It was all about me in 2003...

But I want even more from 2004...


Happy New Year everyone! It was quite a day/night. I'm still in New York with Susan, and we went downtown yesterday to wander...

Ended up meeting Alissa for bubble tea in Chinatown (which was totally fun!!!) and then Susan's friend Mahmood showed up too, and some other folks (including Susan's ex-BF... but not in a bad way... long time ago and it's cool now).

We went and found a Kosher South Indian Restaurant (very yummy) and then we walked to a bar (not really incredible)...

But then we went to the Knitting Factory, which is one of those places I've always wanted to go...

I have to admit, I was feeling tired, and also a little too Iowa for the scene, but it was super-cool, and Susan's friend Ted was playing and he was SOOOOO good!!!! (His name is Ted Leo and you should go buy his record because he's great!)

I was expecting some emo dude and a crowd of head-nodding hipsters, but it was total Rock&Roll, and energized and exciting. Plus I got to hang in the green room with some Coney Island Freakshow folks...

Then I started to fade at the after-hours, but finally managed to drag Susan off the dance floor ( because I'm a lame old lady) and into a cab...

and home...

But at home there was a domestic distubance going on. A real one. And it was SCARY.

There was blood splattered all in the hallway and wiped on the walls and the elevator buttons, and people were screaming at each other.

So we called the police, who came promptly and were extremely nice, and respectful, and handled the situation really well. I have to admit, it made me want to go buy a NYPD shirt to wear proudly.

And then we watched South Park. Happy New Year!!! Weird night.

Soon I'll go back home, to Iowa.

I have to say, tangentially, that this year was the biggest "Change" year of my life, and I loved it. But now, heading into 2004, I really just want to keep living the life that my life changed into. So for the first time in memory, my resolutions aren't existential and internal.

So...

Dear 2004,

Please help me to eat better, sleep soundly, and work out more regularly... so that I can feel really great and have lots of energy to do all the cool things I can find to do. I don't have any major demands of you. I don't need a man or a job or a move (no matter how often I grumble) or a huge book deal or anything like that. I just need the daily strength and perspective to work hard at moving my life along its current trajectory. I just need the moments of beauty that help me appreciate how lucky I am.

For reall, YO! I'm pretty fucking lucky.

And also, if you could help the people in the hallway last night, that would be really good too.

Thanks!