Phone Call

I learned their phone number by heart in the months after we first met. Partly, it was because I got their answering machine about as often as I caught them at home, and her voice repeated the phone number as she invited you to leave a message. Tonight, years later, I looked it up in my address book, just in case. Half way through dialing, I no longer needed the reference.

When he picked up the phone after the third ring, I instantly said, "Hi P! It's Erica." A wave of panic washed over me: Does he recognize my voice? Will I need to clarify by giving my last name? "Erica from America" is not going to work--they are IN America.

"Erica! Erica!" came his reply. A smile the color of the sunshine in the Santa Cruz sky washed over my face as we caught up on the latest writing projects, travel plans, and good health to be grateful for.

Hearing both of their voices over the course of the hour conversation was like hearing my own again, and hearing theirs for the first time once more. Being apart for so long and living abroad, the tones and rhythms and shapes were new, and familiar. So familiar I can hardly name the qualities of their voices, so resonate are they in my body. Now, I am sitting back and basking in the sunshine of the smile.

Good Morning

"Sent me a text message."

"When?"

"In my dream. Before I woke up. You sent me a text message. You said, "Don"t let it own you.""

She pats my shoulder as she walks by.

"Huh. I like it when I am wise."

What acknowlegements are for

I washed the dishes, cleaned the countertops. I even swept the floor. I took in the laundry, and the made my lunch break on time. I even made a few people smile.

I laughed.

Proud

I really like it when I've kept to my word. Tonight I turned on my computer and had a sense of dread that not only had I not written today, but that I'd forgotten to post yesterday as well--and well, it was a sad feeling. But then, I had written yesterday--and written a lengthy post I was proud of!--AND caught up from a weekend away/holiday AND I've been on top of writing something for every day of the week for almost the whole year already! Damn, new year's resolutions, this project started last May and it's still kickin'.

I got stressed today on multiple occasions with wanting to do a whole heap of things and not really having the daylight-awake hours. And still, I had breakfast at home with our lovely house guest/dear friend; worked for 3 1/2 hours at the restaurant; got my butt across London just barely on time for said friend's storytelling gig; had tea with my love along the Thames; went grocery shopping; made dinner; watched an episode of GLEE (SOO GOOD!); and blogged. Seriously, not a bad day.

A New Name

I can't tell you how many years I've wanted a nickname. There are distinct memories from second grade when I realized I couldn't really shorten 'Erica' down to anything 'cool.' My best friend couldn't really either, but it didn't matter: I wanted a nickname. 'Air' was a bit awkward, and a bit too blonde. 'Rica' was just stupid. Friend did start to call me 'E' and in college I started signing this 'e.' (Yes, that is a distinctive lower case 'e'.)

When I lived in Ireland, I became known as 'Erica from America.' My dearest friend there coined the name and it stuck in explanatory terms. In other words, everyone called me 'Erica' but to clarify in situations where I wasn't there (or in people's mobile phones) I was 'Erica from America.'

Then I fell in love with a Brit who's sister had also fallen in love with a woman called 'Erica.' Given that 'Erica from America' popped up again for clarifications sake, and after stilted attempts to use the other Erica's home as a signifier, we gave up: she's 'Erica NOT from America;' it still rhymes.

In England, the name started back up again about two years ago, sometime around my first visit to my lover's home for Valentine's 2008. Here, I am occasionally called 'Erica from America' in family gatherings, and on Christmas tags from holidays past. It was until a week ago though, that the true potential of the nickname really came to fruition. Let me tell you how it went:

I sent a text to my soon-to-be sister in law, and to clarify, just in case, that it wasn't in fact her wife text her, and without taking up all those text letters, I signed my message 'efa.' The following day, Alex and I received a letter from her dad in Cornwall addressed: Ms. A & EfA. Holy moly, Batman--how'd that happen?!

THEN, my friend from Ireland, the one who coined the name in the first place, shows up to stay with us for a week (well planned in advance, mind you) and we start talking about my mouthful of a nickname. Then I tell her about the text message/letter co-incidence and she looks at me and says 'That's a great name!' From that point on this morning, she called me 'Efa.' My eyes have gone starry with excitement: a new name.

For Sunday - My Valentines

'Just mixed your tea. Will add sunshine to it. I love you incredibly.'

That's what I call friends...

For Saturday - If These Walls Could Talk 2

On Saturday night, Alex and I were at a friends' house, snuggling up against the February wind with a spread of yummy food, wine, tea and a film: If These Walls Could Talk 2. A TV film about three different lesbian relationships in one house over 3 decades, we all could relate. At times, I was in shock at how little may be really different since the 1960s, legally speaking, in the US. Sometimes I wondered just where the directors were going with certain dialogue. And other times still, all I could do was giggle and sigh. Which is exactly what Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres are doing in the above screen capture: after a scene where they were 'getting amorous,' as friend S might have said, all they could do was giggle and sigh. It was the most relatable moment of the whole film.

Thanks A, N & S.