Friday, December 31, 2004

Starting The Year Off Right

It's 9pm on New Year's Eve and I'm in bed with a cold. This is not how I would like to be spending New Year's Eve. Every year I have one main resolution that will stand until it's accomplished. Every year I resolve to spend the next new year's eve in a foreign country and every year I'm still hanging out somewhere in San Francisco, which let's face it, isn't so bad. But still, I swear, next year I will spend New Year's Even in a foreign country, sniffle sniffle, cough cough.

sneeze

I've always been a believer that how you spend your New Year's Eve is an indicator of how you will spend the next year. So I try to do things that reflect some of my new year's resolutions. Sadly, this whole being sick with a cold situation has hindered my aspirations. I have spent the day at home, watching rented movies (and knitting too), which is good since I want to write an entire screenplay next year. A full-feature film. This isn't so good for the foreign country new year's eve goal. If I wanted to spend next year travelling, I should be doing some research on airfares. I guess I still have three hours left. On the other hand being sick tonight could mean that I'll be sick all year long. However, I recall that I was rather drunk last New Year's Eve, but I didn't spend all last year drunk, thank goodness. sniffle sniffle.

Truthfully, this has been a good year for me. I will fondly remember 2004, if not look back and wish I appreciated it more. I've accomplished a lot. I bought my own car. It wasn't a brand new car, but it was an improvement on the old car. I did some travelling -went to vegas for my birthday, attended my cousin's wedding, and visited my grandparents in Texas, I got married and my in-laws came to stay, Luke and I moved out of our tiny one bedroom apartment and into a 3-bedroom house. Luke and I grew even closer, I made some new friends, became closer to my family and had the best Christmas I've had in years. I discovered Napoleonic history. I moved up in my job. I don't have a lot to complain about. I am happy. That's what I call success.

There was only one truly sad event and that was the death of my brother in law Cain. I will always regret that I never got to meet him. He will always be a mysterious character for me, something of a myth, but I am able to know him through the love of his family. The strength that Luke and his sister and parents have shown in the face of this devastating loss is inspiring. It makes me proud to be part of their family.

All of this has made me more confident and focused. I feel prepared to go even further in 2005. Next year Luke and I will travel to Europe, I will pay off my credit debt (which is quite manageable, thank god), I will install a car stereo in my car, lose ten lbs, write a screenplay, continue to move forward in my career, become a more frequent blogger, further improve my cooking skills, watch more movies, hang out with my friends and spend time with my family. I want to continue a well-rounded life.

I'm only so happy because 2002 and 2003 were such difficult years. I had to adjust to being a working adult. I had to adjust to living with someone. I had to deal with being out of school. I wasn't prepared to know that it would be so difficult. Finally, it was in 2004 that I enjoyed the fruits of that change and hard work.

cough cough, sniffle sniffle.

Happy New Year everyone. Let us not forget those who have been lost or devastated by the Asian tsunamis. Go here: http://www.unicef.org to see how you can help.

All the best,
The Crafty Blackjack Girl (thanks to Misa)

Wednesday, December 29, 2004

All Apologies

I'm sorry.

It's been a while.

I"ll be back soon....

Pictures to come

Tuesday, December 07, 2004

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I am working my ASS off. At least at work. I should start doing the same at the gym. My suburban lifestyle is sneaking up on my figure. My resolution for 2005, aside from being to spend next new year's eve in a foreign country is to lose 10 lbs. My going record for New Year's resolutions isn't so hot. Every year I resolve to spend the next New Year's Eve in a foreign country and every year I'm still counting the strokes of midnight in the states. This does not bode well for the 10 lbs.

Christmas is already looking busy. It's only December 8th and I've already attended 2 parties. My friend Anne's birthday was spent in a fabulous restaurant in North Beach called The Steps of Rome. Every woman should spend their birthday there. It's full of loud, pumping Italian dance music, incredibly hot Italian waiters who will dance for you when they deliver your birthday tiramisu. Not only will they shimmy on top of you, they will lick tirmisu off of your neck and give you lots of kisses. My lucky friend Anne was fortunate enough to have 3 hot Italian men wishing her a very happy birthday. Go there yourself. It's near the corner of Broadway and Columbus - the good food is a perk in light of the titilating atmosphere! I've got to post some pictures of that event!

Quote of the evening: Italian waiter to my friend Anne before her birthday lap dance "You're screwed, my friends and I think you're very hot!"

As for the crafting. knitting needles have been glued to my hand like a cigarette between the fingers of a pouty French teenager. I can't get enough of it. I am jealous of the people who will be gifted with the fruit of my handiwork. Oh how I enjoyed making these gifts. Why can't I have four hands so I can knit two projects simultaneously, or better yet so that I could quilt and knit at the same time? Imagine what kind of productivity women could achieve with additional limbs. Is someone looking into a way of genetically achieving that?

Is it possible that I really don't have anything interesting to say tonight? Inconceivable! I don't know. I'm just happy. I look back at the last year and it was AMAZING. I got to travel quite a bit. I saw a lot of my family. I am doing well at my job. I got married. The Boston Red Sox won the world series. Of course nothing can't ever be perfect and I wouldn't want it to be. There have been some tragedies. The Bush administration among them. My brother in law's death the most terrible tragedy of the year. Our lives must be tempered with the sad for we would never know how good we have it if we were happy all of the time. We musn't take life for granted. That is my lesson for the year.

bon soir mes amis...

Life Dream #1: Spend a year living in France...
Life Dream #2: Make a feature film
Life Dream #3: Own a store
Life Dream #4: Have children
Life Dream #5: Build a swanky house
Life Dream #6: Travel throughout the world
Life Dream #7: Sell a piece of artwork