I’ve had an extraordinary weekend.

Saturday I spent alone. I sat around reading, listened to music, watched a bunch of Tim Burton movies, made sugar cookies and ordered a pizza. With everyone gone, my neighborhood was quiet. Restful. I recharged all day, knowing I had upwards of a week left in which to enjoy my solitude, to finally recharge from what has been a remarkable fall. What plans I made for Christmas seemed to have evaporated, but at the end of the day, I was okay with it. I figured something would come up.

Sunday I woke up and read all of The Thief of Always while lying in bed. I got up at noon, watched Die Hard and got note of the new Christmas plans. I putzed around the house until it was time to go. I met up with my friends, and hijinks ensued until we wound up at the single most festive bar in all of the world, where we sat and drank Shock Tops, talking about everything.

I slept today until noon, reveling in the warmth and comfort of my bed, then met up with friends at Toronado where we hung out for three hours and I got some non-cookie-based food in my belly. Now I’m back home, fresh from a bath, listening to music and getting ready to dive back into some rewrites I started earlier today.

I love being an adult. I love my friends. I love the freedom I can still find in a life that at times seems stiflingly constructed.

So much of my life has been miserable, it’s beyond wonderful to sit here, warm, happy and rested in the midst of a life I could never have imagined five years ago.

Wishing you the peace you need and the decibal level of preference.