It was an uncommonly chilly night and I was shivering. I was never one for good decision making, and walking out of the house in only a t-shirt and boxers during Winter proved that assessment succinctly. Where as many 18-year-olds are characterized as rash and impulsive, those traits literally defined me - that and my homosexuality. I came out at a time when people in the rural South just didn’t do that. I was the first homosexual many of my friends and most of my classma

On principle, I’m repulsed by routine, but I also cling to it like a big blue blanket. I find that I expend most of my energy during each day in this tug of war between routine and rebellion. Yesterday, just like every day, I woke up around 3am. I tossed around for about an hour, found Starbuck in the folds of the duvet near the foot of the bed and dragged her lifeless body up to chest level for some forced spooning. She’s like melatonin with fur. Rubbing her belly and sme