Keepin' It Alive in 2005

Last time I wrote, I was in Lexington, MA. This is no longer the case, as I now find myself in The Lou once again. How's that for a spunky opening line to start the new year? Yeah, first post of the year. Here goes:

-It was a media-filled Christmas. Not that we sat and watched CNN for the entire day. But rather, my presents were nice and media-riffic. Yes, folks: media-riffic. Lord of the Rings, Red Sox, Simpsons Season 4, and Eternal Sunshine of the Jim Carrey Trying to Win an Oscar all found their way into my hands, as did Jeff Buckley, Elliott Smith, Modest Mouse, and Ryan Adams CDs. It's too bad that half of those people/bands are dead. Damn you, Elliott.

-Kate's surgery went well, and by the time I left she seemed pretty upbeat once again, despite all the painkillers. Maybe that's why she was upbeat. I don't remember exactly what it was, but she seemed to enjoy it quite a bit. Now, I realize I'm very lucky and blessed and all that for never having had a bad enough accident where I need painkillers. But come on, can't anybody share now and then? Where can I guy get some Vicodin?? It's like when ABL wouldn't share his Ritalin with me. Just one time. No one would have to know. Plus, you were more fun when you weren't on it anyway. I think we'd all agree to that. You say stuff that wasn't really English and you'd do funny dances and stuff. That was cool.

-Kia and I had a rather ineffectual New Year's Eve party. I think that's the best way of describing it. It was sort of there, it showed up, put in its time, but its heart was never really in it. We had an interesting group, including a couple of Oberlin grads, and some people came and went, but we didn't even realize it was midnight until after the fact, because we were watching....what else....."Napoleon Dynamite"!......gosh!!!!.......idiots!!!!!........so yeah, there was no countdown or that "All Acquaintences Be Forgot" song, or kissing at midnight or any of that. I heard some fireworks, looked at my cell phone, and said, "Oh, hey, it's midnight," And people sort of cheered, and we kept watching the movie. This continues a theme in my life, and I think the lives of many others, of having New Year's Eve celebrations that do not live up to expectations. It's just never as fun as it seems like it should be. But hey, I had a good time, it was nice to see people, and I drank three different kinds of alcohol. Cheers.