Been a Hard Day's Night

Today went slightly less smoothly than Megan, Christa, and I anticipated. Both of their cars decided to throw temper tantrums on the same day, at times when they both had a slew of tasks and strict time frames in which they must be accomplished. My plan to stay on the mountain turned to me finding an entertaining area of town and sticking, since Christa's car sounded like a jet engine taking off each time she braked. But "no worries" to quote the car's owner...I wandered around an area called Bel Mar, cooed at the pretty outdoor ice skating rink, checked out a little gallery crawl, and now find myself in yet another coffee shop listening to some kids cover Beatles songs. I didn't pick it for the music...they piled in the door with their considerable slew of friends about an hour after I bought an overpriced coke and settled in a corner with a book and this computer.



So their performance made me think about a few things:



1) if you're going to sing in a public place, especially once you've past the "my mom pushed me into children's choir" stage...you really should be able to sing. Ouch, dude, seriously. I will buy you a pitch pipe.



2) if you are gonna sing a classic song that pretty much EVERYBODY knows...you might want to know it too. I'm talking about Hard Day's Night, specifically. I mean, there are like 7 words in the whole song. Come on!



3) a good thing, they are actually playing some of the older Beatles music. I am no Beatles snob, I haven't listened to the white album while encased in a cloud of smoke - any type - I just like the older stuff. Upbeat can be brilliant, too, in my opinion.



4) I called these guys "kids" when in reality, they are probably 20 years old. Then I proceeded to gripe about them excessively. I am officially 83.

Hello, I Love You, Won't You Tell Me Your Name

So I went on a date last night. Maybe the most random date I've ever been on, and certainly the most adult.

Like any shameless, bored single woman with an active imagination, I sat in the airport Saturday people watching as I waited for my plane. If I'm to be honest, though, what I was really watching for was a cute guy who might just happen to have seat 11B next to my 11C. The pickins were slim, but suddenly to my left, I spotted a potential - cute, young, and smiling. Unfortunately, he was smiling at the little boy who was traveling with him. No married men for me, thank you! Well, I thought, better make sure...and I strained as subtly as possible to see if he had a ring. I believed I caught the rambunctious 4 year old calling the guy "Patrick" and held on to the hope that maybe this guy was a doting uncle or cousin. Really, this guy, though adorable in his playing with the youngster, was not all that spectacular, but like I said, I was bored. Well, as I schemed silently in my head, I actually, ridiculously, thought "God, can You make the cute guy sit next to me?" I mean seriously, I am ashamed of myself!

Within moments the kid was getting wilder and noisier, and in his attempts to curtail the boy's energetic dashes, Mr. Cuteness revealed a flash of gold on his left hand that squashed my interest immediately. At that point I realized how silly I was, and God must have realized it too, because the increasingly hyper kid and dad sat not beside me, but right behind me - out of sight but certainly NOT out of hearing. His frequent squawking was actually not so bad as the constant sighing and complaining over it the woman beside me uttered through the flight. Very funny, God.

If I could have heard Him, though, I think God would have been chuckling at more than just the first leg of the trip. See, I think my prayer was silly, but I also think God enjoys our silliness as well as our serious moments. What good friendship do you only have deep, dark discussions with? The most alive ones include those "Don't tell anyone I'm this goofy," giggling-until-you-fall-off-the-couch moments as well as the tearful heart-to-hearts. I believe too, that God wants to give us those silly things we ask for, and on Saturday, He did!

Part two of my trip included a longer flight from Chicago to Denver, and as I settled into my place, the outside of the two seats on the left row, I pulled my book out and paid no attention to the boarding passengers....that is until a young male voice said "Can I slide in here?" and I got my first glimpse at my previously-mentioned date. We talked the whole 2hrs and 45 minutes to Denver and on through baggage claim, whereupon the nice architect pretty fresh out of grad school asked for my number(in front of Megan, so good for him for having some guts!). We went to a very nice restaurant last night, where he paid, opened doors, and generally treated me like a woman he was delighted to spend his time and money on. I gotta say, I love this!

We had a really good time, and the guy was a sweetheart - it's not true love, but who says I want it to be? The most delightful part of it all is that we have a God who loves to make us laugh. A date with a Michigan boy in town for a week? That's so random and fun. But a God who consistently loves us and takes joy in crafting the details in our lives...that is amazing.

YESSSSSSS.

And talk of poems and prayers and promises, things that we believe in...

I just have to say that Christa and Megan are two of the most wonderful women I know, shoot, most wonderful women in the world. Perhaps all of history. Yes, undoubtedly so.

I've been here in Colorado for less than a week, but it feels like so much longer - in a good way. Two nights ago Megan and I went to Boulder on a whim when we were uninspired by the dining choices around us. It's such a great town, I love spur of the moment trips, and I am so happy to have Megan who appreciates and initiates random, let's-see-where-life-takes-us adventures. I love the way Megan asks questions about what is going on in your life. Not just "how are you?" but specific, thoughtful questions that show she cares. We've had some great conversation about God and theology, boys and friends, and working and coping methods, and I LOVE her so much. I think I might be a "crazy liberal" myself by the time Dec 4th rolls around. Well, at least a little less Republican. She and Christa have given me a book list already to read while I am here, too. I am so glad for intelligent friends!

My mom said on the phone the other day that Christa and I are kindred spirits. I love that idea but think in reality I am a very pale shadow of Christa. I can cook....Christa can make magic. I have lots of artistic ideas, but Christa's craft room is full of completed examples of what she's made after bouncing from bed at 7 am when she doesn't have to work until 3. I am thoroughly impressed. We've had such a great time these past few days, scouring thrift stores for finds we can remake into funky but fashionable clothes, weaving sticks into a Thanksgiving centerpiece, and just having long overdue catch-up time. I can't believe I haven't spent much time with her since she's graduated - I have missed her so much and she is FANTASTIC. I mean, she took me to a depression glass store....how could I NOT adore her?

Add to this the fact that I am in gorgeous, amazing Colorado, and you have one VERY happy Tiffany. Megan told me to look into changing my return ticket to one later in December. The only thing bad about that is that if I do, I may just never go home!