there should be a law about having to get up before the sun rises. as in, one should not have to get out of bed before there's at least a modicum of light in the east. the world looks unfurnished, somehow, at 5:30 a.m. not to mention the amount of protesting one's body can do when dragged out of a warm bed into a cold bathroom, and then stuck into a hot shower. mine was quite vigorous this morning; i think the shower somewhat placated it enough to keep functioning, at any rate.

it feels sort of alien, and strangely "adult" to think of myself as a commuter. though obviously, i am. i stop at krauzer's, get my muffin and soda(yeah i'm a health nut. really.), and go driving off, to merge into the rest of the commuters that form two ribbons of red and white lights down the road. it gives you a definite idea of overcrowding, the need for good public transport. since there we all are, crawling toward our respective locations. going about 35 if we're lucky. right past all the signs that blare "traffic violation fines doubled in 65 mph zones!" i'd rather take the train, thanks. unfortunately, there isn't one. so i'm stuck in my car, snaking across the road toward work like some kind of bizarre conga line. and i lost my muffins this morning when i was forced to slam on the brakes.

but the kids are great. i'm starting to be accepted into the group by most of them (i feel like margaret mead, observing a foreign culture. which i am in a sense.), though some of the kids are still testing me to see how much i'll put up with. not much, of course. but they're bringing me their dangling shoelaces, their unzippable jeans. their poopy bottoms. which i think is maybe a little boy thing? anyway, i'm fairly sure it's a sign of trust, when a four-year-old turns around and presents his bare bottom. and they're running up and hugging me now, and some of them are trying to be the quietest on the carpet, so i'll notice and praise them. and so they can wash their hands and eat snack. of course i'm lucky; they come already well-trained, by the preschool teachers, by the teachers who had them when they were toddlers, by their parents, who are all really nice and involved, which is definitely something new for me, and a Really Good Thing.

and it's ali's last night in town, which is...well, really good for ali, at any rate. though i have no idea what i'm going to do without her. and probably some other people are leaving this weekend too. so i guess maybe i should go find those people and see them before they go. it's nice to have friends again, for the few weeks they're all here. and it's really strange to me, that i'm the one who's left behind.

tune in next time, -beatpoetgrrl

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