NC calling OR

I would like to say that right now, today, I’ve never wanted to be in Oregon more. My parents are there on a visit and all my graduate school friends are convening at Pacific University for one of the residency readings on campus tonight. I just got off the phone with my buddy KL, who at one point handed the phone to the director of the program.

“We love you!” she shouted into the phone. “We miss you! We wish you were here!” When she said that I tried not to cry; I really, really did. She continued, “Dinty Moore is reading at the residency this afternoon. You should be here! You should have been the one to pick him up at the airport! You’re the one who did that interview with him!”

What am I doing?
I’m not nannying because the baby’s parents are on vacation until 7/3.
I’m not working a jobby-job since, as we all know, I work for myself now.
I am, however, working on material for four arts essays. I’m taking a weekly fiction workshop. I’m writing my friend’s wedding ceremony. I’m critiquing people’s artist’s statements. Yes, I’m doing all of these things. The daily work of a writer.

But oh, if I could just be there for a few days…[Sigh.]