Restless

[pegkerr]

I have been restlessly flitting between a bunch of different works of fiction today. Read two Internet LOTR fanfics, finished a murder mystery and started the next in the series. Then I remembered in some embarrassment that I'd promised Lois a month ago to beta read her new manuscript, so I printed off the nine chapters she'd sent me via e-mail and started reading those. (This is Lois McMaster Bujold's next novel, her sequel to The Curse of Chalion. Sorry, this not meant as gloating, but yes, I am one of the lucky few that gets to read Lois' books in manuscript, and believe me, I know how lucky I am. No, I will not spill the beans. Please do not firebomb my house in retaliation.) I was just a couple pages in when I decided that I needed to refresh myself with the events and characters of The Curse of Chalion before starting, so I pulled that off my shelf and skim-read the last half of it.

Lord. I'd be afraid to count up how many characters I've about read today. It's a bit dizzying.

It's also been hot, and I didn't eat right today, so I got a bit hypoglycemic. I suppose this might help account a little for how "off" I've felt today. *Sigh.*

I talked with Kij (kijjohnson) tonight. Our discussion was wide-ranging, touching upon topics as various as her move to Kansas; some of the professional invitations we've received lately; motives that fuel writing; writing teachers who dole out toxic advice versus teachers who guide their students well; the tie between writing and other psychological characteristics, some useful and some not (such as depression, well-honed powers of observation, resilience); the nature of midlife crisises; mothering; reasons for my fiction writing block; LiveJournal, the nature of collaboration in writing and friendship. A rich, rewarding talk, as it so frequently is. Our friendship has certainly been a remarkable journey since that memorable day we met in our freshman college English class. Gad, almost twenty-four years ago, now.

For those willing/inclined to answer: how did you meet your best friend? How long ago did you meet? Why did you stay friends, even as your lives each have changed from year to year? For Kij and myself, I suppose we stayed best friends because we are at once so much alike and paradoxically so different. And we've learned to be honest with each other and never gave up on each other, even when we've become angry (I'm proud to say we've had some remarkable fights over the years). When you've invested so much into a friendship, it eventually gathers its own momentum. Can't imagine life without her as my best friend.

Cheers,
Peg

Comments

[aome.livejournal.com]

My oldest friend, Beth -- We're no longer really that close; geography (3000 miles) has kept us apart for many years now, and we've both changed - but we still have a connection and a way of understanding each other. We met in 5th grade (nearly 21 years ago) and at first I was caught in the middle of a feud she had with another girl. I'd be friends with Erica and dislike Beth. Then friends with Beth and dislike Erica. Beth won out. ;) By 6th grade we were best friends. We've passed many milestones or wibbling moments at the same time or nearly. We sat near each other alphabetically in class; then when she got married, her last name changed to something radically different. Two years later, I got married, and now we're near each other alphabetically again. ;) We also flew across the country to be in each others' weddings. So even though perhaps she's not my *best* friend anymore, it's still something we consider very special.


My current best friend, Scott: Well, that's an amusing story, if you haven't gleaned it by now from my LJ. I was dating Steve, who had recently moved to PA after college (where we met). He met Scott through their church choir, and they were friends. On one visit, a group of people gathered to sing Christmas Carols, and Scott was there. He seemed like a nice guy, although I didn't know him well. Three months later, Steve and I broke up ... and Steve and Scott got together. I saw Scott one more time after that point, but before they had come Out to me, for another Christmas Carol party. Again - seemed like a nice guy, although I didn't know him well.

But when they finally *did* come Out to me - the very next visit, Scott picked me up from the train station (an hour-plus drive from his home) and ... we just didn't shut up the whole way. Immediately we clicked. That was nearly 8 years ago, and we're still like that today. We can talk about almost anything - religion, relationships, private stuff we don't tell anyone else, and lighter things as well. And when you get the two of us together alone, we talk a LOT -- skipping topics only to come back to them 20 minutes later, etc. It's a very odd situation, if you think about it (the husband of my ex?!) - but it works for us. :)