Little things

Friday I went to Lee Central High's graduation. It felt kinda weird looking over the names and thinking, I would've graduated with these people if I had stayed in my right grade...

Dang...life would be so different if I had stayed in my right grade. Even if I did end up going to USC and finding the Shack, I probably wouldn't have gotten to know Lou that well. I'd have never met Callis or Baker...dang. That's freaky...

But you know you live in the country when half of the graduates in one row are your cousins. They weren't all related to each other, but they were all related to me either on my mom or dad's side. Two of them were my first cousins, Jesse and Dominique. My old playmates from back in the day... I'm really proud of Jesse, though. Some of you may remember when my aunt died earlier this year...that was his mom. And then his dad's never around, so he was pretty much orphaned when she died. But he kept going, and now he's got that diploma. I was so proud...even though I wanted to smack him because I didn't get my ticket to get in until literally when I had to leave. I had to get dressed in five minutes. Five minutes.

Saturday was Spring Hill May Fest. Spring Hill May Fest is the annual fundraiser for the Spring Hill Community Center, a modest little building atop one of the many hills of Spring Hill, and pretty much the entire African-American contigent of Spring Hill shows up. There's a parade, food everywhere, sports exhibitions, and crazy sugar-high kids armed with water pistols... I didn't go. I could think of no reason to go. However, I did go to Sumter Mall, which was kinda mean of me, but whatever. I spent the longest time in Bath and Body Works. I don't know what kind of obsession with Bath and Body Works I have, but I have to be dragged out of there. The frou-frou smells, all the cute pampering things I don't need but suddenly do when I need the label, the clean market feel of the store...sigh. I don't even have to buy anything, and I am happy. The last thing I bought from there was creme brulee creme body wash (and I've never had creme brulee in my life), and I have vowed before the summer is over, I will have apple martini Soap on the Rocks in my possession (they look like little green ice cubes! Kyaa!).

But the main reason I love Sumter Mall is this. Waldenbooks in Sumter Mall has the best selection of manga I've seen yet. And I've been to Florence and Columbia. I used to wonder how this could be, but this afternoon I got my answer. As I approached the register with two more graphic novels to add to my collection (I GOT TSUBASA!!! I LOVE TSUBASA!!!), the cashier not only was familiar with them, he discussed them with me. And he recommended other titles to me. And he asked the opinion of the other cashier next to him, and she started getting into it too. That was so weird... Cool, but weird...

Anyway, about Spring Hill May Fest. What's sad about it is I'm related to about 3/4 of the people who come. I am completely serious. Until this generation, all the families in Spring Hill have had a lot of kids (like 10 or 12) who then married each other. My mom and dad are both originally from Spring Hill, and the sad thing is they're distantly related (like third or fourth cousins. not sure how that works...). I like to say it's the place of broken hearts, because you'll be talking to your grandma or something with this other kid your age, and she'll just be like, "That's your cousin." So that little boy you've been looking at...there's no hope for it, girlfriend.

This year's plant/animal infestation at my house has come. And I am thrilled. Know why?

This year's infestation is...fireflies. I saw my very first firefly last night. My first 50, more like it. They were everywhere. The yard was so beautiful. It made it seem...I don't know, magical. I have resolved to go out and watch the fireflies one night. Not tonight, though. It's nasty-looking outside. I thought April showers were supposed to bring May flowers, but they've seemed to bring May floods and hailstones this year...

One more thing. Merriam-Webster published their annual book of non-words common in everyday speech. A lot of these eventually make it into the dictionary. Anyway, guess what's in here? Besides confuzzled. Woot. Woot made it in there. Ha ha! All I have to say to that is...

Woot!