I got this Fwd: the other day...It came with the tagline: BEWARE OF WHAT YOU BUY IN DOLLAR STORES LADIES!

So I guess the next time you think of buying a multi-neon-color-10 pack of hairties that feel a little cheap, leave.

The "HappySad Tear"

The "HappySad Tear" Leaving Boston was arguably harder than leaving yes...K-town. This might be obvious to the average American, however I spent four blissful years in the Wisconsin paradise that is Kenosha. And yet, after a little over two months in Bean Town I shed a tear onto my keyboard after clicking that little blue "confirm order" on AirTran.com. My one-way flight was purchased, and little did I know I would shed a few more tears in the days to come. I was happysad. A ski coach once told my competitively passionate alpine-racing sister she was the only person he knew of who could smile and cry at exactly the same time. It's true, she has perfected the picture of happysad. Its a human phenomenon really, you can watch her big smile retain its beautiful shape as tears seriously stream down her rosy cheeks. Leaving Boston felt like the happysad, smilecry for days. There was the office lunch party to say goodbye/thank you to me (the three-days-a-week-unpaid-intern), the hug thank you/goodbye/hopefully I'll see you again soon to my neighbor friend, my last cardio boot camp class, my last third-wheel family dinner, my last chance to wear my sister's socks and perhaps the most unexpected smilecry...my last appointment with Laura the nail technician. Laura brought a perspective to my life I had never really been confronted by. I am drawn to, but distant from her perspective; it has a lot to do with Wordsworth...

the daisy

city sun

"Where have you been, Florida?"

My internal stare-down response: No lady, its July fucking 15^th! It's summer. I've been outside…because it's summer. Yes, yes I do have tan legs, because it's summer.

My Minnesota instinct: Is she kidding? She's kidding. She is feeding pigeons…

My newly acquired Bostonian thought: Oh, I guess I am in a black Banana Republic dress and heels, sitting under a giant plastic daisy that is apparently a solar powered wireless hub eating my lunch in under 15 minutes while glancing at the Financial Times to see what they have to say about Blackberry Apps and watching the Indian tourists…in the middle of a mall courtyard. And oh, maybe people here don't get outside much. In fact, on this gorgeous, sunny, 75 degree day I bet there is only a fraction of a % of people outside as compared to people inside within a 100 yard radius of me and this pigeon feeder.

I stared at the lady; she had a long skirt, tube socks and a sweater on. She was feeding pigeons.

"No. I've been on the cape though!" I smiled.

"Oh. It was warm enough to go to the beach?"

"Yeah. It's been beautiful!"

"Oh. That's nice. I only swim if it's 90 degrees out."

"Oh, yeah." I think the pigeon lady just pursed her lips at me, and then pulled her cardigan close, as if she was cold. I think my glasses are sliding down my nose, because I'm now sweating. Because I'm sitting under a giant plastic daisy, that is providing wireless internet and not a light mist like I was thinking a giant plastic daisy should do in the middle of a concrete sea.

I was also thinking a giant plastic daisy could strategically squirt water out of its petals at men and women in suits walking to work.

"Jim why's your shirt all wet?"

"Oh, I got hit by that damn daisy."

"Little fucker. Daisy fucker."