Julie

Where have I been? I feel like this space has become a stranger to me. I started this entry back in January. I’ve been wanting to write about Julie but I’ve been so busy spending time with her I’ve not had a moment to put pen to vellum, so to speak. I’ve also wondered what to write. Things with her are still changing and as soon as you describe something you start to put limits on it.

We met back in November at the Angelika Roundtable, this group where folks meet to discuss films every week. She dazzled me by correcting the group experts on Oscar trivia. She had a warm smile and a friendly demeanor. I asked my friends how I could get to know her better. Over the next couple of months I did my best to be around her and create opportunities to get to know her.

Things changed when she accidentally forwarded part of an email to the Dallas movie geek mailing list. The main part of the email was about the music in The Phantom of the Opera but forgotten at the bottom was a line from a friend encouraging Julie to suss out some details about this Matt fellow. At the time I was celebrating Christmas in Huntsville and was happy that serendipity had tipped her hand. I was elated to know that my curiosity was mutual.

What has happened since is more a blur of emotions rather than discrete moments. I do remember some moments like meeting her friends for the first time, or the first kiss. The strongest memories are the feelings. Feeling like I’d said all the wrong things, feeling like I’d found a partner to chase down great adventures with, or feeling an ease with her like we’d already been together for years.

It’s been odd trying to shake off the solitary, nomad mindset I had been cultivating. I’ve felt a tad jaded about relationships in the not so distant past. It’s been a while since I met somebody new and felt like this. Julie is so free from cynicism. I enjoy her ambition and the way she sees opportunity all around her. I’m really looking forward to spending time with her for a long time to come.

At times I held her so close the smell of her came off in my hands and stayed with me as we parted ways. I listen to a lot of songs about broken relationships. Every love song I hear seems written for us.