Showed vacation photos to everyone imaginable. Brought Italy romance to Geronimo after Christmas. Introduced him to grandmother and aunt. Introduced him to father. New Year’s with Perry in Austin. At midnight, was under the covers with Noel drinking champagne from Mariott glasses and watching Elf. Went back to school. Made the Dean’s list. Lost chapbook. Emergency drive to Greenville with Noel to meet up with Margaret. Got so drunk I made sand angels in the volleyball pit at the bar. Wore matching pajamas with best friend and took a soak in what I thought was a hot tub. Watched Noel’s minivan hit 170,000 miles. Got a tulip and saw Slumdog Millionaire for Valentine’s Day. Visited Virginia for Spring Break and met Noel’s lovely family. Fantastic dinner on a restaurant patio with wine and dessert. Became addicted to Cook Out. Went to Tim’s funeral; got ice cream afterwards. Went to see the death rattle of Margaret’s car in Society Hill; got rock candy and Mexican Coke afterwards. Packed up Noel’s van with our stuff, the first time I had ever been in charge of packing a car. Went to his river house, bought groceries and played house. Went to the farmer’s market. Went to the rummage store and bought a Noritake creamer. Got a terrible haircut. Moved to my first apartment in Greenville. Drank at the Gypsy. A lot. Broke up with Noel. Ian started coming up a weekend at a time. Went to Houston for a couple of weeks. Fourth of July in Geronimo. Dad drove Nana and I to go see fireworks and we watched them from the car. Dad taught me how to drive the rented PT Cruiser on the back country roads. Got a rhinestone-studded pedicure. Back to the Carolinas. Watched the Old 97s play with Margaret and Jonboy. Went to see a voice concert with Y-vonne. Made an amazing dinner with Ian and ate it by candlelight. Met a goat. Had a very questionable one night stand. Fell down the stairs while moving boxes out of the apartment and got the most epic bruise of all time on my left arm. Back to school. Lovely charming conversations with Dr. Heffernan. Lunch and dinner outside by the lake at every possible opportunity, usually with Sarah. Enrolled in two philosophy courses and wished I’d taken them sooner. Hosted Writers’ Forum. Saw off another Italy group. Wine Thursday nights and on the weekends. Went to Ralieigh with Ian and made myself into a barefoot drunken fool. Saw a fire dancer. Called Dan Savage and asked him for sex advice. Baked chocolate chip cookies. Baked white bread. Got a cold. Got H1N1. Got a call that my father was in the hospital. Got a call that it was cancer. Flew home. Spent three weeks trying to come up with a game plan until he died, quite suddenly. Arranged the memorial service. Wondered what to do next. Flew back to school to pack up. Got quite rattled when my mother got into a car accident on the way to pick me up. Left the car at the repair shop and rented a U-Haul. Woke up on my birthday on a sofa bed at the Residence Inn in Greenville. Accidentally stumbled upon the original Chick-fil-a and had birthday lunch there. Ended the day at the Residence Inn in Mobile after a long day of driving.
