penzilla

Last night on my way home from work, I saw, at the corner of a few major streets downtown, a painted window for someone’s birthday. It was reminiscent of the days back in high school where we would paint each other’s cars during sports events– Go Revere Girls’ Tennis—Back To State!—Beat those Bitches from Canfield. It was always very classy. But tonight, this is what I saw painted on someone’s window in blue lettering:

MARGE IS 22

I can’t get it out of my mind. It seemed so definite and fatalistic, and also kind of perfect in a way. Maybe that is because of my own impending

JESSICA IS 28

in April.

Actually, I think I’m going to opt for the Edina Monsoon epitaph:

JESSICA IS 28. HELLO DEATH. HELLO OBLIVIAN.

So tonight my parents are going to see Emmylou and Patty Griffin in concert in Cleveland. It was my Christmas present to them, but I have to say that I’m feeling an enormous sense of jealousy. I told my Mom that half way through Patty’s set she has to be one of those people who screams “I love you Patty,” as that is what I would do if I were there. Something tells me she won’t do it. Just a hunch.

It only took me about a day and a half to finish Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty. I couldn’t pull myself away. If you don’t know, it’s about her friendship with Lucy Grealy. They were both at Sarah Lawrence together, and then at Iowa, and really had an amazing friendship up until Lucy’s death a few years ago. The book was really tender, but kind of brutal in a way. Maybe I’ll think differently about it with a little distance. It also makes me feel like a complete failure as a writer. Though, what’s new. Anyway, I recommend it if you haven’t read it yet.