Throughout my ten nights in Illinois, I closed my eyes in five different beds. I come back to what I now feel is "my bed," and lying down at night, I reflect on my time with my loved ones. I told myself that when I was back, I was going to make certain that my time was going to be about quality. "Be Here Now," as Ray LaMontagne sings. I have tried to make that my mantra. However, I realize that all of my activities may have seemed as though they were right, but felt slightly off kilter in my internal feelings.
When I flew in, my dad and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day curled up by the fireplace, watching movies and catching up. It was the exact kind of relaxation I craved. We sipped on our Canadian Club and Coke Zeroes, and tried to ignore the fact that it was just us two of us this year, which had never happened in years past. It was the first year in which the kids weren't able to work out a trip between Macomb and Bloomington on Christmas day to split time between the parents.
My brother and sister joined us the next day, along with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and two cousins. My dad's girlfriend and her children were there as well. It was the first time we had all shared the same space.
I left for Chicago that day and spent some time with some old college friends. I love how comfortable it is hanging out with them, and it is always nice to catch up. Playing Wii and seeing Wrigleyville was very reminiscent. However, two bottles of wine and some rum and diets later, I spent too much of that time hugging the toilet in my friend's bathroom. This was not quality. It was about too much quantity.
Sunday was severely shortened due to the previous night's events, and I spent most of the day in my friend's bed. I was able to shower and head out to meet up with some friends from grad school, whom I hadn't seen in over a year. I've kept in touch with some of them...but most of the time when we talk, it ends up being about work - a subject that I don't usually have a strong desire to discuss when not sitting in my cubicle. But it's always good to go new places with familiar faces. We all were in Chicago from Orange County, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Atlanta, St. Louis, and DC. How many other groups of people at that pizza joint do you think could say that?
I then was able to spend some time at "home." Or, my hometown I should say. My mom has since sold the house I grew up in, and moved into a small house in a different part of town until she can make her way up to Chicago's suburbs to be closer to her family. It was a little odd, but I spend as much time as possible doing as little as possible. I saw some friends, had a few drinks, made food, shopped with my sister, worked a bit, hung out in the local coffee shop...fairly typical break stuff, I think. I made my sister drive by our old house. It might have been because of the lack of leaves on the trees and bushes during the winter months, but it looked so desolate. The family living there now doesn't know how much that roof over our heads meant. It's small, yes. but I loved it. We used every room in that house. It was really lived in for almost 24 years. I hope they live in it too.
I try not to generate huge expectations for New Years Eve. This year was no different. I was able to spend it with some people I love, and also some new faces for the turning of the new year - the new decade. Taboo was a big part of that night. So was whisky - which I have decided to make my new drink of choice. The face of my old boyfriend reappeared, and I was pleasantly surprised to spend two nights with him.
Some other holiday pictures that I took...to explain my whereabouts in other times. Family parties, movies, ice skating, food. The usual.
Two new additions to our family who I got to meet last week:
Roommate's Bachelorette Party:
Mom's new house in Carol Stream:
Nine at Hollywood Palms Theater:
Gift exchange/drinks with the soulmates and Jorge:
Ice skating:
Who knows what 2010 will bring. But if it's true that your first day determines how your year will turn out - it will be filled with love, excitement, family, friends, and some unexpected twists! I can look forward to that.
When I flew in, my dad and I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day curled up by the fireplace, watching movies and catching up. It was the exact kind of relaxation I craved. We sipped on our Canadian Club and Coke Zeroes, and tried to ignore the fact that it was just us two of us this year, which had never happened in years past. It was the first year in which the kids weren't able to work out a trip between Macomb and Bloomington on Christmas day to split time between the parents.
My brother and sister joined us the next day, along with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and two cousins. My dad's girlfriend and her children were there as well. It was the first time we had all shared the same space.
I left for Chicago that day and spent some time with some old college friends. I love how comfortable it is hanging out with them, and it is always nice to catch up. Playing Wii and seeing Wrigleyville was very reminiscent. However, two bottles of wine and some rum and diets later, I spent too much of that time hugging the toilet in my friend's bathroom. This was not quality. It was about too much quantity.
Sunday was severely shortened due to the previous night's events, and I spent most of the day in my friend's bed. I was able to shower and head out to meet up with some friends from grad school, whom I hadn't seen in over a year. I've kept in touch with some of them...but most of the time when we talk, it ends up being about work - a subject that I don't usually have a strong desire to discuss when not sitting in my cubicle. But it's always good to go new places with familiar faces. We all were in Chicago from Orange County, Baton Rouge, Dallas, Atlanta, St. Louis, and DC. How many other groups of people at that pizza joint do you think could say that?
I then was able to spend some time at "home." Or, my hometown I should say. My mom has since sold the house I grew up in, and moved into a small house in a different part of town until she can make her way up to Chicago's suburbs to be closer to her family. It was a little odd, but I spend as much time as possible doing as little as possible. I saw some friends, had a few drinks, made food, shopped with my sister, worked a bit, hung out in the local coffee shop...fairly typical break stuff, I think. I made my sister drive by our old house. It might have been because of the lack of leaves on the trees and bushes during the winter months, but it looked so desolate. The family living there now doesn't know how much that roof over our heads meant. It's small, yes. but I loved it. We used every room in that house. It was really lived in for almost 24 years. I hope they live in it too.
I try not to generate huge expectations for New Years Eve. This year was no different. I was able to spend it with some people I love, and also some new faces for the turning of the new year - the new decade. Taboo was a big part of that night. So was whisky - which I have decided to make my new drink of choice. The face of my old boyfriend reappeared, and I was pleasantly surprised to spend two nights with him.
Some other holiday pictures that I took...to explain my whereabouts in other times. Family parties, movies, ice skating, food. The usual.
Two new additions to our family who I got to meet last week:
Roommate's Bachelorette Party:
Mom's new house in Carol Stream:
Nine at Hollywood Palms Theater:
Gift exchange/drinks with the soulmates and Jorge:
Ice skating:
Who knows what 2010 will bring. But if it's true that your first day determines how your year will turn out - it will be filled with love, excitement, family, friends, and some unexpected twists! I can look forward to that.
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