is it time yet? no? how about now?

Nine more days until I'm on the road, east of Mankato for a little bit, then south for a lotta bit and on down into my state.

Iowa

eye oh wha

I love Iowa and what it contains. Places, people; especially the people; my people. I have my departure day programmed into my phone. As if I'll forget. As if there's not a to-the-second running clock somewhere in the folds of my brain that, if I concentrated hard enough, I could access and know how many hours and minutes I am away from Iowa. I didn't get to see Iowa's September or October and I know that when I'm back for good, it will be like those months never existed.

I need this break. Three books came in the mail about two weeks ago--Into the Wild by John Krakauer, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracey Kidder--and all I want to do is read them. When I walk past my bookshelf I see myself in a hotel room in Iowa City, on top of a stiff and thin comforter, starting Into the Wild at 7 or 8 and reading until I'm finished. It's been too long since this has happened.

I have to get out of here, just for a few days. I want Iowa to be now.

So, is it time yet?