The Pinnacle of Civilization

I plan to be in one zip code for a full week.

This weekend, a trip to Memphis marked the ninth state I've visited in seven days. Greg, by flying through Chicago, racks up 10. Ahh, the life of a nomad. If I actually had as few belongings as a nomad, it would be easier.

Two dogs sit in the chair to my left, my cat is sitting in my lap. I hope you can appreciate how hard it is to type on a laptop over a cat. I have long since given up trying to comprehend the thoughts/feelings/feline questionings running through her head. First leaving Melanie (who was pushing for a landmark case of pet emancipation [Torri v. Glass] in order to keep the sweeter of her roommates), then being forcibly consigned to the mini-pet carrier (think kitty burrito), then seeing I-40 rushing past at cheetah-like speeds, then coming to rest in an unknown house with long-since forgotten canines to fend off/boss around, all with a couple of hotel overnights and a 48-hour period of solitude in the mix – this has been the recent life experience of my furry companion. I feel awful and will most likely research a pet psychiatrist as I try to find a chiropractor. A pet is like half a child; one would never 'board' one's child and leave for vacation (maybe a discipline problem, but not a good one), but all the same, arrangements must be made, lives bent around said creature. If she weren't so perfect, I would have left her in L.A. with her Pacific Coast mom.

A four-bedroom house in Jackson, MO, is now my 'home', if one defines a home as the primary locale of R.E.M. sleep. My landlord is a man who used to live there but now rents it to college interns during the summer and uses the basement as a portrait studio on weekends. His girlfriend works with Greg. There is a fireplace; I declared myself a pyromaniac upon seeing it, he did not seem overly concerned. My cat is, unfortunately, not allowed. I hope our close bond will not dissolve so easily.

On the way to Cape (as the locals call it, affectionately or otherwise) this morning, I stopped by Schnucks. First of all, Greg's refrigerator contains four things – condiments, lactose-free milk (to which I say, in the same manner as to caffeine-free Diet Coke, 'what's the point?'), soft drinks and french onion dip. Secondly, what rational person would attempt to build a supermarket and gasoline empire on the name 'Schnucks'? I almost went to the Wal-Mart grocery center instead simply because I didn't want the customer service reps at Discover card headquarters to temporarily freeze my credit due to outlandish shopping behavior. I must admit, however, that I was more than impressed at the layout and selection. I was terribly frightened that my beloved Kashi would be a rare find here, but I have never seen so many Kashi granola bar options side-by-side, even in Whole Foods. Forgive me, California! They also had my popcorn beverage of choice – POM peach tea – as well as the best cat litter on the planet at the best price I've ever seen. On the downside, I could not find Naked fruit smoothies – a drink I discovered just before leaving the Land of Ralph's. They are wonderful fruit and veggie drinks with only natural sweetener and tons of goodness. I may call the manufacturer. As I checked out, the slightly elderly lady behind the counter totally negated the sign over the door announcing 'the friendliest store in town!' by unceremoniously dumping my basket onto the conveyor belt, stating my total and giving me my receipt all without even looking at me. How I will miss the sweet manager at Ralph's at Venice and Overland who would look directly at each and every customer and make amazing small talk. Melanie would always choose his line and we'd always leave smiling.

Since I'm supposed to be moving boxes that won't require my attention for a few months to Greg's carport storage area so that his spare room will actually be usable again, I should stop my ramblings. But let me end on this note: there is a town in Arkansas named Braggadocio. Life never stops surprising me! Here are two pics from the move - the right one is Torri finally settled because it got dark, the other is the truck amidst the paralyzing snow in Albuquerque. If you click on them, they'll be a lot bigger.