January 3, 2005

Wow. New Year's Eve was awesome. The Pietasters (with Jeb) played the 9:30 Club in DC (my favorite club) and it ROCKED. 100% rocked. Where would I even begin to describe it?

We dressed up, we drank, we hung out, Jeb played music, I hung with his friends while he played music, we had champagne, we celebrated! Yeah!

It was really cool on so many levels. First off, I hadn't seen a lot of these people since before we got married. Then, because of our split, I didn't go around any of them because it would've been so awkward. But now that Jeb and I were together again it was nice to see that circle of friends again, as a couple again, and to make those connections again. Does that make sense? It was a reunion of sorts.

Then, while Jeb played, I hung out with his buddy John and his girlfriend Andy, her sister and friend, and Jeb's other buddy, Brad, who was at our wedding. Since John was with his own mini-posse I chatted with Brad most of the time and it was fun. I never really chatted with him much so it was nice to hang out. And to call him Clay Aiken because he SO looks like Clay Aiken. If only Clay Aiken were taller and cooler.

Then there was the vodka tonics, the champagne, the spiked hot chocolate. Ahh, the drinking. Jeb and I haven't been out drinking together in awhile so it was nice to "party" again.

And of course the music rocked. At one point I went downstairs and backstage so I could watch Jeb from the ground level (and not from the balcony, peering over everyones' heads). When Andy saw me I asked if there was a way to get to the other side of the stage, the side where Jeb was, and he proceeded to pull me onto the stage and we ducked behind Rob's drum set and ran across the stage. I was tipsy (okay, maybe I was more than tipsy) and I was praying, "Please don't let me trip!" because that would've been too embarrassing. Of course, it wasn't until I got to the other side that I remembered that you could get to that side of the backstage by going around the upstairs and back down again... but that would've taken so long!

It was just a great night overall. Jeb and I were "out on the town" together, not to mention on New Year's and we usually spend that in front of the TV, I got to hang with people I hadn't seen for so long, I got some good drinks, and everyone was really cool.

I guess I was so excited about it all because I hadn't been out for awhile, I hadn't been out with Jeb for awhile, I hadn't seen these people for awhile, and it was finally just a chance for everything to come together in one great night.

2005 was off to a good start... By the way, there's a tradition that you should eat black eyed peas on New Year's Day for good luck. Well, I don't really care for them all that much because they're kind of dirt tasting so last year, 2004, I didn't eat any. Big mistake that was, eh? So this year when Jeb made New Year's Day dinner with black eyed peas, I ate them all up at once (I threw on some salt to hide the dirt taste). Jeb saw my plate empty of peas and he said, "Wow!" and laughed. "I'm not taking any chances this year!" I replied with a smile. I want all the good luck I can get. 2004 wasn't the best year for me so I'll do what I can to make 2005 much better!

So far so good!

that was then - this is now