Ordinary

Yesterday was an oddly social day...the kind of day I used to be more used to. But the kind of day that is completely different from my typical day here.

In the morning I met a couple R. and S. and their son T. for breakfast about 2 blocks from my house. On the way I ran into another couple from Texxas (she's originally from CT of all places) who I'd met the other night at one of the online group's happy hour. They're both looking to live here eventually and since he's retired, he might move down first and rent a place. So they were looking at a place on my block. Anyway, the main reason I was meeting for breakfast was to give a disk of portrait photos to R. and S.'s son because he was going back to the States later that day. Saved me some cash and the hassle of dealing with DHL here.

We chatted for quite awhile and before I knew it, it was time to meet another friend for lunch. I sent a text saying I'd be late but was on my way. It was a pleasant walk over to the plaza in the center of town. It's been getting hotter and more humid, but it hasn't really come on full force yet so it's still ok to be out walking around. R. is a friend who's actually my reporter friend M.'s roommate. And R. is the one who got me the job translating at the magazine that I did for awhile when I first came here. We had lunch at the veggie buffet which was tasty as usual. I was happy to be eating so many vegetables because lately I've been really lazy about food preparation and can easily be satisfied with canned refried beans, tortillas, and a little avocado. I also enjoy getting together with R. because his English is really good yet we speak in Spanish together. His Spanish is really clear and easy to understand and we normally have more complex conversations so I usually end up learning new vocabulary too. He's also a runner. I think I really should try to hang out with him more.

Anyway, I came home and worked a bit. Was happy to talk to a bride who gushed that she had to have me photograph her wedding and she'd just have to exceed the budget her fiance wanted her to stick to in order to hire me. Made me feel really good...yet a little nervous. I still fear that I will disappoint someone.

Later I met my reporter friend M. to go to see Blades of Glory. He was running late from work so we missed the 8 o'clock show and went to eat quesadillas first. Not just your ordinary ones either...these had huitlacoche (a corn fungus...sounds bad but tastes great) and flor de calabaza (sauteed zucchini flowers). Yum! This sort of food is more common in other parts of Mexxico, but not so much here so it was a real treat. And the movie was hilarious! I laughed really hard throughout the entire movie. I had suggested we see it because M. is still depressed over the breakup with his girlfriend 6 months ago, and I've been feeling pretty sad about my breakup with M. I thought both of us could use a good laugh.

Afterward when M. drove me home (in his roommate R.'s car), I was thinking how nice it was to be out in a car. I'd really love to have a car. I think I'd feel a bit more like a grownup if I didn't have to rely on taxis and public transportation to go everywhere. And I'd love to eventually go out on a date with a man with a car. It's funny because it's so mundane to most people, but never having had a car and living in the City where almost no one has a car, there's something romantic about being out in a car to me.

So that was my highly social day yesterday. Today it's almost 4:30 in the afternoon and I still haven't showered or eaten lunch or left the apartment. I've been sitting in front of the computer working and am avoiding calling a prospective bride. I feel very isolated even though I've been corresponding through email. I'm starting to feel like I have a very mundane life with not much in it but work. Like I am living in a cloister or in a meditation retreat. What a weird life I have right now. It does feel more and more like I feel when I'm travelling solo...and I've been saying for about 2 years that I don't want to travel alone anymore.

Anyway, enough procrastination. Time for lunch and time to call that bride!

P.S. As I thought about a title for this entry, I just realized how quickly I forgot the Peaceful Warrior's saying "There are no ordinary moments".

P.P.S. I took the photo of the animal above during a wedding. Apparently they have a lot of them here, but it's the first time I saw one. I don't know what you call it in English or Spanish.