baby driver: I am half way through my stay in Taos.

It has been almost a month since my last post. Its been almost 2 months of some pretty remarkable loneliness.

I often wonder what is keeping me here in Taos. Part of it is that I feel as if I have no where else to go.
The bigger part is how beautiful it is here. I love looking out of my window each morning to snowy mountains, and I don't even mind the frigid temperatures. I have never seen sunsets like the ones I get to view here on a daily basis. The mountains turn pink, the sky takes on a tie dye pattern, and the clouds move so fast that they look like giant flying sheets.

I still have not skied, but I intend to go very soon.

I have two options as far as socializing goes, and I don't belong in either place. If I go up the mountain to the resort I am faced with insidious ski bums with lines like "if we kiss now, we will find out whether we are compatible or not for the future, and that will save us a lot of time." and "sick tat, babe." Repulsive people- I am telling you.

The scene down the mountain is a lot easier to bear, but its farther away and the people there are strange too. A lot of older hippies, men who looked like they haven't bathed for two weeks, and your standard weirdos. There is always good music in town though, so if I MUST leave my house to be amongst people, this option is the least offensive.

I have been making a lot of generalizations. There are several exceptions. I really like my coworker and boss, boss' boyfriend, and one of the owners. I also like several of my grocery store cashiers, and the librarians at the Taos library. Maybe I will meet more good people, I have 2 and a half more months to go!

For the time being, I sew simple things, read Alice Hoffman, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, bell hooks, Alice Munro, and Raymond Carver, watch tv and movies, hike, skype with Katherine, and occasionally write something that I am proud of.

Its very difficult sometimes. I get lonely quite often. I work alone, I eat alone, I sleep alone. This building is cold and quiet, especially right now. This is not to say that there are also many occasions that I really appreciate the solitude.

The Christmas time rush was wonderful, we had a full house for about a week and I was busy and able to have multiple conversations with real, live people.

Jack was here for a few days during that time. I love Jack so very much, I don't think I could have a finer man as a best friend. He drove 14 hours out of his way to be in the snow and the cold (which he hates) to be with me for Christmas. We had a great time, and only engaged in a few minor arguments. Hopefully in March I will get out to Austin to visit him.

Here are some pictures from the last month: