Well, it’s finally arrived. 2005 is here. Can you believe it? I know I can’t. I guess I still see myself as a teenager. I wonder when that changes. When do you actually see yourself as the age you are? Or does that even happen? For example, tonight Simeon and I went out for dinner and a movie with one of our neighbors, and the whole time Simeon kept thinking they took us out to “talk to us” about something. Like we had done something bad or whatever. When in actuality, they just wanted us to get together and have a good time. Simeon and I have a hard time thinking of ourselves as grown-ups sometimes. Well here I go rambling again.

What I wanted to write about tonight was the obligatory reflection of this last year. And while I feel like we were constantly busy and doing things, there weren’t really any momentous things that happened. Like in 2002, I graduated from college and we got married. Then in 2003 we bought our house. But in 2004, there wasn’t really anything super memorable.

Wait! Hold the phone! I have something. I started my blog!! On March 15, 2004 I jumped on the bloggin’ bandwagon and got my own domain. As a result, I am more conscious of the things I do so I can better organize and remember the things in my life. I also got my D70 to add the pictorial perspective to my site. But my blog has brought me more than just an organizational strategy, or a way to share my photos; it has brought me all of you! I have even made new friends. So, I want to thank all of you for making 2004 memorable!

Here’s to 2005! Let’s make it fabulous!

Well I would like inform you, Internet, that it is not always a disaster when you meet someone in person that you knew only through blog entries, comments, and emails! I did it! Today I had lunch with Carole. I recently stumbled across her blog on Heather’s “What I am Reading” list. I was laughing out loud as I read down Carole’s site. She was hilarious! But she only recently started her blog, so in a short period of time, I had read her entire site. Thirsty for more, I opened her “About” section just to discover that she is also from the Oregon Coast, Warrenton to be precise (which is just a hop, skip, and a jump from Seaside!). As my world slowly got smaller, I discovered that she went to school with Heather’s husband, Barney. As Barney and I were friends in High School, I actually attended his graduation. Which means, I attended Carole’s graduation! So while we did not know each other at the time, the world has been trying to get us together! So I did the only thing I could do: I gave into destiny. And it was totally worth it! Carole is even more entertaining in person. It was fun. (Thanks Carole! We have to do it again some time soon!)

I have been quite busy over the last few days. Yeah, I know, you are all thinking, “it’s the holidays, we are all busy!” but Simeon and I have been particularly popular lately. On Thursday we were invited to dinner at Phil and Chelle’s. I don’t was to jinx it (if you are reading this, hello guys!) but we are all getting along fabulously. Sim actually met Phil when he was at the conference in New Orleans. Silly boy traveled across the country to meet someone who lives across town. We all have a lot in common, in fact it’s been said that they “are us, just two miles down the road.”

Then last night Simeon and I went to dinner with Lisa P. and Jeff at Marrakesh. It was authentic Moroccan food complete with sitting on the floor, eating with our hands (utensils are available upon request), rose water hand washes, and belly-dancers for entertainment. I had a lot of fun. The B’stellela Royale appetizer was my favorite. It is chicken, egg, and almonds in puff pastry, dusted with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I know it sounds gross, (I was afraid at first too) but I was trying to be open to new things, so I tried it. And I loved it! Very highly recommended. Even though our legs killed us by time we were leaving from sitting on the floor for so long, and the dinner was a tad pricey, it was a great experience and I’d be open to do it again!

Finally, today I met Lisa P. and Lisa M. for some Christmas shopping at Pioneer Place. I got most of my shopping done today and discovered a new favorite store: D’Lish. It is the most fun bath and skin care store I have ever seen. Everything looks and smells like it’s from a bakery-they even wrap the products up in little pink bakery boxes! I cannot wait to go back and buy some things for me….well, more than I already did today. Who could resist a pink “cupcake” bath melt with “cocoa butter “frosting?” Certainly not me!

It’s a very small world. We all know that. But my world gets smaller and smaller every day. In fact, I work with one of my relatives: my step-aunt (my Dad married her sister), if you will. Well, she was over at my Dad’s for Thanksgiving and apparently some of my childhood pictures surfaced. So she brought them in. An entire album! She put one of the pictures of me (my kindergarten school picture) up in the break room at my office with, “Who in the world is this???” written above the picture. Thankfully, one of my co-workers figured out who it was and notified me of the picture. I concluded she was behind it.

Luckily I found out about the picture in time too, because she said she was going to put up a new picture each day until everyone figured out it was me! Oy vey!

Well, in case you were curious, here is the incriminating evidence:

Well, I survived the Thanksgiving weekend. And it was actually very pleasant. There were no food fights, no major dysfunction, and no one throwing up in the front yard (a story for another time). In case you needed some pictorial proof, here you go: