Some pre-weekend thoughts

I'm afraid that Donald Trump might become president.

I rarely/never get political on this blog, but I just thought I'd share that the thought of him in the Oval Office freaks me out.

Anyway. On to non-political items.

***

My boyfriend asked me if I'd be willing to go to Death Valley with him this weekend to spend a day among the wildflowers.

I said yes, of course, because I am one for romance and what is more romantic than being among the wildflowers (cue Tom Petty) with the one you love?

***

There was a chick at karaoke last night who was singing Whitney and she was gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood.

"It's not fair," Alex said.

I was only a tinge jealous but mostly just watching her in her pink dress, thinking, "She better be pursuing this as a career." Because if she's not I'll need to have words with her.

Her name is Lauren. Remember that when she's famous. You read it here first, folks! Breaking news on the Daily Bailey!

***

I hope I don't sound like a drunk, but I am loving the community at our local bar.

We go there to shoot pool and sing karaoke, and this is the first and only time in my life in which I have walked into an establishment and feel like I have a roomful of friends and soon-to-be friends surrounding me.

I have found my Cheers. In Los Angeles, where no one is supposed to know your name, unless you're Brad Pitt, in which case everyone -- but no one, really -- knows you.

When I leave for the night, Jason, the karaoke DJ (apparently the official title for such a position is "KJ") gives me a hug. I work with his mom.

I met Tony and Joey last night, after they put their quarters on the pool table and suggested we play doubles. In no time at all, they were giving me pointers for my shots, teaching me physics tricks, and we all whooped together as I sank tricky shots under their tutelage.

I know James hardly at all, but he's got a great voice and a friendly face and I just know if I were to camp out at karaoke by myself some night, we could chat easily throughout the evening.

I chopped my hair off last night, and these bar friends of mine -- several of whom I've known for less than a month -- had all sorts of excitement and compliments to share with me.

Even though some of the boys wanted my digits, they have since ushered Alex into their nest, cheering him on as he finishes rocking out yet another Weird Al song at the mic.

I love -- and I do not say this in jest -- this community.

Community in LA. Eureka. And it took me less than four years in town to find it.

***

We stuffed, sealed, labeled, and stamped about 1300 envelopes at the office today. I enjoyed the mindless, manual labor on a Friday morning, chatting and laughing with my gal pal coworkers.

"I'm gonna pee," Carrie said through her laughter, as our conversational reverie escalated to the point of extreme giggles.

I get antsy on Fridays, generally happy to be at work but raring to get to 5:00, so I love when I can be helpful and productive but not feel like I'm going to tear my hair out with some other project I've been working on since Monday and can't stand to look at anymore.

It's the little things, my friends. Count your blessings. It will keep your chin above water and your spirit out of the muck the Real World throws at you.

***

Let's see, what is Bailey reading these days?

Currently lying in my bed with me and Max at night is: No One Could Have Guessed the Weather. I found it, of all places, at the 99 Cent store. It was praised on the front cover by Isabel Gillies (who wrote A Year and Six Seconds which was absolutely fantastic), who compared it to The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing, which I read in college and ate up like a big ol' bite of pizza washed down with beer. Yummy, literary beer.

Mmmmmmmm. LOVE great femme writers. They make me happy to be a woman, and a writer, so I can say I am a part of their tribe.

Anyway. I'm only like 20 pages into Weather, but I have high hopes!

Did I mention I'm in love with Marisa de los Santos? I have two of her books cracked currently.

She's. So. GOOD!

Never mind that I'm not finishing a single one of these hundred thousand books I have cracked. Meh. C'est la vie des livres.

That's all for now! Off to get my massage! Ahhhhhhhhh.