Too sleepy to get reflective about 2004 or hypothetical about 2005, so I'll just write about New Year's.



I went to Lake Tahoe with six friends to Angela's rental house on the north shore. On the 30th, we hear reports of heavy snow impeding traffic over the Donner Summit (7239 feet) and sure enough, those of us foolish enough to be in the early departure reconnaissance car are, after nearly three hours of driving, met by an impassable clog of traffic four miles long backed up behind a roadblock. There will be no proceeding anytime that night. Admitting defeat, we turn around and drive back to San Francisco. We call our friends who haven't left the city yet and decide to keep our things packed, wait out the storm, and have dinner and a slumber party at Jason's gorgeous apartment in the new built up part of town near the Giant's stadium. It has crazy views of the city from an angle I've never seen before; there aren't yet many high vantage points down in the former industrial/shipping part of town. I figure it's just a matter of time before these fancy mondo-expensive lofts extend to Hunter's Point.



We leave the next morning to make another attempt at the pass. Those of us in the re-con car arrive at the house to find the entire drive under knee-deep snow. We shovel for hours to make space for the cars and decide it's too complicated to leave again and that we'll make our New Year's party at home. With the availability of oil massages in the sauna, near naked sprints to the outdoor hot tub, an adequate supply of booze, six iPods, good friends in silly outfits, where the hell else would we go? I kissed Stacy and Angela at midnight. Thank god they're both so hot.



Those of us who don't ski or snowboard stayed home during the day when everyone else was out. Tyler worked on a programming project for the food bank, Stacy wrote MBA application essays, Gian read a technical design book. Way to start out 2005, damn strivers. When the snow bunnies returned, I tried my hand at a little teaching and led an impromptu yoga class in the livingroom. I could be good at that I think, but learning the names of some of the asanas might serve me well. "OK, now get into this one..." isn't quite what I was going for.

Tomorrow, Don comes back to visit for a few more days. We had a reluctant goodbye two weeks ago in an Amtrak station at 2:30 AM when I sent him off on his very late train to Vancouver for Christmas and New Year's. I didn't expect to see him again before he disappears from Florida onto a sail boat for a year, so I am well-chuffed (British for "very happy") that he is coming back en route to his next destination, New Orleans.

Body... must... sleep.