My Cardboard Balcony

I really cannot be introspective right now. I just can't. I mean, I've been thinking about a lot of things. I've been discussing them with friends and loved ones. I've sometimes winced as I've looked at the world around me and how people are behaving in it. I have family members who are sad or scared or angry for lots of different reasons. And I just can't really vocalize any of it. There has been a lot happening all around, a lot of it not being so great, and that, added to my workload and the very large projects I need to finish up for my teaching credential in about a week and a half, just makes it very difficult to convey any part of my emotion or thoughts in a reasonably coherent way. So I'm not going to be really introspective tonight. Big surprise. At least I'm somewhat justified in bowing out tonight, rather than other nights when I've just been too tired or too lazy. I promise you all that after Thanksgiving, I will probably be feeli

Ticket to Japan by Belinda Roddie Honey, does this sumo wrestling suit make me look fat?

Charlotte tried to augment the color of her painting by applying more oil, but the canvas only became messier, and she threw her brush at the neon mess in a mix of frustration and despair. Then she headed to the kitchen. The cabinet was glowing with the bronze and orange sheens of the liquor bottles, holding citrus and hazelnut secrets within their glassy throats and stomachs. Charlotte pulled off one of the stoppers and drank deeply, quietly debating whether or not she desired to create an entire art presentation out of brandy and triple sec.