February. Feb rooo ary. God, I hate it! I hate the way it looks. I hate the way it sounds. It's so un-original to hate February, I know. You don't often hear people say,

"If I can just get through the perfect fall, I have February to look forward to. The dirty snow banks...The slush...The cold toes. The miserable vibe that's all around. (sigh) Yup...I just gotta hang in there 'til February."

What does make me unique is my determination to bury the hatchet with this mostdepressing month. Four years ago I had a little breakdown/freakout/scared to face reality, and ran away to see my best girlfriends in New York City. It was perfect. Just enough to feel strong and myselfish again. Myselfish. Ha! I decided that from them on, February would be the month that I would make an annual trek to Brooklyn to see "my girls."

Having a breakdown and questioning my life seemed inevitable in February, so I figured I might as well time it with a visit to some soul mates. My girls from back in the day, yo. Yes, they are pictured above.

To be honest, it only helps a little. Yes, I get to run away from Portland for a few days and remember that there are places in the world where you don't run into people you know at every corner. And I get to ignore my cell phone and my piles of laundry and my list of things I promised myself I would do at the beginning of the year.

I get to cuddle up with Massandje's "moderately sized bosom" and sing real folky music with Rach. I get to laugh until my stomach hurts and make home-made meals for them, and get coffee and walk through the park and eat bagels and get a new pair of sunglasses and watch terrible African music videos...

Wait a second! Maybe it is working (this is not staged- I really was planning on ranting about how much I hate February and suddenly I got very light boots thinking about NYC). Suddenly I can't wait for February. Ok...maybe not the whole month, but that few days is going to break it up a little. It's only 28 days.

February RULES!

I will come back feeling refreshed and sane and happy to be back in my fair port city. I will remember how much I love recognizing people on the streets, and in the bars, and in the stores, and at the post office and at the grocery store...

Girls...I'm on my way.

Tell that big beautiful city that there's a country mouse that just can't wait to ride a bus with headphones on, and walk 3 blocks to the grocery store, and hide in her big skyscraper arms.