We are not going to our usual party as, it turns out, we weren't invited seeing as Joe broke up with the hosts and all. I'm okay with it and a little sad. But instead were are going to two other awesome parties and we are going to have a fantastic time.

Joe and I used to get into horrible, horrible fights on NYE, but we don't anymore. We both pulled our heads out of our butts and the past couple have been awesome.

Hey, where's my Merit Badge? I totes earned it, I swears I did.

You absolutely earned it. I really should get that in the mail.

I have to work tomorrow, get off work at 9pm. Then Daniel and I plan to celebrate at home with the cats. Best way I can think of.

I'm editing tomorrow and New Year's day.

I'm going to need a merit badge if I survive NYE at work tomorrow night with my current hacking couch and delightful snot production. (I work 5pm to 3am normally and will almost certainly be forced to stay over to 5pm due to extremely low numbers).

I'm pretty sure I've got a huge collection of Family Drama Merit Badges at this point.

Woot!! I'm dance around with my merit badge!

And yes, ND, you've definitely earned the Dealing with Family Drama Badge.

My preferred way to celebrate NYE is on the mellow side, even before I had kids. Best memories are NYEs where it was just me and the DH, or me and a couple friends, for dinner and champagne. We often go to my sister's house, and she invites over some friends sometimes.

ND is an em-effing Eagle Scout of Dealing With Family Drama.

Money ~ma to Pix and Drew and everyone who needs it. Pix, love, you earned that Xanax.

Ginger, as always I am thinking of you and wishing you well. And my friend was very impressed and touched by my chemo care package - I got her ginger candy, green tea with ginger, a beeswax lotion bar, and passed on a couple of books I read. She immediately popped a candy in her mouth and put lotion on her hands. So thank you again for that advice.

Suzi, hon, I am really sorry about all the mess. Hit me up on email if you need to vent, I'm gathering that you're trying to be circumspect here.

I'm at the gate in Raleigh, got about 20 minutes until I board. I'll be back in NOLA at noon. Roommate is picking me up. In theory I'm supposed to go dancing tonight with a friend, but I think I'll be just as happy if she cancels and I stay in.

It was really a good trip home. I was able to weather my parents' fussiness better than, well, ever. They and my sister mentioned how happy I seemed. I also got to have looong conversations with a variety of friends, including some very precious 1 on 1 time with a few people. I did NOT go meet up with my jackass libertarian friend NC. I did make out with a friend from hs, which was unexpected and fun. We might date if we lived closer, but we're in love with very different cities (his is NYC) and their respective climates. Plus, he's allergic to cats.

And then since Xmas day I've been texting frequently with a guy from OKC. We were supposed to meet up but he had to cancel to fly out of town when his mom was referred to an oncologist (all together now, FUCK CANCER). I texted him to wish him a Merry Xmas ad since then it's been kind of nonstop. Very much looking forward to meeting him when he gets back to NOLA, which sadly might be another few weeks. He's tall and cute and ginger and bi and a bit nerdy and a lawyer and six years sober, which I think is AWESOME because you don't get that far into recovery without dealing with your feelings.

Anyway. My hopes are up, that's just how I am, but I'm doing my best to stay grounded.

My friend C and I usually go out for NYE. Then two years ago I came so close to just bailing on it in favor of chilling at home with a bottle of wine, but I would have felt really bad canceling last minute so I dragged myself out. To find that she'd been in the same state and hoping I'd cancel.

So last year we went out and had drinks and food at about 4 pm then retired to our respective dogs and couches and it was awesome. So we'll be doing that again this year.

I've had some really fun New Year's Eves (usually followed by the worst hangovers EVER), and some lousy ones. I'd be happy staying home and chilling out, but Tim is a big extrovert and likes to go out. Our besties are having a small shindig, so we're going over there, which should be fun.

True story: last year, when I thought Tim was going to propose because of something I overheard him saying to his dad on the phone, I suggested we get dressed up for the New Year's Eve party we went to, because, hey, if he was going to propose, wouldn't it be great if we were all dressed up?

You all know how that worked out. (Still a fun party, though.)