the DC Weekend.

So it is 1am and I am lying on my belly on a comfy couch in a Homewood Suites in Alexandria, Virginia. My youngest brother is drooling on his comforter passed out in the armchair next to me. The other brother is talking in his sleep in the other room while my parents rest together in another bedroom. The Aunt and two second cousins are sleeping soundly two floors below me.

I am the only creature crawling around this lonely but quite home-ie hotel. We have come here for the National Book Fair in Washington DC and I am tagging along for the ride – I need to get out of Pittsburgh for a little bit.
Last year there were authors that I knew, and this year I was a little sad to not recognize anyone on the roster. This must be a sign that I need to read more, and then I remember that I never have time for my favorite pastime. One of my favorite smells in the world is a brand new book or a very old one. I loved going to the library as a child, and I still enjoy visiting the places books live to this day. Why don't I just put my computer down now and dive into one of the three different books I brought with me?

The fact that I just finished a major meditation session over a project proposal might have something to do with it. I'm working on a piece for an alleyway space. The frustration with the thought process led me to run outside and just walk around the little part of Alexandria surrounding the hotel. I sat on this peaceful grassy knoll and watched adolescent male party animals run inside the McDonald's across the street. I listened to the cars, the neighborhood sounds of dogs, and other creatures whining and howling. I took in the rhythm of traffic and imagined driving down the Leesburgh Pike with ‘them’ - radio on, caffeine pumping through our veins. I noticed couples returning from the city to the hotel, looking ready to crawl into bed together as the staggered hand in hand toward the hotel entrance. The best sight was the sky with clouds lit up by city lights. It’s an electric sky.

I came back inside and wrote the proposal. It's not all worked out and I need some input from a collegiate source but I like what I am thinking. I can't wait to hear back.

But now, I must retire.