What I learned this New Years

Hello all, sorry I've been gone for so long but driving 1000 miles while still partying it up takes some time. Plus, being away from not only my blog and your blogs but also a computer at all (not to mention that bottle of Jameson) has left me a bit off for writing so please be gentle with me.

For New Years I drove down to Philly for my annual college roommate reunion. We've been doing it since 2001 and we never miss it. Usually in NY or SF, this time in Philly since one of them is at UPENN and this will be his last year there. Fingers crossed at least for it to be your last year NICK! And shut up, I know the Giants lost.



So here's the 4 of us, Jesse, Nick, Jon and Myself hunched over to fit under Jon's umbrella on our last day together in the horrible rain, desperate to get a pic of us together. And all we had was my camera phone. We went to this great bar called Chaucer's for New Year's which I recommend to anyone in the Philly area. I was wicked pissed and made friends with every Jew in the bar cause this one girl came up to me and had to ask if I was Jewish. I merely pointed to my rather obvious nose and she introduced me to the Cohens and Liebowitzes abound around me. And somehow we made it with the help of directions from random drunkards meandering the streets, one of which gave me a white balloon tied around my wrist somehow, thank you anonymous stranger, to Little Pete's, another recommendation, for the best cheesesteaks ever! It's amazing how many people like to talk to you more when you have a Happy New Year hat on, which I got from another stranger named Garth I think. Thanks Garth! Good times.

But of course the real highlight of my trip was to drive yet another 5 and a half hours southwest to Lynchburg, VA where I got to see Jenny and her new baby girl Bella Grace. She is such the cutie and here she is with Mama. Bella G is almost 3 months old now.



Once again, apologies for the quality but the cameraphone was all I had. Jenny's sister Meagan was there with her 5 year old Rosalind and her 11 month old Mason who is quite the cute little redneck when he sports his camouflage tshirt. He was totally fascinated with my beard and glasses and it broke my heart when he kept reaching for me as I left for my 8 hour journey back to NY. I got him to say "uh-oh" a lot. Basically all I did for my stay was enjoy Jenny's precious few minutes of free time and see, once again, how full time mommy work is. I don't know how you do it Jenny, you're proof that super-mom is a redundant word. So all ya'll trying to get in contact with Jenny, be patient, she's a little tied up at the moment.

So what I learned this New Years was, cherish your old friends as much as you can cause they can bring you back to the good ole times just when you need it and they're always great for making some new good ole times as well. And love the gift of life that you have, nothing drives that home more than a newborn who smiles right at you.

Anyway, there's plenty to be pissed at Bush about, worries in Israel, higher death rates in Iraq and plenty more to rant about. But for now, it's good to be back, and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!