I feel at home in bookstores.

Today I went to Barnes and Noble to look for one thing and one thing only: a journal for my brother's going away party. It is to be a journal for the guests of the party to write him notes of encouragement, farewells, well wishes, prayers, and maybe addresses, in the unlikely event that he may feel the urge to write to his family and friends back in the States while he serves in Iraq for the next seven months. 

I've never been good at going into a store for one thing. When it comes to bookstores, the task is most likely impossible. Maybe one day I'll defeat the bookstore and come out on top, one item in hand, in under 10 minutes. I don't know. All I can say is that it has never happened. I have never been in a bookstore for less than 10 minutes. Probably never less than 30 minutes. It's not that I can't do it; I know I can. It's that I have no desire whatsoever to spend so little time inside a building that holds so many truths, so many treasures, so many inspirations. And a whole hell of a lot of lies, but that's besides the point.

So I went to Barnes and Noble. In about 60 minutes, I went from one journal, to one journal + three books, to two journals + three books + an artsy pencil case, to one journal + three books, to one journal + one book. The choices are limitless, the checking account is not.

Anyway, while I was looking for a journal for the party, I looked through pretty much every single one, even if I knew by the cover that it was inappropriate for a 20-year-old male who is bursting with masculinity in his military bravado and absolute determination to refuse any and all gifts. I found many that were intensely appropriate for me and my absolute determination to express my individuality and "unique" way of viewing the world around me. Many, many journals are considered inspirational because they list quote after quote from famous people who may or may not have done something courageous, or dangerous, or adventurous, or groundbreaking, or inventive, or... fill in the blank here.

I found one that made me smile, made my heart warm, made me feel connected because someone understands a piece of me, no matter how far off in history he lived.

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train." --Oscar Wilde

Now, and this reveals my ignorance, I don't even know who Oscar Wilde is or what he did or when he lived. But when I got home and looked up his quotes to find the one written above, I found that he is generally hilarious, intelligent, arrogant, sarcastic, ironic... and I love it.

So I'm going to go look up who Oscar Wilde is and then probably find out more about him.

Actually, first I'm going to go out to dinner with my best friend. Then I'm back on cleaning duty and keep-Mom-from-going-psychotic duty as part of the party preparations. 

P.S. For all of you who read the blog asking you to pray for me about all the things changing and coming and going and happening... I promise, the next blog will explain in full detail.