delicious

Today, while sprawled out in the Literature section of Borders, I realized some things about writers. Most everyone, at least in Western society, has the opportunity to write. If one is fortunate enough to be literate and has access to a pen and paper, then they're also able to give their thoughts and ideas a physical form. Billions of humans have walked this earth, and continue to every day, but so few have taken advantage of language. Granted, I believe people are born writers and cannot easily become them. Passion is the most important ingredient, in my opinion, and you can't very well wake up one day saying "Gee! I'm passionate!". But why then, are so few people given that intense yearning to communicate? I have such a great respect for words. They have outlasted most everything else having to do with humanity. But the value of language is declining rapidly, and computers are only speeding up the process. Older literature and newspapers show us what a common vocabulary used to be, and what have we got now? Sludge. Upper-level grammar isn't even taught anymore.
So, in addition to thinking about how few people even care enough to pay attention to the English language anymore, I also thought about how pretentious this also makes writers. I would be interested to see how much writing is kept private compared to how much is meant to be read by others. Perhaps someday I'll have tea with God and get to ask her, but until then, I'll just have to wonder. Private writing is by far one of the best things a person can do for themself. I am a firm believer in keeping a journal, and have been since I was old enough to know what a journal was. Being able to vent out your thoughts to a captive page is the best therapy available, and it's much cheaper. And of course, going back and reading previous entries gives you something that actually helps prove how much you've grown. But keeping a journal doesn't make someone terribly pretentious. It's the writing for another audience that does. Given the fact that we are all able to write, why do some feel that their words are important enough to seen and studied by others? All forms of writing contain bias, whether they be legal briefs or romance novels. It's impossible to separate the author from the work, or vice versa. And given this, writing is a scary business. It's letting others a bit into your own head, which is a bit conceited because it's assuming others care enough to see, but it also sets you up for criticism.
I realized, while sitting there in a pile of words, that I may be part of a dying breed. Writers are rare enough, but their art is quickly being taken over by technology. Several times people have suggested that I keep my journals on the computer and keep them password protected. The thought horrifies me. Words are at their best when they are given weight, facing you from a page. Seeing the innermost workings of my mind looking at me from an alien computer screen would be horrid.
I hope people continue to write by hand for centuries. It's one of the most amazing gifts we, as humans, have been given. And even though it is pretentious, it is necessary. Without collections of words, how would we get our history? Mankind wouldn't do very well without a past.

Anyway, those were just a few thoughts I had while making my last trip to my very favorite American store. I picked up The Book of Salt, The World According to Garp, Cat's Cradle, and Frannie and Zooey. Books are probably the most impractical thing to take to Europe with me, but they're also the most necessary. Those'll last me about a month, and then I'll be on amazon.de. There is an entire section for English Books. Oh hallelujah.
Today was a nice day to myself. I ran errands and sped around town in the Mariner. My mom called me to tell me Warren Jeffs, a Mormon Fundamentalist leader, finally got caught by the cops. He's been on the FBI's Top 10 for awhile for marrying off underage girls to old men. Oh, those crazy Mormons. I am hooked. I want to visit him in jail.
Anyway, my adventures included the bank, Target, Running Fit, Borders, and finally the hair salon. I cut off a bit of my hair so as to make it look less mullet-ish. I told her I want to grow it out, so she just layered and tossed and did a lot of stuff I didn't understand. Whatever. It looks good.
I also managed to drop my phone in the toilet at Target. Don't ask me how I did it. I couldn't tell you. But it was for sure a Becca thing to do. Now, only the 1 key will work.
Electronics hate me, I tell you. Thankfully, I have 3 days left in this country, and I get a brand new one over in Germany. That one will never go near a toilet.
Liquids and all of my electronics shall never meet, I say!
Ok I am meeting Amanda tomorrow in Ann Arbor at my very favorite restaurant, Sadako. I will order the U of M roll and the Philadelphia roll, and I will officially say goodbye to Ann Arbor. I will go out with a bang, which means raw fish and sorority girls. Afterward, Craig, Mom and I are eating dinner with my grandparents. I asked Grandma for Hawaiian chicken, which is AMAZING. I had to use caps. It's that delicious. Tomorrow is going to be a delicious day.
Speaking of delicious, yesterday I want to Daddy's for dinner. First, Jimmy and I lay around on the couch for awhile, lamenting our boredome. He's beginning football soon. So, my father has one daughter moving to Germany, another on the verge of mental collapse and a son about to start the most dangerous sport ever. He's kind of on edge. I don't blame him. Laura's off melting down every 5 seconds and Jimmy's probably going to run smack into the goalpost.
I made cupcakes, which was impulsive, but amazing. Karen came home to the smell of onions sauteeing and cupcakes in the oven. Olfactory overload.
(Wow I can't believe I just actually made that sentence)
Craig also joined us for amazing and healthy chili. I don't know how he does it, but my father is a Wizard of Healthfood. Afterward, we all enjoyed my funfetti cupcakes (not so healthy) and an intense game of Clue. I won, only after Jimmy and Craig guessed incorrectly. So, basically I only won because they were overeager. Boys...
I'm really gonna need to learn to cook. Yikes.
Ok I had best get to bed. Tomorrow will include a lot of driving and goodbyes.