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I didn’t think I’d make it.   I love my husband, I just wasn’t sure I could handle 365 days of uninterrupted married life.  Now, it turns out, I’m signing on for more.  Just what has gotten into me?  I mean, I never thought I’d get married in the first place.

Marriage never seemed like a good fit for me.  I always wondered just what kind of guy would it take to convince me that living selfishly, fiercely and joyfully independent wasn’t as much fun as sharing a life with an icky boy.  In the past year I have certainly had a lot of fun with my husband Darrell.  We’ve traveled, told inappropriate jokes, and made new friends along the way.

I admit that when I read this article about the benefits of being single, I felt a twinge of nostalgia.  I’m not ashamed to say that I enjoyed being single.  Reveled in it, actually.  This marriage thing is new and unexpected.  There are days I wonder what I’m doing here.  (You mean I was supposed to take the ‘A’ train?)  Most of the time I just thing it’s a grand, funny, beautiful life.  I am literally entertained every day.  Between my cat and my husband, I’m adored in our home.  Just for being here.

I’m probably supposed to get into sappier territory here.  Perhaps quote some famous movie line that sounds good but is actually a myth.  “You complete me.”  Please.  If we weren’t complete before marriage then we’re both idiots for taking home  unfinished products.  I don’t think another person can ever complete you.  They can influence, inspire, love, and bring out the best in you — but complete?  That’s what I love about my marriage: we don’t look to the other to give us meaning in our lives.  We’re just 2 happy people joyfully enjoying the ride together.  And we’ve managed to do it without any stupid pet names, either.

Last week I had my first ever trapeze lesson.  That’s right: trapeze.  Why?  What inspired it?  Was it fun?  All very good questions.

Drawbacks: sore hands, sore body the following day (which is strange because it seemed so effortless when I did it), huge bruise behind the knee, and abs that hurt when I laughed for several days following.

But the sheer exhilaration was worth it.  Check out my awesome form below.

I’ve discovered a new love.  Just yesterday I was sitting at my desk working away when I had the most delicious thought — wouldn’t it be fun to draw on the windows?  So that’s just what I did.  I took my pack of Crayola (washable) window markers and graffitied to my heart’s content.  And oh was it fun.  I was so pleased with myself.  So pleased, in fact, that I expanded my operation to the kitchen window facing the driveway.  Knowing that my husband would be pulling in I wrote in all caps: DARRELL IS HOT.  I don’t know how amused he was with it, but I, for one, couldn’t have been more tickled with my handiwork.

Here’s to new loves.

Ah, the first of May.  For no particular reason, I like it.  Sort of like how I feel about the produce section.  I just look at it and think, yeah, I like that.  There’s nothing special about it.  Its pretty standard, actually, but I like it.

And as long we’re on the subject of things I like, let me introduce a new one: the smell of figs.  Not necessarily fresh ones (I haven’t tried that yet), but the kind found in a shower gel I received as a gift and just so happened to try today.  It smelled divine.  I never knew I liked the smell of fig.  It makes me even more appreciative of the gift giver — someone who doesn’t know me well enough to know I would never choose fig on my own.  How delightful.

I’m taking it as an omen that May has many more delightful surprises in store for me.  I can’t wait.

Ever pass up a free concert only to find out it was incredible?  Me too.  Luckily I didn’t do that on Wednesday when Michael Franti and Spearhead were performing – for free – in honor of Earth Day.

Before the concert even began I knew it would be a fruitful endeavor, mostly on account of the guy with a belt buckle made of an old school Nintendo controller.  I also appreciated the wide range of tattoos on display that evening, not to mention the several (that’s right – more than one) hula hoopers who were ready to jive.

None of that mattered, of course, once Michael Franti took the stage.  Phenomenal energy.  The audience was on its feet and jumping for most of the night.  It was incredible.  What’s not to love about lyrics that say things like,

“wise folks count their blessings, fools count their problems”

“you’ve got to let go of remote control”

“a little bit of rhythm makes the world go round”

“no matter who you are, we are all one people”

and “the more I see the less I know, but I know one thing, I love you”?

I just loved loved loved it.  Check it out.

There’s a cool program called StoryCorps that goes around the country recording the stories of people.  They have a  sound studio in their trailer and let people interview each other and just talk for 40 minutes.  Some of the recordings even make it to NPR.

I managed to snag an appointment and took the opportunity to interview my mom.  I probably laughed too much for them to consider broadcasting us, but it was loads of fun.  I asked my mom about some of the places we’ve lived and road trips we’ve had over the years.  A couple of themes emerged.

First, how my dad handles minor catastrophes (such as locking the rental car with the engine still running).  Second, exposing  your children to rich cultural opportunities is sometimes disastrous.  Third, it always helps to have money, though the lack of it certainly makes things more colorful.

I learned several things I had never known.  It was also fun remembering stories I hadn’t thought of in a while.  In other words, take some time to swap stories, even if you don’t have a nifty recording studio on wheels.