Saturday, December 30, 2006

New Year, or just the end of another chapter?

Birthdays, New Years, and desperate situations. These are usually the times when we actually take the time to step back and look at the "big picture".
So little in life matters. Nowadays it's so hard to understand and accept that actually the small things are the ones that bring us most happiness and really matter at the end of the day:
My tiny Christmas tree that almost didn't happen; decorating for the holidays with someone who cares enough about me to cook me a thoughtful dinner, or breakfast (or both); laughing about silly gifts at the Yankee swap with my friends; sharing food and drinks at the office party (man, those shots were good!); a call from my parents right before New Year's Day....

This year flew by for me. Work kept me busy; but I enjoyed it. And, although I feel like I did nothing this year, on a second look I know I did more than many.
I started the year traveling through the nicest capitals of the world: New York, Paris, Bucharest, Rome and London (which I transited, but didn't really get to visit at that time). Then I ended up fulfilling a wish - to work in a tall building in downtown Boston; here I was, looking down on Macy's, sipping tea and typing a book for a nonprofit organization.
Few weeks after, I met a stylish lawyer who quickly became one of my best friends; we share many interests and talking to him is always a joy. You can imagine it was really hard to say no to his romantic marriage proposal, on Top of the Hub (literally). But I did; and I know it was for the best. We enjoyed a very pleasant trip to Washington, dinned glamorously in Portsmouth and other places in or around New England, and - most importantly - remained good friends.
I made many other interesting friends through the year; people from allover the world: a Thai girl (stones healer), a White House intern - with a hobby for collecting graduate degrees from all the famous Universities of the world and a serious ambition to become a US Senator (and more), an authentic Punjabi Indian, so kind I would've never been able to tell he was trained to fight as a rebel back on his land and used swords at the age of 11 in order to stay alive... There are stories to be told; and some where told around the hookah, and the roasted turkey, and the Christmas tree.
It's sad how different you see life when you really start to see... LIFE. We are so caught-up in this game where money is everything. We are pathetic. In Romania we say that money is "the eye of the devil". It makes you do things you never thought possible - both good and bad. Mostly bad. It's why I never really wished to be rich. Taxes, worries, untrue friends... My New York millionaire Greek friend used to laugh when I'd say that. He tried so many times to prove me wrong. And he did.... I'm wearing his golden heart around my neck. But that's only because he said "that is where it belongs".
See, I'd rather have enough not to worry about each day; and instead of being rich, I prefer to have rich friends. Rich in everything, but most of all vision. Sure, if I was a guy I'd absolutely do anything to be the one "in money"; but as a girl... it gets too distracting and it only adds to my problems.
As a matter of fact, for the first time in my life, I allowed myself to be in debt. It's very unlike me. I used to be a saver before America happened to me. Well, I guess in this regard I have already become much more American than I should be.
Thing is, when you have money coming in on a regular bases you feel like you can afford to spend. New, top of the line laptop - cause the old one was "tired" -, new "toys" (like my cute Roomba and the never missing Ipod...), gifts for friends, my dad's medicines for diabetes, GMAT books and Toefl test for the MBA... It adds up. I guess it was about time I realized credit cards are so easy to max out. But it's fun. And some of it might even pay back some day.

So... New Year again. Clubs and friends and Boston life; a bit fancy yet low key enough for my shrinked budget. Got a busy New Year's Ev already. But it's nice when you have friends to plan it for you.
I'm glad that after all the partying is done I will start the New Year with another small trip. Nothing far; just a ride down the Cape with a good old friend.

Happy New Year everyone!
May it be better that the last one.