I love you solitude.

I woke up after far too few hours of sleep to say goodbye to Gillian, feeling suffocated by a cloud of blah. In addition to the headache and exhaustion, a cold has found its way into my body. Pho seemed like a perfect cure, so after some waiting around in anticipation of a lunch date appearing out of thin air, I decided to step out on my own with The Bell Jar—which I have yet to finish. After a quick walk in the lovely Seattle rain, I ducked into one of the several Pho restaurants on the Ave, finding the lack of business to be inviting rather than not. I sat to the side, facing the glass door, watching passersby walk through the mesmerizing rain. After an order and a short wait, a steaming bowl of veggie pho appeared in front of me, bringing a smile to my face. As I began to eat, I felt enveloped by the warm broth, as if a blanket had been wrapped around me. The meal was appropriately peaceful, a state of being I often avoid, but was more than willing to experience. Being alone leaves me to my thoughts alone and leads me to appreciate my life and all of the wonderful people in it. A large bowl of soup, a novel about a woman's insanity, and heavy rain sounds like a gloomy scene in a movie, but it could not have been more beautiful and fulfilling. Today brings a trip to the SAM, which means I'll be seeing the Picasso exhibition. What a lovely day it will be.

This song is a fitting complement. I'm not sure how I feel about the video, but that's not the important part anyway.

"So I'm savin' all my secrets for a deaf man..."