Content.

I had SUCH a great night last night.

My office holiday party the night before was eh. Nothing special, same old. I always leave those things feeling glad that I have other stuff that's important to me in life, because if I didn't, I'm not sure just that job would suffice. And I hate to say it but I think there are a lot of people who do the same stuff I do in my office for whom that is the case. I don't say that to be judgmental, I say it because I cannot relate.

Then, Kevin and I got in a HUGE fight on the way home from the party/at home after the party. Everything's fine now, we've made up and said our apologies and worked it all out but we were PISSED at each other and it sucked. I hate when we fight. We don't fight often, but everyone's gonna fight from time to time, ya know? It was our night for it. Oof.

But LAST night was great fun. Kev and I had a few friends over, just 5 people, so there were 7 of us in total. It was just perfect. We had snacks, fun festive Christmas drinks (mulled wine and hot buttered rum!), and after we sat in the kitchen around the food, chatting, drinking, eating, and telling stories for a good hour or so, we eventually moved into the living room (by the light of the tree and the other Christmas decorations - my dream come true!;) and played games all night! We played a game called Celebrity (that my college friends and I call "Slips") and once that was over, we just moved onto straight up Charades. It was such a blast.

I haven't done something like this in ages. Whenever I hang out with a group of friends, we never THINK to play games. We still enjoy ourselves, chatting, eating and drinking, generally relaxing. But the game playing added such a great element. It was seriously the best evening I've had in quite a while.

All the people who were here are people I'd absolutely consider good friends. They aren't all people, however, that I've historically spent a ton of time hanging out with outside of my improv world. But they are all people I would happily sit around and chat with at any time. We all know each other well from how much time we've spent together at The PIT (except for one friend who was here last night who has nothing to do with the improv scene) and it was just so fun to be in a totally different environment, not relating to performing or to the theater, hangin out and laughing.

My HST friends are my "family" in this city and have been for years. They are the people with whom I've spent the most time socially and professionally in the last 4 years and they are awesome friends, great people, and a blast to be with. We have so many inside jokes and old stories and such a great understanding of each other. And just like family, they drive me crazy sometimes too. I wouldn't change it, of course.

But they are also all younger than I am! That definitely has its perks. Because it means that, from time to time, I get "forced" into doing crazy, silly things that I would probably otherwise avoid. :)

The small crowd here last night, I realized at one point, are ALL either my exact age or older. And there is just something so different about that. It was kinda refreshing. The conversations we had, the way we enjoyed ourselves, the games we played, the stuff we shared with each other just felt like a different ballgame entirely than if I'd been hanging out with another, younger group. It made me appreciate even more than I have been lately (which is a lot) how much I love the people I've met through The PIT, and how incredibly blessed, grateful and happy I am to have found The PIT community. It is one of the best things in my life.

(Incidentally, for the sake of explanation, HST performs at The PIT too. We aren't a "PIT" group, meaning we didn't start our group through the theater or at the theater, we didn't meet because of the theater - we met in college at NYU - and we aren't promoted by the theater in a regular way. So we aren't an official "PIT" group. We do shows other places and we originally got started of our own accord. We do, however, do a show at the PIT every Saturday night and have done so for 2 or 3 years. So all the HST kids know the PIT people and vise versa. HST was invited to the PIT Holiday party, etc. etc. I don't know why you need to know that but I can think of a few detail-loving people who read this blog who'd want to know.;)

ANYWAY. My sweet friends brought gifts and wine and food last night. My friend Sarah, who is awesome, brought me this ADORABLE little ornament for my tree. (How did she know?!) And my lovely friend Meg brought me a handmade card - so sweet! My good friend Keith brought a NICE lookin bottle of wine and my good friend Matt stayed after everyone left and did. Every. Single. Dish. In. The. Sink. What the fuck. That was so awesome. I dried while he washed and we chatted and chatted, our voices hoarse and cracking from having talked all night long, and it was so nice.

Once everyone left, it was around 2:15, Kevin and I were exhausted, but so happy and fulfilled. We finally fell asleep after laying awake chatting about all the highlights of the evening, how much fun we had, how we'd like to do it again in the New Year, and what a great group of people we were blessed with tonight.

I guess I've gone on and on. And it was only a few hours total. But it was just one of those nights in life where I felt really happy to be where I am in life, really lucky to be able to invite some good friends over for food and drinks and just hang out and enjoy each others' company, where I felt so glad to be young, healthy, childless, and sharing a really nice life with my great boyfriend.

I've gotta get off here - just came on to talk about last night *blush*. (I'm a weirdo.) I've got just a couple hours to eat breakfast, exercise, shower, pack up my shit, and get the hell outta the house.

I have to shop for one last present for the Winter Wishes program I'm giving to this year. Then I have to deliver the huge bag of presents that I've been buying for the last few weeks to my work this afternoon - they will all go to children who wouldn't otherwise get this stuff for Christmas. Through this program, these kids write letters specifically asking for certain presents! It's so adorable. So first, I am off to Target to buy a 12 year old his "Adias soccer ball, please." Then to the office to drop it all off. Then I've got HST rehearsal and our first of two Holiday Shows! Yay!

Kevin's shooting comedy videos all day today for a non-profit organization he founded with a few friends, the darling. They're doin a big comedy show on NYE and he's got to get some of the material ready before we go out of town in a week and a half. So he woke up and left early. I woke up at NOON! I needed the sleep. And it was absolute bliss having the bed all to myself. I flopped around into a million different positions, spreading my legs and arms every which way, and slept like a rock.

It's sunny but COLD here today. An outside run might be a bit too much but I'm always so itchy to get out there on the weekends, especially if it's sunny! Aaack! We'll see.

Happy Saturday, all.