Winter Begins

I looked up and was startled to find "Winter Begins" on my calender today. It is official, apparently. There is such a gray, cold threat in those words. Savor the Sun, it seems to warn. I ran across a blog the other day of this girl I sorta knew in grad school, who is now in Mongolia, doing what seems like a lot of extremely cool shit. I can't wait till I leave also and move again and begin life in an entirely new world again. I feel restless and ready to move on from here. It's been cold in DC these past few weeks. Windy and chilly, despite the sun. The other night, I was waiting for the bus late at night and this woman getting into her car, saw me and offered me a ride. Everyone knows it takes forever for the bus to arrive after rush-hour ends. I was touched, but declined of course. Don't take rides from strangers and all that jazz. This one time, in Iowa City, I was staying with a friend of mine for a week in the outskirts of town. After taking the wrong bus twice, I got off the wrong stop and wandered around a very pretty neighborhood for a few minutes, asking where Westwinds was. The lady of the first household I hollered at, offered to drive me up there because she couldn't describe the way well enough and because "honey, it's a long walk". Nice. I must have a "weary traveler" feel to me or something.