2002-01-04 - 3:25 p.m.

There is so much to say, and there is not enough to say.

I'm in Austin. There were snow flurries on Tuesday night. Snow flurries, in Austin, Texas.

I spent Christmas in Atlanta. I stayed at my mom's house. I went running with my dad. I played with Emma. I had lunch with my grandparents. I saw "Lord of the Rings" with Kevin. I had a great conversation with Trey. I went to a candlelight Christmas Eve service. I was passive aggressive to my brother. I went to a party on Christmas day. I saw people I hadn't seen since last year. Danielle and Erin and I clarified The Sister Rules. I had dinner with David. I saw a jazz band. I had a fight with Trey. I went shopping with Danielle and Erin. I went to Jennifer's house, and talked for three hours straight. I went to Athens. Adrienne gave me a pink cashmere sweater. We walked around downtown Athens. We ate cookies. We drank coffee. We passed Jeff Mangum four times. We went to a gallery. I tried on shoes. I bought a cd. I bought another cd. The clerk at the record store lived in my dormitory freshman year. We drove around campus, past Park Hall, and Myers Dormitory, and the Quad, and Tate Center, and Hodgson's Drug Store, and Five Points, and the carbon monoxide apartment (and a memory on every corner). We picked up Ed. We stopped by Rob's house; he wasn't home. We went to the Grit. I ran into Kristin and Coby, who now live in Brooklyn; I haven't seen them in four years. We stopped by Rob's house; he was home. We went to a sushi bar to visit Rob's girlfriend. I saw Dan, who went to my high school. We went to a party. There was a bonfire. We went home. I slept on a futon. I went to visit Adrienne at the bakery where she works. I had the best scone ever. I read The Flagpole cover to cover. I drove home, listening to REM the entire way. I packed my bags. I said goodbye to my mom and stepdad. My brother and I made up. We went shopping for tobacco. I played with Emma. I said goodbye to my dad and stepmom. My dad told me to be a good girl. My brother drove me to the airport. I flew home.

I was in Austin for New Years. I made phone calls. I sent emails. I left messages. I tried to make plans. I didn't know what to wear. I was self conscious about my sexy pink cashmere sweater. I looked at myself in the mirror a dozen times. I had dinner with Anne and David and Rob and Hillary. Rob and I tracked down John and drank Tecate tallboys. Rob and I went to a party. There was a bonfire. There was Otis Redding on the stereo. There was champagne and black eyed peas and cornbread and confetti and fireworks and bubbles that wouldn't burst. There were furtive glances and touches. There was lots of kissing. There were good conversations. There was a moon.

I am, quite honestly, happier than I've ever been in Austin. Maybe happier than I've ever been anywhere.

Being this happy makes me feel like a hyprocrite.

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