far too much writing, far too many photos

runswithscissors


Thursday, April 10, 2003

There is a woman I sometimes run into when I go to the plaza cafetería down the street from here for a cup of a.m. espresso. Late 20's, maybe 5'3", 5'4", slender. Works in a stylish clothing store around the corner from the plaza, dresses in the hybrid style that, when done right, is a smooth combo of high fashion and punk/new wave, a look many women here go for to varying degrees. Clothes often dark, though not necessarily black, almost always with skirt instead of pants. High-heeled boots of the stiletto variety, often with fishnet stockings or something reminiscent of that look. Thick black hair cut mid-length, styled so that it goes in all directions. Heavy make-up, including so much base that it's unsubtly visible. Pretty in her own eccentric way. She usually comes in to pick up one or two glasses of café, maybe a cup of tea, carries them back to the store. Returns with the empties sometime later, picks up another round. Sometimes we pass on the street, sometimes we see each other in the cafetería -- she never looked at me or acknowledged me, her expression held carefully blank, until I held the cafetería door open for her one day. Since then she's softened up some, sometimes says a nice hello. In fact, lately her manner in general seems to have softened up considerably, leading to moments when she will suddenly smile nicely, so that her energy, her bearing seems to change drastically. Her eyes soften, something genuinely pretty (and the tiniest bit shy) shines out.

And this is the point: with that simple change of expression, she is transformed from someone cool, opaque, distant, to someone radiating a quality that is something to see. A smile can do amazing things, yes, but more than that we each carry within ourselves such contrasts, and such power to withhold or to radiate a bit of the luminosity that is a part of us all. And whichever it is we do in any given moment can affect the world around us in ways we may never know.

An obvious observation, I know, and perhaps a trite one. I mention it because I marvel at the difference small details like a smile can make in the course of a day.

Each of us is a universe, unbelievably deep and complex, with aspects of deceptively startling beauty that can shine out at a moment's notice.

Let ‘em shine.

Right, I'll stop now. Be well.

rws 12:13 PM [+]

Comments: Post a Comment

Links to this post:

<\$BlogItemBacklinkCreate\$>

BLATHERINGS

August 2001
September 2001
October 2001
November 2001
December 2001
January 2002
February 2002
March 2002
April 2002
May 2002
June 2002
July 2002
August 2002
September 2002
October 2002
November 2002
December 2002
January 2003
February 2003
March 2003
April 2003
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
April 2004
May 2004
June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
June 2009
July 2009

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


MORE FOCUSED BLATHERINGS


Travels:
London '01
Pamplona
Italy '03
U.K. '03
Sevilla
Casablanca
Stoke-on-Trent
Barcelona
Québec/Ottawa
Boston/Lisbon/Madrid
Italy '04
Montréal
La Sierra

Events:
Madrid -- arrival
9/11
Emergency Room I
Holidays 2001
Holidays 2002
Holidays 2003
Holidays 2004
Holidays 2005
A neighbor's passing
Madrid -- March 11 bombings
  and aftermath
Emergency Room II
Israeli friend/Madrid Marathon
Madrid -- Royal Wedding
The DELE exam

GONE, a novel:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10

THE BASTARD CHILDREN OF
JOE ROCCO, a novella:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3

BURBANK SHRUGGED,
a screenplay:
-- Part 1
-- Part 2
-- Part 3
-- Part 4

Short stories:
Murphy's Wife
Another Autumn
La Queja de Una
  Hermanastra Muy Conocida

Autobiography
-- Personal History
-- Hormones On Parade
-- Accidents, Random Mishaps,
    Personal Problems

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


OTHER SOURCES OF WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT

People/Weblogs:
dooce
foxvox
fudge it
fear not
rebekka
bookslut
802online
idle words
madhaiku
wockerjabby
grow-a-brain
rebel market
letting me be
out and about
kung fu grippe
fanatical apathy
baghdad burning
wfuv's music blog
kexp's music blog
mimi smartypants
between the miles
just a hippie gypsy
the impossible cool
tomato can brushes
vermont homestead
sugar mountain farm

Good Clean Fun:
gizmodo
futurismic
postsecret
dave barry
human clock
mcsweeney's
spaceweather
book-a-minute
internet archive
self-portrait day
my cat hates you
out of context quotes
surrealist compliment
  generator
strindberg and helium

Makin' Musical Whoopee:
last fm
stereo8
pandora
soma fm

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .


ABOUT RWS/CONTACT





This page and all its contents copyright © 2001-2011 by runswithscissors unless otherwise noted.


runswithscissors would like to thank everyone who's ever lived for everything they've ever done.



Syndicate This Site


Blogarama

BlogCatalog

Bloggapedia, Blog Directory - Find It!



technorati profile

Subscribe with Bloglines

www.flickr.com
runswithscissors' photos More of runswithscissors' photos