2.21.06

valentine's day recap because the goodness of that day was singularly astonishing. it needs to be remembered.

niki knocked on my door a very few minutes after i'd woken up bearing chocolates and a rose. seeing nicole in the morning is better than any coffee.

after the piecing together of my morning routine came mail-checking. i was presented with a letter from phi beta kappa, alpha of maine, which initially confused me since i knew maggie had gotten phi beta kappa back in october and had assumed back then that i was out of the running. instead, it turns out they do a second round of nominations in february based all the way through the first semester of the senior year. i bought a starbucks doubleshot and happily spilled over to the c-store lady that i just found out i was phi beta kappa. she was the first person to know. she smiled at me tolerantly.

at lunch, i was telling emily about my wonderful nicole wake up and she brought a stack of emily-wrapped presents up out of the depths of her bag. stationery, a veritable sack of chocolate, and deep ultramarine glass earrings. her kindness and perception were nearly more than i could handle, overflowing with good things as i was.

all through the day, i had glancing thoughts of "this day would be unsurpassed in its perfection if only i got a call from the union telling me i had flowers. preferably from someone other than a grammy, but hey. if only." and then i did. and i walked over to the union really fast, not quite believing it. when i got there, rachel kaplan had to look through every ugly flower arrangement in a basket that was there. mine was the last one. it was the best one. seven roses, all in a different color. they were from jon. i was floored and elated which i think is what you're supposed to be when you get flowers. they're still sitting next to me here in a vase, a week later. i think the dusky purple one is my favorite.

that was more to savor in one day that i've had in the entire past year. i have no idea how it happened. it was lovely.

the next day i got an email from antioch inviting me to interview.

i could keep this up for years and years. it will go away, but it's nice in the meantime.

in the past week i've spent some time talking to frances killea, drank some champagne, danced with kevin and eli, gotten a little bit sick, did more fcc lawyer radio things, became concerned about the likelihood of finding a good connection with another person in the post-graduate wasteland of the general public, and looked at my roses a lot. they are, after all, right in front of me.

i can't help but hope good things keep happening, but for now there is virtually nothing to complain about.