For 20 Minutes in Milwaukee, I Was A Believer

Every morning that I wake up, later than I probably should, check my silly blog and see a handful of small (mostly blank) icons, I smile at the little fish on the stove and remember that I am not alone out here. Out in the middle of the Arizona desert, 30 minutes from the nearest Starbucks, and covered in little thorny prickers that stick to everything and pinch me unexpectedly. Even here I have people, I have blessed internet people. And so, it is with a warm heart and open arms that I'd like to welcome Jasmine Clark to my cluster of internet people. Yay! I am both country bumpkin who saves wilty vegetation for unaffected chickens and savvy internet scribe. I am a low-level superhero with unremarkable, debatably non-existent powers and silly alter ego.

My identity is very open to construction right now. Very, very soft, very pliable, not concrete in any way, much like a play-doh identity. So forgive me if I'm prone to play.

Coincidentally, in the way of the Universe, I have been working on something a little artsy, a little academic, and a little something that relates to my friend Jasmine from art school. What a cool coincidence that she would chose to follow me today, of all days! By continuing with your eyes open you are agreeing to keep your mouth shut about the previous use of the term "artsy", which, if we were still in school, would get me crucified.

I am encouraged by these coincidences. It's the little believer in me. Like the time I was sitting in the Milwaukee airport thinking about my Army husband when low and behold, an Army guy walked by. Milwaukee, by the way, is a place full of very pale, very jiggly people. I know this from sitting in their airport for 2 hours and not talking to anyone. If Husband were here he'd ask what this Army guy's rank was. And he would be annoyed when I would reply, "I have no idea, but he was blonde." But he isn't.

Anyways, as I was thinking and possibly also writing a letter to Army Husband, and an actual Army guy walked past; I was immediately struck by the coincidence and tried to hash out a deeper meaning. Just as I settled on the comforting theory that everything would be all right because of this unmistakable sign that the Universe had just sent me, another Army guy walked past. This time a brunette. And he was carrying a magazine, conspicuously inside another magazine. This lead me to believe that the inner magazine was porn. This also lead me to believe that the situation was strange, because it was quite early in the morning. But I guess anytime is a good time for magazine porn if you're in the Army. I'll have to ask Army Husband.

So, here we have the possibility of two or three interpretations. 1) Two Army guys is better than one, therefore the original theory "Everything will be all right" stands. 2) One Army guy (blonde) another with porn. Perhaps the Universe is trying to tell me that "Everything will be all right, sure. But there are secrets, possibly pornographic secrets". 3) The Universe isn't talking to me, I'm grasping for meaning and purpose during an emotionally stressful time. Army guys walk through mid-American airports at all freakin' times and especially in the early morning. This is no big deal, I should go back to my crossword puzzle.

Eventually, Option 3 was overwhelming adopted by the teeny debate team in my head as a slew of other Army guys walked past. However, for a good 20 minutes in Milwaukee, I was a believer. And believe you me, that is good high.

Here is some fledgling art that I optimistically choose to believe is being endorsed by the Universe by way of substantial coincidence and timing.







For those of you who aren't familiar with the Universe, timing and coincidence are its bread and butter.