops, took in a 4pm show, went to dinner, then did a 10pm show. So deliciously decadent. I don't even remember the shows. I remember the feeling of being wide open to anything, in a place where anything can happen. It was magic. And this time of year in Ohio is anything but that for me. Right now this song makes me cry. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNgdTLTLMbQ I will snap out of it soon enough. I have scheduled events that will keep me busy and free of self indulgent navel gazing until March. Check back then.
