Happy New Year!

The holidays have come and gone--they were busy--full of friends, family and food. Lots of traveling: Florida for my birthday, Youngstown for Christmas, back home with visits from my brother and sister for New Years.

This year, I fulfilled one of my childhood "dreams"--I was in Times Square on New Years Eve. After shipping my brother off to a friend's party, my little sister met me at work yesterday at 4pm and Operation Ball Drop was under way. The plan was simple: take the E train uptown to 50/8th ave, walk five blocks to 45th street and then cut over to Broadway. Alas, the night got off to a shaky start when our train broke down at the 23rd street station. We were stuck on the train for 20 mins. before breaking free, running up the stairs and making our way uptown on foot. Twenty-two blocks later we were at 45th, but police had already closed off the street. So, we headed north to 52nd street and pushed our way into the crowd. Police and barricades funneled us down the street until everything opened up on Broadway. We spotted the glass ball and ran towards it, making it to 48th and Broadway. There we set up camp and waited. And waited. And waited. Six and a half hours. Average temp: 13 degrees. It was cold. It was crowded. It was windy. But it was worth it for this:

I can finally check watching the ball drop in Times Square off my list. And now, for the rest of the obligatory resolutions:
-drink less coffee
-drink more water
-read more fiction instead of just news
-yoga
-learn to cook
-cook more
-learn another language, preferably french
-organize
-create a budget and stick to it
-exercise more
-declutter
-laugh more
-take a trip on my own
-write every day
-start investing
-write more letters
-watch less TV
-eat more whole grains and veggies


Goodbye 2008--you were a crappy year for finances, but a wonderful year for me. I completed a thesis and college, graduating with honors, had an amazing summer internship which led to my current amazing job, and I live right outside of the city that I've dreamed about living in my whole life. I've made some amazing new friends, grown closer to old ones, and I have a wonderful family. So many people were ready to say "good riddance" to you 2008, but I just want to say "thank you".

....Weekend Anna