I'm sitting here at my desk on my last day of work at this job and wondering what the future holds. With the suck economy, I haven't been able to find a job yet to replace this one, but I'm not as worried as I might be. I've saved up quite a bit, and I didn't use half of my student loans last semester, so I have a little cushion in case I don't find something right away. Financial aid for the upcoming semester will arrive at the beginning of February, and I can certainly hang on until then. But I do need to find something fairly soon, and I'll really be looking hard the week before classes start.

Because of the holidays, there's hardly anyone in the office today. A few of my coworkers took me out for a beer last week, but today there will be no final goodbyes, no pats on the shoulder, no luck wishings. People will come back Monday to work, and I'll just be gone. After I pack up my office today, deciding which textbooks to take home and which will stay, I'll put on my coat and scarf, and just slip out the door.

***

Christmas was wonderful, even if my lady wasn't here to celebrate with me. Along with the books she ordered for me, she also sent a very cool-looking Japanese handle-less mug used for sipping hot green tea, and a great scarf in greys and greens that goes really well with my leather jacket. (Her mum actually bought it for me, but Janet picked it out.) She sent a really beautiful throw to my parents, along with lots of fun bunny gifts for my mom and sister to fight over. :) So considerate, my lady is.

Kristin got into town on the 24th, and we went straight from the airport to my parents' house for Christmas dinner. I'd packed an overnight bag and gathered all my gifts together so that I could spend Christmas Eve over there. It's not quite the same when you have to wake up early and drive a half hour than when you can just roll out of bed, go downstairs and open presents; though next time I won't be able to. I was worried that Neli would bother my allergies, and unfortunately he did. I kept having to pull on my inhaler, even though I'd taken my Claritin. Plus, next year, Janet will be here for Christmas (yay!), and I'd rather wake up next to her in our own bed.

Christmas morning was nice and leisurely. We had coffee and ate banana bread and watched the parades. There were lots of little goodies and chocolates in stockings, and lots of great presents under the tree. I got a lot of really wonderful things this year. Several books I wanted, some great movies (yay, Pirates of the Carribean!). Some really fantastic clothes from Old Navy. A George Foreman Grill from my grandmother, and a new toaster oven from my parents. My parents are always very generous with their gift-giving, and they got me some really great stuff this year.

But the very coolest present was from my sister: TALKING CARTMAN!!! This is the funniest damn thing I have ever seen, and I've almost worn out the button on his left hand. I played some of the sayings to Janet last night over the phone, and she laughed so hard I was afraid she'd hurt herself. Thanks, Kristin! Kick ass!

Over the rest of the weekend, we did scooter races around the cul-de-sac and played some board games. We ate appetizers until we couldn't move. We watched some movies (Seabiscuit was phenomenal) and called relatives. It was good to be with family. Kristin left Sunday afternoon to fly back to Brooklyn, and I'll be getting on a plane tomorrow morning to spend some time with her for New Year's. (I'm taking The Unbearable Lightness of Being with me, and will try like hell to finish it by tomorrow at midnight. If I can, it'll make 60 books I've read this year.) She's already planned some cool stuff for us to do, and I'm taking my moleskine notebook to do a little writing, and my unmoleskine notebook to take notes on Brooklyn, since my novel opens there. Nothing like a little hands-on research. Maybe I'll try to look up this guy while I'm there.

***

2003 was a very good year for me. I was accepted officially into grad school (after being turned down and submitting another writing sample), and after a hard semester got two As and one B. I sold five stories to various cool venues, and three of them were published this year. Janet and I put together Four Seasons in One Day (she did most of the work), sold an amazing amount of copies (though there are still some available if you're interested in purchasing one), and two of the stories are already being reprinted: "Ghost Dancing" in Polaris and "Night Off" in Fantastic Metropolis. (The FM reprint sale just happened over the holidays, but unfortunately right now, they are changing hosts, and the link does not work. But keep trying back.)

But the absolute biggest news was the engagement. After visiting Janet in May, I proposed, and luckily she said yes. We got all the forms together for the fiancée visa petition, and the petition was accepted quickly (for the government). Janet is almost finished with the various deeds the US consulate in Singapore is making her do, and she'll be able to schedule an appointment for an interview soon. With all luck, she'll be here the middle of February, and we'll get married in the middle of March.

I can't believe I'm so lucky to have found such an amazing woman. She's everything I looked for but could never find during my dating days: intelligence, beauty, creativity, sense of humor, similar interests. If there truly is one woman for every man, I absolutely believe that Janet is the one for me. She is the piece of me that was always missing, and has found its way home. Not to sound too Jerry Maguire about it, but she completes me, she makes me a whole person. And I wouldn't want to be with anyone else. She is my soulmate and the love of my life.

I hope everyone had a good year and a good holiday season. See you all in 2004!

Now Reading:
The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera

Stories Out to Publishers:
6

Books Read This Year:
59

Zines/Chapbooks/Fiction Mags Read This Year:
42