Once in a while I stumble across a poem that really moves me. Apparently, many people passed this poem around after September 11. . . I'm just finding it now.

. . . and it is amazing.

In the meantime, my new job is challenging and exciting although currently quite stressful; I had a lovely birthday and am loving my first month of being 26; our new place is amazing but still pretty much in disarray; I am getting used to the braces but I would really like them to be gone already; and an old friend moved to town and reminded me of my roots, who I used to be and who I am now.

Here are some things you can do today.

Thank you to everyone who followed my Urge for Going site over the years. I recently let the domain expire, and I have yet to remove some of the dead links to that site. I am going to compile my Urge for Going essays into a zine-type thing just as soon as I have the chance. I will post here when it is ready if anyone wants a copy.

Yesterday Albert and I went to the Independence Brew Pub and our food tasted awful. I was remembering the first time I went there, which was for an initial Phillyist meeting. I sat next to Star Foster and thought she was just lovely. I think that was the only time we ever met in person, but we were in frequent contact during the early days of Phillyist. I stopped writing over there, mostly because life got in the way and I am not that ambitious, but I loved reading Star's posts. When I came home yesterday, I checked my email and saw a note that Star had died out of the blue that morning. Like everyone else, I couldn't believe it. My heart aches for those close to her. I am choking back tears at work as I read her boyfriend's words. A commenter at Philly Future said we should scatter her ashes all over the blogosphere. So this post is for you, Star. I am a lazy blogger, but Star was not. Philly has lost a beautiful voice.