friends in action

My girlfriends took me out last night for my birthday. We went to a new restaurant in Elon called 116 Oak, which if you live in the area, is fabulous, affordable and has a great atmosphere. Thanks girls, you are some of the sweetest, most beautiful and intelligent women I know. I love you all very much. A few friends weren't able to make it because of geographical issues, and they were heartily missed. You know who you are.

It's been a crazy year for me, filled with lots of happiness, sadness, changes and constants. The year to come won't be any different, but I feel so lucky to have people who I love, who love me, who I know will be there through it all.



(L to R) Kiersten, Ashley, Kim, Colleen, me, Christen and Lesley. Yeah, yeah, I know I'm short, I was the only one in flats other than Colleen, but she's 5'11" anyway...

I'd like to just say that in watch us below, none of us had consumed more than a glass of wine -- this is just how we roll. Video care of Colleen.

good.

That's how I feel right now. Basically about everything in my life. I feel good.

It's not really that often that that happens, to any one really. I've never had bad luck, per se, but I'm not particularly charmed or anything either. Right now, things are just pretty good.

I'm happy with my classes and projects. I'm happy with the paper and my job at University Relations. I'm happy with my romantic situation, which isn't ideal, due to a familiar mileage problem, but has potential. I'm happy with my friends. I'm happy with my family. And I'm happy with myself.

I hate to use the word comfortable, because I think that can sometimes suggest stagnancy, but after worrying for weeks about how weird and uncomfortable this year was going to be with out my best friends, I think it's actually OK that they're not here. I miss them terribly. Like, more than I can explain. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't lonely here without them. But I had an incredible night last night with some amazing, fairly new friends.

I'm not really one to make good, close friends easily. I make acquaintances and friends without any trouble -- I can talk to anyone, and I've always been proud of that. But I have a bit of a hard time really letting people in.

Last night, I think one of my "friends" passed into the realm of "really good friend." We spent the evening watching Project Runway (guilty pleasure, leave me alone...) and laughing about the UrbanDictionary.com definitions of fairly dirty sexual positions after her roommate came home from a human sexuality class with a list of colloquialisms. It was a cheerful night filled with mint chocolate cookies, jelly beans and multiple instances of the two of us and her two roommates laughing until tears fell. As I drove home at 11:30, my face hurt from laughing so hard.

I think it's nights like that that we all live for. We all cherish moments where you're truly happy and comfortable, where you simply exist without worry or fear of the future or the past. You just are.

I've had a few moments like that this semester already. I hope they don't stop.