Goodbyes

Last night was my going away party in the NoVa area. We held it at the house on Pooh corner where Kristen, my (now former) co-worker, lives. She even made cookies and brownies! It was a delightfully good turnout, with probably 40+ people making an appearance. I wore a smile the entire night...until the goodbyes.

I was never very good at goodbyes. Usually they come out awkwardly and somehow incomplete. Sometimes I even squeak and say nonsensical gibberish. You can't say, "Hey, see you tomorrow," or "Let's do something next week." Instead it's more like, "Hey, sorry I'm missing your wedding/graduation/birthday coming up because of my selfish dreams of going to some foreign land for an extended period of time." But, you know what? It's not goodbye goodbye. It's only, "See you later. Much, much later. In enough time for you to have a kid if you wanted to (or even if you only wanted the initial feely-good part of that process). In enough time to change your entire life or move away or get married. What have you. A year is a very long time, and I was bitterly reminded of that last night. Still, it was a bitter sweet. I was very grateful to have so many people come to see me off right. I saw some people I hadn't seen in a long time, some people I had never seen before, some people who I had met once or twice, some people who eventually broke my camera, and some great friends who are a huge part of my life almost daily.

My sister, Sara, made a grand entrance, as usual. It was surprising to see her after she feigned not being able to make it all the way from Richmond. She came decked in sequins, some bitchin' sunglasses, and papal garb passing out signs and jello shots (vegan, of course). The signs were hysterical and heartwarming. The jello shots were throat burning and intoxicating.

My good friend Laurence came with some lambic kriek beer. It tasted like candy, or black cherry soda. Totally awesome of him.

Agh, you ever get a booger that you just can't weasel out with your grubby little digits and instead it just leaves a snot trail on your finger and your nostril until you finally muster the motivation to go get a tissue? Well, I haven't mustered the motivation to get a tissue yet because you, the faithful subscriber, are more important. Or my laziness is just that strong.

Alright, here's the skinny. It was a great party, and all the babies cried and the children giggled and the adults got good-timing drunk and the geriatrics went to sleep early after watching Jeopardy. I'm going to miss the whole lot of them. We are an eclectic group, but the dynamic works and everyone who attended is a wonderful person whom I am blessed to know. I know, sounds like a bunch of sentimental, right-wing, smoke blowing bull shit, but I mean it.