Hello. This is my newsletter.: Bars, skin, God, grapes, blood.

Bars

The night before last, someone asked me to go out to dinner with them, and for a drink, because they were having a very bad day.

Look, let’s be honest – if you are having a bad day, I’m pretty much the one person you want to be around.

We went to this brand new place that just opened weeks ago. It was lovely. It’s kind of in the middle of nowhere, but there were people there… get this… at the bar… ready?... TALKING TO EACH OTHER.

It was the strangest phenomenon. They were socially networking… in real life! Like, they thought, “Ugh, what a tough day at work, I’m going to go get a drink by myself at this new bar, and then I’ll talk to people while I am there.”

Mind. Blown.

I’m sorry, I know I’m from a new generation, but I just don’t see that a lot. I’m a pretty independent soul, so I do, well, basically everything by myself, unless folks tag along. I’ll go to movies, restaurants, whatever. But we are living in a time when people simply don’t like talking to strangers. Well, anyway. Hopefully I’m wrong.

Skin

I was babysitting a 4-year old the other day. It was a lot. But she is adorable. Here is an actual conversation we had:

Veronica: I think that this time next year, when the weather is like this again, you will be going to Kindergarten.

Little Girl: Yeah. My friend Lucy is already going to Kindergarten. She is my best friend. Her skin is a different color.

V: :: super awkward, yet curious pause. :: Did you say her skin is a different color? What does that mean?

L.G.: Her skin looks a lot different than mine.

V: It does?

L.G.: Yes.

V: Why do you think that is?

L.G.: Well, because God makes everyone different. We can’t all be the same. He makes every single person different, with different hair and different skin. God makes us all different because it would make no sense if everyone was the same.

V: I think you are correct.

Which leads me to...

God

I’ve been thinking a lot about faith, and religion, and if there are any action items on my part. Well, to be fair, it’s something I always think about, and always ask people about. I like to find out what conclusions other humans have come to. I believe in everything.

I've gone to a few churches lately. I don't know why - I guess I'm trying to see if I feel compelled to go back. I used to - in a previous life.

So when I go to modern churches, it's the weirdest experience to be standing in the crowd, staring at the lead singer of the band, and remembering what that felt like. Remembering what it felt like to stand in front of thousands of people and just... feel. Now, I think that capacity to feel has been locked up in some chamber, somewhere deep inside of me. Not sure that it will ever surface, and maybe that's fine.

Until then, I don't know what I'm supposed to be feeling.

Grapes

Also, I went to this place called Grapes Bar in Annapolis with my friends Karen and John. It was magical. Karen had a gift card that she needed help spending. It was fun to order food and wine that I would never in my life normally order.

I just want to say… there were definitely times of inappropriateness. Especially when the fig/goat cheese/caramelized onions/Applewood smoked bacon flat bread came out.

Seriously, we all had a mini-O. No joke, it was like a real-life version of Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally."

Not even an exaggeration.

I don't even remember what exactly this was called (due to having gone through 2 bottles of wine), I just remember it was actual heaven. Shrimp, linguine, ... truffle oil? I can't even remember.