Hugs for guns...

I've been gone a while, haven't I? Been keeping busy with the whole "settling in" bit but mostly feeling retarded because of how long it's actually taking me to settle in. Yeah, I'm ridiculous. And the fact that the process is still ongoing is doubly lame. But the weather in Washington is positively gorgeous lately (I took the below, poorly-composed photo downtown in my excitement... never before have I seen so many happy, pale peeps willingly burning in the sun at once; never before have I understood how wonderful it is to get a dose of much-overdue Vitamin D) and my psychotic dog is easing out of her loud and nerve-wracking separation-anxiety phase (a whole missing blog or two I'd happily spare you), so I have been enjoying the time I'm taking in my attempt to ease in.












I also haven't had much to say. Am laden with writer's block. Which isn't always a bad thing - frustrating, but not bad. Been getting a lot of reading in. When the blockage gives way, I'm hoping I'll have stockpiled plenty of inspiration in my downtime. IF the blockage every gives way, however, is anyone's guess.

Here's something hug-related. I meant to blog about this back when the article was actually new. True to form, I'm posting it a couple of weeks late:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/28/style/28hugs.html?_r=1

W. T. F. Right?

So adults (and some kids, too, in all fairness) find hugging faux pas. Superficial, even. Surprise, surprise. I don't know - I'd happily prefer teens hugging one another excessively between classes as an alternative to, say, gunning one another down in the hall. Wouldn't you? Handshakes and high fives are boring. Facebook is making us more socially awkward in the real world. For me, a physical hug beats *hugs* any day of the week and twice on Thursdays. Honestly (and this is coming from someone who always put lessons first in her school days), who cares if you're a minute late for class if you come across a friend who could use a good squeeze?

Slow news days. You gotta love 'em.