Ten.Two Thousand, Two Hundred & Thirteen

1. Not sure why I even bought pants. I never want to wear them.

2. Small cup of coffee.

3. “Freedom begins when you are unapologetically and simply you.”

4. I look through the stack of books and pick the thinnest one. Just a few pages before I must go.

5. This is the last time I will have to do this. Hopefully.

6. She says it’s been slow—scary slow. I can feel it. Plenty of cars passing through, but there are no people on the street. Everyone knows there is a problem. No one seems to be able to fix it.

7. Sometimes wisdom looks like knowing when to keep your mouth shut.

8. I still don’t know what I want.

9. Fever and Storm.

10. Just take me to the water.

Ten.Two Thousand, Two Hundred & Twelve

1. A Wednesday that feels like it should be Friday.

2. Bright sun.

3. The gladiolas are starting to dry out.

4. At least that is over with.

5. One by one they begin to cancel. I should just do all of this from home then.

6. Screw it. I’m bringing back the Oxford comma.

7. I tell her that I need until September to be in full-court shape. Note to self: get in full-court shape.

8. Sometimes you just need to know you’re not alone.

9. This lingering light is fooling me. I am staying up way past my bedtime.

10. The Finer Things Club.

Ten.Two Thousand, Two Hundred & Eleven

1. Did not expect the gray sky.

2. What is right and necessary?

3. The joy of realizing it’s wint-o-green and not peppermint.

4. Off and I can feel it. I’ll come around.

5. You can be glad that it’s over and sad that it happened.

6. It’s the uncertainty of it all.

7. I sit back in the chair and watch the ripples in the fountain. The music is loud. People playing corn hole. People playing soccer. Tug-o-War. Just enough cloud cover to diffuse the sun. A breeze.

8. But all I can see are the highlighted squares in that Figma spreadsheet.

9. Four is always the minimum and that makes four.

10. No words. No words. No words.

Ten.Two Thousand, Two Hundred & Ten

1. Too warm.

2. This feeling feels familiar.

3. More gladiola blooms bursting.

4. I forgot to water the plants again.

5. A cookie from Capri and Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo.

6. I guess I was wrong about that and many other things.

7. I don’t know where I stand yet.

8. A much-needed distraction.

9. He asks us about open gym. She says it looks like I missed it. She’s right. I forgot how much I enjoy being there. I just needed to laugh.

10. What else is there to say?

Ten.Two Thousand, Two Hundred & Nine

1. Quiet.

2. I make sure to get the cobwebs before I lay on my back again in Savasana.

3. The short walk turns into a longer hike—steps and more steps. On the way back, I pick the most recently liked songs: July, II Most Wanted, Too Sweet, Lose Control. I spot a former colleague in the cart. He tells me he could hear me singing and to keep singing. I walk back home with the water, only a little embarrassed.

4. These gladiolas.

5. The last chapter.

6. Even though I get a little nervous with each fall, he clearly feels so much better. You can tell by how he is playing. He looks happy.

7. Ok. Maybe it will come together as intended.

8. I want a nap. I really want a nap. No time.

9. I just need one more day.

10. “I think you’re too nice.”