Yesterday Andreas and I drove up to Seattle so that I could reconvene with my parents and friends. I had lunch with my father, who is mourning the death of Teductos Paragoguag (”Ted”), the dalmation/black lab mix who had counselled my father through his and my mother’s divorce.

After lunch with my father (who seemed to be doing quite well, despite the recent death in the family), I caught the ferry over to Bainbridge Island to meet with my mother and Godmother. We had a nice time smoking in the sunshine, eating ice cream, looking at the amazing quilts my godsister Tia has been making in Paris and sending home, and musing over the possibilities of my making it to Marseille.

Mom and I caught the ferry back over to Seattle where we met up with Andreas and went to go see Hedwig And The Angry Inch. It was just as good the second time, and Dre adored it as I knew he would.

Then it was up to Fremont to visit dear TC, who has just returned from Cuba. Fantastic photos. Then over to Owen and Scott’s “Who Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up” party, which was filled with people I didn’t know (and Scott himself was not in attendance–what’s up with THAT?). It was a brief appearence (since Andreas was feeling a cold coming on) and then I drove for the first time since June.

I like driving. I can hear my father (who has worked for Metro, Seattle’s public transit company, for 15 years) grinding his teeth now, but you heard me correctly: I like driving. It was good to be behind the wheel of the li’l Honda again.

Of course I fielded questions all day yesterday about just what in the hell I’m doing now. Of course the trip to Marseille would be ideal and perfect and a fantastic way to enjoy September. But there’s a big chunk of my overworking monkey brain that thinks I just need to get down to business and get a job. I need to stop delaying and just GET A JOB. I worry that, in typical non-Zen Ariel fashion, I’ll spend much of my time in Marseille worrying about getting back to the States and GETTING A JOB. Could someone please make this decision for me?