getting a bit deep on america's birthday (happy birthday, america!)

Happy Independence Day everyone!

I meandered over to the blog tonight because I always like to see what I was doing/thinking/saying on holidays (and even regular days) and the blog is a good resource for those kinds of facts. Last year I posted about the last four fourths. I can't believe a year has come and gone already since that post and that day. I remember I wasn't feeling 100% and spent that evening watching the fireworks on TV and thinking that hopefully the next year's fourth would be more exciting.

It was very nice, I can report.

I am absolutely in love with spending time alone in the park so after sleeping in until 11 am (Yikes! Haven't done that in a long time!) I tidied up my room, unpacked from my recent trip to CA, and gathered my gear for some CP time. While there I inched myself out of the sun and back under the tree's shade a few times, got several dozen clicks on my Kindle through the latest manuscript I'm reading for work, and got that lovely sweat-behind-my-knees sensation.

I then came home, showered, vegged a bit and got ready for the night. Some friends and I got a group together to go to Sea in the Meatpacking District, a really good Thai place (with really horrible service -- I always hate complaining because I worked in hospitality once so I know what it is like but it was just not good tonight.)

Afterward we braved the crowds and made our way over closer to the Hudson River to see the fireworks display. As you will see from my last blog post about my previous four fourths as a New York resident, I hadn't yet see the NYC fireworks in person. It was crazy but after a lot of walking (and losing half of my group--leaving it to just one friend and myself) I got a great view of an amazing spectacle bursting and popping in through the dark and steady buildings. What fun!

The subway ride home wasn't bad at all and I made it in the door at a decent hour only to jump in the shower again (it was disgusting out). I don't know what it is about me and holidays and reminiscing. Sure, the big ones will make you think back to what you did last year: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve, your birthday, but I also tend to think a lot about Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4th and even Columbus Day and how my life has changed since the last time they rolled around.

I remember being a little down last year but looking back on it I don't remember it as sadly as I probably felt (all sick and sick of being sick and such) so I guess that says a lot about memory and resiliency. I can't say where I'll be or what I'll be doing next July 4th. So many things are up in the air, it feels like. I just know that between this one and the last one I've felt  a bit more love, a bit more peace, and a bit more happiness.

That's all that matters.