Feelin' the flo

She's back and she brought all her baggage with her this time.

Despite her arrival, I had an amazing reunion last night with J&S & Cam. What started out as a beautiful 55 degree day, turned into a frigid and windy night in the 20's. Also, despite having to get my car from the impound lot at 9am, I ended up cheery and stress-free by the time dinner rolled around.

Cam and I rode our bikes to J&S's apt from his place, first with the wind at our backs and, upon turning onto Mass Ave, found ourselves standing on our pedals urging ourselves forward into the wind. Walking into the apartment building, I felt the rush of warm inside air and immediately started feeling my appendages again. We stuffed our bikes and our bodies into the tiny elevator and moved up to the 6th floor. Leaving the bikes in the hall and in the apartment, we were immediately enveloped by the smells of roasting vegetables and the vision of holiday lights and handmade snowflakes on the windows. They've lived in this small one-bedroom apartment for six years (quite successfully if you ask me) and every time I walk in, I feel like I am home.

S bought two beautiful steaks from Whole Foods and tied them together with a smattering of chopped herbs in the middle. She pan fried each side before throwing them into the oven with the roasting vegetables (which were the *most*incredibly*delicious* roasted veggies I've ever eaten). We started the evening with a bottle of Tapeña Garnacha from Spain, soon after followed by a smooth Chilean wine, of which I've forgotten the name.

Our first course was a light salad of baby spinach, sliced pear & fennel, bleu cheese, fresh dill, and a homemade vinaigrette of which I couldn't distinguish the exact ingredients. Regardless, it was superb. With our second round of wine came the beautifully sliced steaks and buttery, crispy, roasted vegetables. That small kitchen just emanated deliciousness and laughter once we got to telling stories and teasing each other.

The night moved on like this, smoothly and full of joy, until J got up to cook bananas in butter, serving them with vanilla ice cream and freshly poured Bourbon. Mmm, delightful! At that point I was feeling quite happy and satisfied, and completely warmed by the love I was feeling in that kitchen. What a great first meeting for Cam and J&S!!! I had a feeling their worlds would merge in such a positive way. Hooray!

Finishing our desserts, we moved into the much cooler living room, the ladies with cups of sencha green tea with rice and the guys each with a glass of 23 1/2. This is the signature drink of J & P, as they live in apartments 23 and 24, respectively, thus making 23 1/2 the drink of both apartments. Quite genius! And delicious, of course. Had you any doubts?

We stayed in this way, drinking, telling stories, and laughing for hours until we realized it was almost 1:30am and we had to work the next day...well, Cam and I had to. J&S were on their week off, lucky ducks! Thanks to the incredible food and the warm drinks (and limited vehicles on the road), the ride home wasn't terrible, but sure was difficult! That wind was whipping at our faces and I didn't think I'd be able to feel my ears again!!!

Needless to say I can feel my ears, I am at peace today, and I am going home to have a nap with a heating pad. I can finish the rest of my work later...once I'm curled up and warm under the down comforter. Is there any better way to work on one's laptop on a frigid day like today?

Growing & Molding

Happy holidays to all. I sit here in awe of the realization that I've hit a new decade in my life, but still feeling the same as I did ten years ago. From a college girl to a professional woman, the details of my life have been written deeper and more brightly than I had imagined they would. I have seen other parts of the world, spoken the languages, learned the history via conversation with natives, and hopped from job to job for years. I find myself with my first real career in a new city, with new friends and new forward-thinking dreams. Where I was once un-ready to make life decisions, I find myself ready to step forward over the line toward a brighter, more intense future.

Yet despite all of this growth I am, at times, unable to separate myself from my tantrum-throwing five-year-old self when faced with family stresses and stabbing emotions. I love my family more than life itself and have seen it evolve greatly over the years since childhood. I had a conversation this weekend with S.M. regarding this topic, that as kids we thought our families were perfect. As we grew and our elders passed away, younger generations fought over money, family members relocated, and all other awareness-inspiring events occurred, we realized that perfection lies anywhere but within our families. There are fights, there are angry words spewed, there is suicide, there are days in court, there are countless deaths of loved ones, and there is distance created as emotions form opinions around all of these events. I have had incredible highs with the happiest of emotions and the deepest lows when the depressions of heartache set in.

I don't consider myself someone who takes life or the important people in my life for granted. Instead I aim to look to the skies every day, taking a deep-breath of Nature's freshest air molecules, and express my thanks for the wonderful life that I call my own.

As I sit here, I'm staring at the most interesting clay-inspired painting on my desktop (a photo I took of an oil on canvas in the Worcester Art Museum) and listening to thought-provoking electronic music (Mir by Ott). Snippets of human voices mixed with a solid bass, sounds of Nature, and funky beats drive my thought processes.

I was overcome by emotions during the holiday weekend and found myself living through every one of them, at times not being able to control the words coming out of my mouth as I expressed myself. I am forever thankful that M&D don't judge me too harshly and always see me as the good person that I am.... Thanks to them, it was a successful, quiet weekend full of reflection, fighting, and, most of all, love.

From Florida with love...

It's 12:39 am and I've been stalking the internet for hours. I'm on vacation in FL with the fam and haven't had a chance to get online in the last few days. It's a good thing I did tonight, because it gave me and AGF a chance to Skype! She and I have been missing each other a lot and haven't been keeping in very good touch...bad us! I'm listening to "Kondratieff Wave" by Ian Stewart on repeat and loving the feeling it's giving me; what a good vibe. It came recommended by a friend and I suggest you check it out.

S & J moved down here in the summer and I'm sure my parents are soon to follow. Everyone seems to be migrating to the Florida area (and when I say everyone, I mean New Englanders) and that doesn't exclude my family and close friends. It seems I know a lot of people who are living down here these days. I can't say that it's a bad place to be - warmth year round (read: no snow), beaches, tropical flora and fauna, and happiness driven by sunshine. I personally like the change of seasons, the smell of Autumn, the snow of Winter; but I know people who have shoveled for years and are ready for a change. So be it. I will just come visit :)

On another note, I was FB photo stalking some friends tonight, reading about recent engagements, honeymoons, and wedding planning. How nice of them to re-plant this seed in my eager mind. It got me so excited thinking about being at that point in my life...the point where I finally start planning a future with someone. I know I've almost been down this road before and sometimes that still makes me sad, knowing that it didn't work out for us. On the other hand, I look at photos of us with friends and I just want to cut him out and replace him with Cam. C's brought a lot of sunshine to my life and I hope that he continues to do just that....

I'm heading back to the Boston area mid-afternoon today and very much looking forward to seeing Cam and cuddling a *lot* :) I'm not ready to say goodbye to tank tops, flip flops, and constant sunshine, but I guess I'll have to make do with whatever I can find in between the Autumn clouds. I just hope it's warm enough to keep riding my bike!

In another month I'll be spending a week and a half in Boulder with Cam, and I'm REALLY looking forward to that! We'll be visiting YJ & RT and their pup. They've not only offered their spare room, but also use of their second car if we need it. How sweet! I'm hoping we can do some snowshoeing and/or skiing some powder, since I've never skied out West. I have no idea if Cam's ever skied, but if he hasn't, we will teach him! After Boulder I'll spend a few weeks in Midland, TX, the cement capital of the country (so I've been told) and is also the hometown of George W. Bush. Awesome. I may have to keep my middle-of-the-road political mouth shut while I'm down there, hehe :)

Until then though, I get to say whatever I want in Boston, knowing that I won't be judged. (insert smug look and childish laughter) Until next time....