Ginger, damn. That was some beautiful work he did.

Oh, Ginger, I'm so sorry.

Kelly's death just brought back a lot of memories. My ex and I would spend a week or so each year with Polly and Kelly. We went to their daughter's wedding and Polly's funeral. It's hard to think about all the people who were once such an important part of my life and who now are gone, because of divorce or changes in our lives or just inattention on my part. I feel like a bad friend and it makes me sad.

Ginger, you aren't a bad friend.

Time passages, is what it is. We age, we move on, we look around and say hang on, I need to go have lunch with Soandso because I haven't seen them in forever, and you go and you have lunch with SoandSo and while you two are chatting, one of you says hey, have you heard from MaybeWho recently, and you both resolve to hunt them up, and find out they've move on to somewhere else.

You aren't a bad friend. Time is a river, and it doesn't stop moving. I'm just glad that, occasionally, someone from way upstream crawls out onto the bank where I'm standing.

Time is a river, and it doesn't stop moving. I'm just glad that, occasionally, someone from way upstream crawls out onto the bank where I'm standing.

Especially since the river seems to be moving faster and faster as I get older. Makes it harder to get to shore for those restful moments.

Ginger, I know just what you mean. I've got friends from college who are still 6 of the dearest people in the world to me, and I stop and realize that its been literally years since we've talked. Then I feel guilty and like a bad friend, until I realize that they haven't called me, either, that we've all got our own messes lives to deal with, and that when we finally DO talk, it'll be like time's stood still.

I hope.

Sail, that's exactly right. Older we get, faster it flows. It's axiomatic.

Kristin, I checked out your pictures link. Am reproducing exactly what I said in your livejournal; this assumes that those particular shots are the choice pool. I love the one of you on your Christmas card, actually: Kristin in motion, with puppy. It's very kinetic.

Anyway, verbatim: From someone who has been posing for book-related publicity shots for a good long time?

Your two winners are #5 and #7. Don't be playing with pencils or chewing your hair, not for these. You're gorgeous, with a neck designed to tempt vampires, but that's not what these shots are supposed to be for, correct?

Number 5 is your "I'm a writer, and relaxed about it" winner. Number 7 is the runner-up.

Ginger, I know just what you mean. I've got friends from college who are still 6 of the dearest people in the world to me, and I stop and realize that its been literally years since we've talked. Then I feel guilty and like a bad friend, until I realize that they haven't called me, either, that we've all got our own messes lives to deal with, and that when we finally DO talk, it'll be like time's stood still.

Lilty, that's how it happens with me. The time standing still thing. Well, except for the part where I've had a baby and L is now Everything But Dissertation and D has her second transplanted liver and G&B bought a condo in SF and....

But the friendships remain. Some bonds just get forged so strongly that when you see them again, it's like you saw them yesterday instead of three years ago.

Some bonds just get forged so strongly that when you see them again, it's like you saw them yesterday instead of three years ago.

That's very comforting to hear, Susan. We all seem so scattered now, it's hard to know when we'll even see each other again, when the ex is selling computers in Chicago, a friend is doing dinner theater in Miami, another is trying to 'make it' in NYC, etc.

ION, I'm looking at job postings. I think maybe I'm just playing with fire and I ought to leave well enough alone for right now.

Must get dressed. Want better coffee than can make at home. Want personal pronouns back.