The Holidays

Hello to everyone who keeps wondering: where the hell did she go?

I am here alive and well in New York in what is already the 9th of 2006! It is hard to believe that in the last few weeks I have flown across the country, shared laughs and tears of joy with family and friends - most brought to me by my wonderful cousin Bryce who proposed to his future wife Jess on Christmas Eve! I think back a few weeks and though it was a hectic few days - it is always good to be home. Highlights include having coffee with Mr. Massey and my brother - surprising my father at Tucci - grabbing Starbucks with my mother - realizing that the Fab4 though still strong in love is different - seeing Nikki in her new apartment and sitting on the couch wondering how all of the sudden we were all grown up - making homemade sauce for the Christmas lasagna and getting my Nana's kudos - having D tell me the honest truth that my butt just isn't what it used to be - driving a car and last but not least - Patti Labelle's Christmas CD and a fire in the fireplace of a home which my mother made perfect. These are just some of the wonderful times I had while home...there were many many more, but there is only so much space and I will not bore you with the details of my trip home.

I do know that I need to learn how to take a vacation. I really didn't relax until my good friends George and D called me out by saying over fondue, "Courtney, you are here...but you are not really." Thank you George. Thank you D. You are two of the most honest and meaningful people in my life and I don't know what I would do without you.

Then I came home to the city. Got home at 2pm and left again at 4pm to go to work...rest didn't come, and actually hasn't since - - but so goes life in the city. You learn to live without it I guess...most on a diet of coffee and email.

New Years was a blast. My dear friend Patrick Loney came up with his roommate Phillip and visiting friend CJ. We boarded the Spirit of the Hudson and proceeded to make our own fun over dinner, drinks and dancing while we cruised down the Hudson and up the East River - to see fireworks over Lady Liberty while holding hands of tourists and singing "that New Year's Song" while dancing in a circle...We truly rang in 2006 in New York fashion - by walking in the freezing cold to the 23rd street station and taking pictures of each other meeting random people and kissing each other on the cheek.

January 1st was a "lazy Sunday" that even Chris Parnell would be proud of. Full of sleep, breakfast at a Diner at 2pm, coffee and paper reading at a coffee joint, more sleeping, movie watching - conversations about God and a mexican dinner at the glorious hour of 9:30pm. I enjoyed the boys' questions, laughter, conversation and company - - like I said, a great way to wake up to 2006...

Since then - there is a quote that kind of sums up my life, and it goes a little something like this:
"THE PRESENT IN NEW YORK IS SO POWERFUL THAT THE PAST IS LOST" -John Jay Chapman

I am going to the store tomorrow and buying a piece of his work...for now - time for rest. Goodnight friends.