After a little leftover spaghetti and some frozen waffles (which I found that Hambone likes), I took the mother of all naps. I woke up to a four-inch drool puddle and returned to work with sheet marks on my face an hour and a half later.

Dear god, I needed that sleep.

****

My Chicago friends have all been downgraded a notch. They�ve gone from �Friends� to �Drinking Buddies� after a few short emails.

My dad is friggin� hilarious, and my brother is one of my favorite people around. I talk about my dad and brother a lot. Many of the people I know here know lots about these two guys.

So last week I sent out an email saying that my dad and brother were in town and that I�d like it if people could meet up at a restaurant for some beers and to meet two of my three favorite guys.

I got two responses saying that they were otherwise engaged in things that cannot be broken. Acceptable. I appreciate knowing this ahead of time. These two friends are not on the shit list.

Today I got an email saying that one friend broke his knee the day before and had to get an MRI tonight. He�s also not on the shit list.

Today I also got another email from someone who should have marked this on her calendar long ago and not ever even thought of breaking this. No way, no how, should not have broken this. Instead of coming to meet my dad and brother and hang out with me for a few hours, she�s attending a birthday party for her boss, someone she hangs out with on a weekly basis.

Definitely on the shit list.

They�ve all been downgraded. We�ll likely not even show up for this, as I�m feeling especially cantankerous toward them all.

Bite me. You�re all �drinking buddies�.

****

Except you, Bethany. I skipped your party, so you can skip mine. Let�s hang out soon. xoxo

****

On a better note, I sent out an email to a few friends with my new contact info now that I�m nice and cozy in that new spanktacular pimpin� condo of mine and got some nice responses from friends and family from all over.

Texas friends are not just drinking buddies.

One contact that I found most interesting was that my Uncle Pete called me. First off, we don�t talk often because we live far apart and I only make it to NY every few years to say hello. And second, this man is cheaper than anyone I�ve ever met. It�s to the point that he�d likely ball up some generic brand toilet paper and affix it with a minimal amount of duct tape to save money on Band-aids. For him to call me in the middle of the day when long distance rates are at their highest -- whew! That�s a heart-felt congratulations!

****

The more I think about it, the more I�m proud of my new living arrangement. It�s scary to think that I�ll stay in one place for longer than a year (something I haven�t done since I moved out of my parents� place when I was 15), but it�s a really, really nice place. I did this all by myself with no help from anyone.

Benito planted the idea and made referrals, but I handled everything from there. I managed the appointments, made the decisions, spoke up when needed, and questioned damn near everything of those I hired to help me, and I did it by myself.

All by myself.

I�m small. I�m only 24. I�m not particularly inclined to throw around balls of steel on anything, but I did this myself.

The good planning. The holding my own. The making good decisions.

I did that.

Go me!�