I have to tell you, though, I fade out when people start talking about leaving Dallas, especially people who want to move to either California or Austin. That talk usually comes out during the nastiest summer days. I love the oppressive, hundred plus heat. There's something about it that forces me to come up with something to do: write music, work harder, make jewelery, drive to Denton, drive to the lake, build tables, mow lawns, make out with strangers...Heat does it to me.

I was at a wake for a family friend recently--his son died an untimely death. We didn't know him, but it was an honor to be there for our friend. It was sad, understandably, as death often is, and I had the misfortune of running into someone during the reception who didn't know the son either, but took the opportunity to moralize about the importance of living life to the fullest (the son died in a motorcycle accident, see.)
"He died doing something he loved, and that's all we can hope for in life."

"I guess."

"What do you do?"

"I work at a used book store."

"So is that what you're doing while you go to school?"

"No, I actually graduated two years ago." English lit, Poly sci, was gonna be a writer, to antsy for journalism, fell into this retail gig, but I love it, see?

"Well, you can always freelance! And do what you love! And you can always start a blog! That's where so much information comes from. people don't read newspapers anymore. Social media has done so much for information."

I guess she missed the part where I said I love my job.