four 4ths

Hi everyone,

I've had a cold for the past week and a half. It is hot outside. You do the math.

I'm trying to enjoy the holiday weekend anyway and plan to spend significant parts of the next few days reading The Story of Beautiful Girl. Thanks, MCW, for putting it on my radar.

One of the most interesting things, I think, about holidays is their ability to make you remember details of what life was like exactly a year ago. The other day I was thinking about my last four 4ths.

I spent my first one in California, actually. I'd been there for a work conference so I stayed on for the holiday weekend, spent it drinking daquiris and playing Scrabble, and spying on fireworks between the trees in my parents' neighborhood.

#2 is my favorite so far. My friend Annie, who no longer lives here, came over and we played cards on my patio while eating chips and salsa and drinking beers. Then, along with one of my roommates, we went to her friend's party just a few blocks up from me. We ate burgers and climbed up on the roof to watch the fireworks from all directions.

Last year was a toughie. I was having a rough weekend but went to Montauk for the 4th anyway. It took forever via LIRR (Lesson learned! Never again.) and was a very long day. Sunburns, sand, seven am to midnight. The beach was fun and I'd never been to Montauk but I am SO glad that things are so much better this year!

Not sure what I'm doing this year. I made plans with a friend to go to the beach, however, we'll see how I feel. Stupid cold. Maybe a repeat of fourth numero dos is more my style this year.

Where were you four 4ths ago? What do you have planned for this weekend?