Since You're Gone

The Cars have many songs. Some of them are bad like "Let the Good Times Roll." Some of them are mediocre, "Let's Go" and "Best Friends Girl" but at least one of them is great.


Cars - Since You're Gone by jpdc11

I've had "Since You're Gone" stuck in my head since Erik left for China 8 days ago. Actually, I've had it in my head longer. I left for Salt Lake on May 29th and was there for two weeks. This may be the longest I've been without a boyfriend--and is definitely the longest Erik and I have been apart. It's been illuminating. I think Erik is something of a crankiness filter. The world is a little to much with me. The sun a little harsher. The sound of the roofers hammers a little louder. The drag of it not feeling like summer a little draggier.

It's been so long I think I will forget everything that happened while he was gone. And since he's my memory too, this list will be swiss-cheese at best. But still, since you're gone:

I read some books. I reread both the Into Thin Air and Into the Wild Krakauer books. I read Brent Hendricks's book about his dad's body being one of those that went uncremated at the Tri-state crematorium in Georgia. I read Laura Gray-Rosendale's College Girl, which was a very good and very hard to read book about a woman raped in college--she's also my colleague and is a very amazing writer. Also, Let Us Know Praise Famous Men, which is the best book of all time, again.

I ate dim sum. In Salt Lake. Not in Hong Kong, with you.

Took the kids swimming 4 times.

Lost a cowboy boot. It's red. If anyone has seen it, please let me know. It is size 7. Max's size 7.

Lost Zoe's hat. Found Zoe's hat.

Lost my red 7 year pen. Found my 7 year pen.

Went to drinks with my friends from graduate school at: The Annex, Criollo, The Zane Grey room, and Flag Brew. Flag Brew was the best because I ate the poutine. It was delicious. The Quebecian fry sauce.

I missed my college reunion. I didn't mind so much.

I loved my online class but I think I over did it a bit.

I tried to blog for the big boys but I am not a boy so I'm having a hard time.

Some magazines asked me for work. I tried to give them some but I am low on writing work because all my writing has been in the form of comments to students or to former students or to would-be blogs or to would-be essayists writing me about where to place their writing. It has been a very businessy writing life.

I went to drinks with my grad school students which was very fun and very sad because they are leaving for more grad school.

Max got his first professional haircut. He liked it just fine.

Zoe reads Monica Brown's bilingual books all day. She also can jump rope very fast, thanks to your mom.

The kids are sleeping upstairs on camping pads which I know you think is crazy but they like it and I want them near but not too near because they flip flop when they sleep in my bed and keep me up all night.

We ate dinner on the back patio.

4 Magazines emailed wanting work. But this entails work. And the finding of work and the polishing of work. The revising of old work which means I'm not writing new work. One day, this will all be less work, yes? You too, with your China work and bat work and monthly show work. And this Max's bedroom work.

I pushed them on the swings for 27 hours (not straight although I like pushing them on the swing--I could maybe do it for 27 hours straight if there was some great World Record Prize at the end).

I did not win any prizes but Quench finally made it to Amazon (cover problems. The shipment got lost in the warehouse. Amazon isn't that nice to Small Press Distribution). For a minute, it was 28,264 in popularity. That will probably be it's high point so I will cling to it like a prize.

Paige and I took Val's kids and your kids to Lagoon. You owe me one.

The flooring is at the Home Depot. I am about to go pick it up.

I have learned to live with the chaos that is Max's room upended and scattered through the rest of the house.

I sent a mass email to my friends about my book and no one has yelled at me for doing that yet. In fact, I'm getting a nice note a minute. I love my friends.

I have to read two theses and I am behind.

I drove to Sedona and back to take the kids swimming and to see my grad school friends one more time.

I had an existential crisis about why it doesn't feel like summer yet and perhaps that is that, no more summers that feel like summers for me. I don't know why I have so much business to do. Forms. Letters. Ads. Marketing. Marketing! In the summer!

I went to Twin Falls, where I have never been, and your daughter caught 12 fish. I got to hang out with my sister and her boyfriend and pretend to have a book release party. Perhaps today is the official party (ah. That's one of the problems with June. All officially a party.)

I hung out on my mom and sister's new patio with my mom and sister. That was almost summer. But then I had to grade.

I had my friends from work over for drinks and dinner and I made a vegetable gratin which was OK but not 1000 percent as good as the one at Coppa.

Angie, who couldn't make it to the friends from work drinks and dinner, took me out to drinks and dinner, so two nights of fun for the price of one.

I'm going to Coppa with Jane next week.

I have so many emails I should be writing.

I would like to go make some art.

Come home. Perhaps that will inspire me to do so.