Ahhh, 2009. I feel like you’re going to be a hellova year.
The week building up to New Years and the week after prove this to me.
So I was working up until New Years Eve. At the time, I was trying to decide whether I wanted to join the millions of throngs of people out in the city, or hang back at the hostel. I decided the most important thing was to be with my friends. My boss was really great and let me out early. I had been working the week alone as everyone was out on vacation, but I feel really comfortable in my job. Maybe not very challenged, but this is a means to an end, aka money for travelling, more then the career move. I swung by Bunac to pick up some mail, and then made my way to the hostel (thanks again for the Christmas cookies, Brushaka!! They were amazing!)
I got back fairly early, and took a nap for a while. When I got up, I met up with the guys and went down to the shops to stock up. We went back to the hostel, and all broke into food and drinks. The difference tonight was really interesting: People were drinking a lot, but no one was being crazy. It was more about people talking, and listening, and sharing. The hostel was fairly busy, but only the regulars were staying in, at least for a while. I talked with Jason, Todd, Darren and Steven, and they let me in on something. They think I’m clairvoyant. One night, when I was a little less then sober, I started grabbing people’s hands and reading palms. I do know how to read them, but never really thought anything of it. Its more like reading the person, and knowing the lore behind what bumps and lines stand for. But the more people I read, the more they were blown away by how much I got right. I scared the crap out of Jason because I told him he was going to have a kid in his twenties, and that it would be a girl. Apparently, he got a girl pregnant before he left New Zealand; 2 days after I read his palm, she called to say she had found out it was a girl. Andrew said I made him cry—he just didn’t think anyone could see what I saw. So now, whenever someone new comes in, especially girls, they guys bring her straight to me. I usually don’t know anything other then their names when their hands are thrust out to me. But I’ve blown them away; I knew about a bad relationship a girl was getting out of, that another had a sister die of breast cancer, and other random stuff that I have no idea where it came from. I mean, I'm good at reading people, but this is just random.
So after my chat with the guys about my Powers That Be, I decided that I would take a night off from that, and try to not creep anyone out. Most of the crew was going down to Trafalgar Square to watch the fireworks, then to the Walkabout in Shepard's Bush to dance. I wasn't feeling the going out vibe--I just knew that I'd get mixed in with the crowd, lose my friends, and have to fight to get home. More importantly, two of my favorite people, Heather and Todd, where sticking around, so I stayed with them. It was really nice when everyone was taking off: we'd all become like family, so there were a lot of hugs, kisses, and Happy New Years exchanged. Afterwards, Heather, Todd, myself, and these two really nice French girls sat around and talked. There were family stories shared, life stories, death stories, home stories. I love those kind of talks. And yes, when midnight hit, I may have been wrapped up in some smoochies with a fantastically skilled kisser and Aussie (think about the only people left there, and I think you can figure out who ;-))The night kind of slowed down after that. I went to bed around 2am, and got to hear everyone else trickle in until sun up. New Years day was spent lazing and nibbling food, taking a walk, and doing a lot of thinking.
**A/N: I'm going to go ahead and post this since I have so many others to catch up on. After New Years, I stayed at the hostel for 4 more days, then moved into my new place. My last nights there were great. The guys took me to a pub to play darts, and on my last night there, all 22 of the long termers took me out to dinner and then we came back to drink some more and hang out. The great thing was that for once, we didn't hang out in the TV room but went downstairs and talked all night. Todd got me vodka slushies and Stephen was so happy to have someone who knew how to play Circle of Fire. But more importantly, they were all so sweet saying goodbye. I love these people so much, and miss them dearly. Here are some pictures of my last few nights:
Happy New Year,
Em
