Family, friends, a bit of good news and explaining the unexplainable art

[la_belle_laide]

This weekend wasn't as fab as I thought it was gonna be, because SB and Jo-chan weren't able to stay. But, it was still pretty good all in all. The two of them came over Friday night and stayed for a few hours. They brought over some leftovers which were delish. We played tons of RE:DC, SB and I as Claire and Steve in the saddest and most awesome part of the game. (The Code: Veronica story, with which I wasn't familiar before this. ) We kinda ruled. Jo-chan and my Mom were getting really into the game too. Then we watched Degeneration because SB had never seen it. (That movie is awesome for the perfectly timed joke.)

I hate it when they have to leave.

Yesterday was Saturday and I worked, and for some reason was on fire. I sold tons of stuff; it was just flying off the shelves. Then I came home and got the best news of the week: Sano's blood test results are really encouraging. He's been home since Thursday (he was in the hospital for six days!) and was basically the Glass Dog. I couldn't let him play, or run, or anything. I couldn't even pat him or let him wag his tail too hard, because he had such low platelets. But on Saturday, not only were his platelets on the rise, so were the RBCs and WBCs. The vet who did his blood this time was encouraged and felt that maybe it wasn't just the result of his latest transfusion; that maybe his bone marrow has not been eradicated and maybe his own body is taking over and making its own blood again. I very, very much hope he's right and at any rate, that set the tone for the rest of the day which was relief. :)

Then I baked a pie.

Today, workwise, meh. I hardly sold a blasted thing. People just did not want to hear form me today. The manager of the store I was working assured me it wasn't me; she couldn't even give away discounts. The first customer of the day told her “THIS IS COMMUNISM!” before she even offered the discount card, and that seemed to set the tone for today which was complete non-response from just about everyone.

The rest of the day was a blast. I had been expecting Lady Chrysanthemum, my wonderful friend Kim, and the Druid. The Druid did not make it (I haven't seen this guy in about fourteen years because somehow the dates and times always get mixed up.) I had very much wanted the Gold Dragon to be able to make it, but he was upstate with family for the weekend. So, it was Lady Chrysanthemum, my wonderful friend Kim, and my Mom, at my Mom's house for dinner. The whole thing was so mellow and very nice. Lady Chrysanthemum and I spent a lot of time explaining to Kim and my Mom about the goings on at the Kwon. This is all very hard to relate to unless you're in the middle of it. So many aspects of it are traditional, down to the group dynamics you often see conventionalized in Kung Fu movies. In some ways it doesn't even fit into any paradigm you can imagine today; and yet somehow, I cling to those conventions myself in unexpected ways: these essentially outmoded ideas of status-based “family” in a group of people in a martial art; as if we had something to defend, protect or whatever. Even if it doesn't fit. And even if it is entirely dysfunctional. That's really my fictional self and that's something that Kim pointed out to me tonight. As obvious as it is, it's really not so obvious when you're in the middle of it. A good example of what I mean is the fact that my rib is broken and, added onto all the other injuries, I kind of wear it like a badge. Lady Chrysanthemum mentioned something similar with her black eye and bruised arms. It makes you feel like a damn ninja, or warrior or something but, you know, "this is real life." That's easy to forget, even when (and maybe especially when) you're in the middle of it. Like I mentioned before, you want people to see the bruises and you want them to ask. Then, you want to explain it to them. The weirdest part: You kind of want them to not understand. Of course people on the outside of it shouldn't understand why you would feel stronger after getting hurt, or why you would keep going back for more. They're not supposed to understand. It's yours.

Anyway. Then we talked well into the night about all manner of things from horseback riding to traveling to art. It was very fulfilling.

Oh, but the pie didn't turn out as delicious as I'd hoped. I rushed it, and the crust was really too dry.

It's not a typical way to spend this time of year that everyone else is calling “the holidays” because this year, there are no “holidays.” There's just getting through the next month without it being too hard. I don't want to see lights, or trees, or reds, golds and greens, or wreaths or cards or gifts, or any of the stuff that I normally adore. I don't want to see any of that but I do like to see my friends and my family. I think there will be no more “typical” from now on but hopefully there will be a new way that will be bearable. Hell, let's go really crazy and say “fun,” even. :) Someday.