I blew my hair dry this morning
using my mom’s hair dryer
I find blowing my hair so boring
It takes forever
So I thought –
Because thinking –
Well
Over-thinking
Is one of my super powers

I thought about how my mom used to blow my hair dry for me
I thought about how when my hair is short it takes so much less time to blow dry
I wondered why my hair looks so good when the hair stylist blows it dry
I wondered how anyone ever has time for this sort of thing every day
I mean, why do I feel a need to blow dry my hair ever?
Yes, it looks better, blonder
Feels softer, smoother
But like, so what?

My first year teaching I used to arrive to school with dripping wet hair
(as if my mornings were so busy before I had kids)
(what the heck was I doing with my time?)
I would walk down the hallway, sometimes drying my soaking hair with school paper towels
You do know school paper towels, right?
Even slower to dry than a hair dryer
My principal would give me a little side eye if she passed me
She was a very proper woman
I was a very young second-grade teacher
I’m sure my dripping wet hair made her shudder

Deep in thought
The hair dryer switched to a quieter sound
It smelled even burnier than usual
My hair was almost all dry
But not quite
My goal had been totally dry hair
Laugh if you want, but this is a big goal for me
But the smell got worse, and the sound got weirder
So I had to turn it off

At least I tried

It’s Tuesday!

I don’t really have anything to say to you
But you’re here
So I guess you heard
It’s Tuesday
And I write on Tuesdays.

I didn’t have anywhere to go, or really any time
But I did take a walk
It’s a sunny day
It’s Tuesday
And it’s April and it feels like spring.

I don’t know any answers to your questions
But I am thinking
I am overthinking, I mean
It’s Tuesday
And I live way too deep in my head.

I didn’t really have anything to say to you
But you stopped by
And it’s the First Tuesday of April
It’s Tuesday!
And sometimes, sometimes I write on Tuesdays.

I used to re-write all my notes to study for Social Studies tests
Margie and I would sit and eat Pizza Hut pizza in her den and quiz each other
I failed Latin though, basically, in 9th grade – Maybe it was a D.
My teacher paused at my desk and quietly suggested I try Spanish the next year
I loved Spanish

I used to play the piano really fast for recitals
I was up on a stage and I guess I just zoomed through
I loved the way the keys felt, but it was hard to make the time to practice
I quit in eleventh grade and focused on my acting
I loved acting

I used to decorate my bedroom door with intense messages
Animal Rights, Women’s Rights, Quotes and sarcasm too
I was the president of the Animal Rights Club in High School, or maybe co-president
We met in the art teacher’s room and hung signs in the hallway
I loved activism

I used to…
I spoke Spanish
I played the piano
I performed plays
I marched for causes

I miss the good ol’ days

I miss barbies
on the floor with Keely
where we built whole villages and had entire dramas play out for hours

I miss Kings Quest
on the old IBM with the joystick
and listening to Madonna tapes over and over until all lyrics were memorized

I miss drama class
at the Art Center with Margie
who walked up the steps from the snack machine with me before we took our acting exercises very seriously

I miss long walks
in the neighborhood with Rachel
when walking was the only way to have freedom and we would talk and laugh

I miss college lunch dates
at the Hub with Sara
where we piled salad, sprouts and ranch into plastic containers and chose a roll with care

I miss Must See TV
on the couch with Greg
and all the characters- from Friends to ER – that we had to check in with each week

I miss teaching
in the 6th grade hall with the Wolves
because once a Wolf, always a Wolf and if you were ever a Wolf, previously known as a Wolverine, you know what I mean without this verse of poetry

I miss late night get togethers
in my living room with Kris and Mardi
who would sneak over after my kids fell asleep, and patiently stay if I had to nurse a baby back to sleep

I miss traveling
to New York with Kris and Mardi and Krista
and the growing traditions of dinner and walking and the constant search for a perfect piece of pizza for Kris

I miss staycations
that were really vacations with Sara’s family
when the kids piled up to watch movies or play games and the grown ups talked and Jason made the drinks

I miss backyard fun
which was actually inside at Kathleen’s
when we gathered together to enjoy fine wine and also BBQ chips but best of all, each others’ company

I miss the good ol’ days
which I get are also happening right now
while I reflect on the good ol’ days from before

Sometimes I like to write with a mentor text closeby… This one came to me when I thought about how the friends and enemies of writers have an interesting thing to think about every time they read . . .

With apologies to Carly Simon… please sing this slice in your head – or out loud if you so choose. (Click for a reminder)

You’re so Vain

Such a witch

You walked into our life like you were taking a bow with a wink
Your dress strategically dipped below to appeal
Your nails they were pink
You had one eye in the mirror, as you watched yourself cartwheel
And all the friends dreamed that they’d be your partner
They’d be your partner and

You’re so vain
You probably think this slice is about you

You’re so vain (you’re so vain)
I bet you think this slice is about you
Don’t you don’t you?

You had me several months ago when I was quieting my hunches
Well you said that life was really grand and you would never pull any punches
But you lied you stole you lied some more
even to those you loved
I had some dreams they were clouds in my Dunkin’ clouds in my Dunkin’ and
You’re so vain

You probably think this slice is about you
You’re so vain (you’re so vain)

I bet you think this slice is about you
Don’t you don’t you don’t you?

I had some dreams they were clouds in my Dunkin’ clouds in my Dunkin’ and
You’re so vain
You probably think this slice is about you
You’re so vain (you’re so vain)
I bet you think this slice is about you
Don’t you don’t you?

Well I hear you went and cut your hair
And your life is going well
Soon you’ll forget about the damage, the despair
you caused to those in your spell

Well you’re where you should be all the time
And when you’re not, you’re an underworld spy
Or the wife of an old friend wife of an old friend and

You’re so vain
You probably think this slice is about you
You’re so vain (so vain)
I bet you think this slice is about you
Don’t you don’t you don’t you?

You’re so vain
You probably think this slice is about you
You’re so vain
Probably think this slice is about you
You’re so vain