the trials of nicole

I would like to begin by apologizing for my sudden absence from your lives. I'm sorry to have forced you to survive the summer on my meat story alone. You all probably have mental scurvy by now you poor things. But don't you worry because i'm back and I've brought provisions!
Part 1: The Hedge, Late June
It was about mid-early in the morning and I was awoken from a peaceful slumber by some sort of power tool. Outside of my window I see some strapping young gentlemen removing a beautiful overgrown blackberry hedge that seperated our apartment building from a much less attractive one. The rage was bubbling inside of me before I even had a chance to make coffee! And yes, that does deserve an exclamation point! After stewing in my angry juices all day I decided it would be a perfect oppertunity for a cause. And being unemployed for two months, I had the energy to obsess the way one does when they are truely passionate about something. well, anyway...it sort of fizzled out so I just wrote a letter and left town a few days later. I hear they put up a fence or something.
Part 2: The Fiery Chasm From Whence I Came
For whatever reason, ever sence I moved off island I keep compulsively returning for summers. Absence makes the heart grow fonder...... this is the part where I may have discussed working at the bakery or whatever. you missed nothing in my absence.
Part 3: Iowa
A few weeks ago I went out to Iowa with my boyfriend to visit his family and attend a truely awkward wedding. This was my first time in iowa and my first encounter with his family who he overwarned me about and because of it I was shaking on the plane. They all turned out to be completely lovely people. It's just a very different culture from the politically correct, health concious west that I have grown so accustomed to. The thing I was most taken with was how much summer in the midwest felt like one of those romantic movies that I'm so ashamed to like. You know, small towns, sunsets, cherping insects, pick up trucks, an internal conflict between getting out of this po dunk town and staying to take care of the disfunctional family, some sassy girl showes up who's 'just passing through' and they fall in love and the he's a jerk to her because of his broken soul. Kind of along the lines of 'whats eating gilbert grape.' In no way did my experience reflect this but I secretly pretended it did which made the journey all the more interesting.
Part 4: Present Day
Gathering cash to return to Eugene and get a little academic for a while. That is all. Thank you for your time and focus.