Long overdue for a reprieve from the purgatory that is small-town New Jersey, I spent the past weekend in the DC metro area with some of the people I love the most.

Being back on the East Coast certainly has its benefits - namely, being able to make an easy 4-hour drive to DC (as opposed to having to take a much more costly plane ride).  I invited my friend and brother Quincy to ride down with me from New Jersey since his parents live in NoVa.  Turns out he had a photo shoot to do in DC over the weekend and he was due for a visit.  Sweet.

Quincy met me at the New Brunswick train station.  I was hoping he’d be able to avoid a train transfer in Newark, but no dice - he still had to transfer train lines.  Now I realize I should have asked him to meet me at a station closer to my house to simplify my end of the trip since it would have taken him the same number of transfers and time.

It was great to have his company on the way down.  We talked about music, Cartoon-gate (the NY Post editorial cartoon melodrama), and about how he would convince his parents that no, he’s not really sick - “it’s just allergies.”  (But Q. was really, really sick.  Poor thing.  Shh, don’t tell him I told.)

Once on the road, I realized that I had forgotten two very important things:  (more…)

Am I missing something here?  Here’s the deal:

I sent an old friend a book and magazine for an industry in which she’s starting a career.  I wrapped it in sparkly black gift-wrap, wrote a quick note - on my own set of personalized note cards, of course - and sent it just before Christmas, although it wasn’t necessarily a Christmas present.  (I’d actually had it for about a month before I got around to sending it.)

I shipped the gift via FedEx so I could track the package and make sure she received it.  Delivery was attempted, but she wasn’t at home to sign for it, so the driver didn’t leave the package at her door.  (I sent it signature-required.)  I shot her an email that evening that said “hey, I sent you something - you have to sign for it.” The next day, I believe, FedEx successfully delivered the package.

I haven’t heard anything from this friend since, and I’m left wondering what happened.  Did she receive my gift?  Did she like it?  Can she use it?  (more…)

I miss my friends.  Terribly.

My two closest friends - Will and D - live elsewhere.  Actually, I guess I’m the one who really lives elsewhere.  I’m the one who’s moved.  Twice.

Will, whom I’ve known longer, is still in Virginia.  He’s a friend and brother all rolled up into one.  We’ve been friends for 7 years now and seen each other at our best and worst.  (I’m not just tossing out a tired cliché here.  Take this literally.)  And we’re so similar that sometimes it’s like talking to a male version of myself.

Will actually lived right across the hall from me in our dorm building, Dominion Hall, for about 4 months before we even spoke to each other.  I’d see him at the elevator, or see him walking to or from our building, but we never really spoke.  Perhaps a quick “hello” or nod of acknowledgment as we passed each other, but that was about it.  (more…)

My friend Quincy and I were walking around in Hoboken, headed to Starbucks in order to warm up from the bitterly bitter cold.  My feet were blocks of ice (note to self: cute pumps + freezing temperatures = suck), and the tops of my thighs were going numb despite the protection of my long wool coat.

So we’re standing on a corner, waiting for the light to change so we can cross, when suddenly a car full of guys honks at us.  Okay, well, at me.  What the hell?

Dude. STOP.  (more…)

This seems to be an inordinate number of unread emails, and these emails all sit unread in my inbox.  I told myself that I would clean the cobwebs out of my inbox and start fresh for 2009, but that hasn’t happened yet.  I find myself holding on for some reason.

So what am I holding onto?  What’s in my inbox?  (more…)