Synopsis @ Saturday, Dec. 20, 2003

I don't have to go back to work until December 29th! A whole week off. Of course, if it didn't contain a major holiday I'd probably die of boredom but since it does I think I'll survive.

We had our kick ass company Christmas party Thursday night. Food was mediocre but the bar was open - we went through four bottles of Captain...two of which had to be dug up midparty - and everyone had a great time. Plus, I walked away with a bottle of Bailey's from the gift exchange.

And a man's business card from the bar we went to after!

I was dressed to the nines in my cranberry floor length gown and wrap, wasn't too drunk, and couldn't wait to show myself to the masses so I followed everyone to this club not far from my apartment. We toured the first floor and I immediately made eye contact with a cute man standing with a few other guys. We both smiled at one another and my group headed downstairs. It was dead but the music was fantastic and everyone immediately grabbed a drink and hit the dance floor.

Sometime later the man came downstairs, leaned against the bar and watched us for a few minutes before heading back upstairs. I grabbed Heather, afraid to approach a man by myself, and followed him. I found him right where I had first spotted him, by the bar. "Excuse me, I think you were just downstairs...you left too quick and really should come back down." He laughed and actually followed me!

We started dancing immediately, pausing to introduce ourselves and chitchat a bit. After a few songs we went to the bar and talked a bit more. He lives something like two blocks from me! Yaaay! He's only lived here for about a year and came from California. He left me twice to say goodbye to different friends, coming back once with his business card and again to join me on the dance floor. The whole business card/CA thing makes me scream Big's name - it so smacks of how we first met.

Anyway, by the time he left I realized I had helped the last of my friends into a cab at least a half-hour or earlier and was completely alone at 2:30 in the morning. My car was somewhere a couple of blocks away, it was snowing and I had no coat and quite a buzz. So I took off in the direction I thought my car was hiding and started dialing numbers, trying to get someone on the phone to walk me to my car. At one point a guy pulled up beside me and said, "Hey there, fine thing, what are you doing out here?" I glanced at him, glad I had my phone to my ear at least even though No One was answering, and walked faster.

And started drunk sobbing.

I found my car eventually, though, and made it home.

I cried some more and passed out, woke up at eight, glad I had permission to be late, and got ready for work.

I sent the man an e-mail yesterday, just telling him that I had a great time talking to him and gave him my cell # in case he wanted to get together. When he left he mentioned that we would get together for breakfast at the deli around the corner or something someday. Oh, we also had a conversation about how people meet at bars and hook up. He's totally against it and agreed with me when I said why couldn�t two people just have a great night without fucking and fucking it all up at the end?

That conversation rocked.

Anyway, no response to my e-mail but I don't really expect one until after the holidays.

Anyway, we had our Christmas lunch yesterday and my boss gave me a one hundred dollar gift certificate to the mall! Yaay! That paired with the cash Mom and Dad wanted to give me makes for a fairly nice little spree after Christmas. I really need some new work clothes. Desperately.

Tom gave me the Ghost's cell phone number on Thursday so I called him while I was one my way to get my nails done. He was having lunch with his grandma so the conversation was brief but at one point he said, "You sound awfully perky...are you married or engaged yet?" This struck me as incredibly funny. A - being perky on the phone with an old whatever - has nothing to do with B - being married or engaged - or maybe it does, I don't know - but I could hear that old you know what in his voice and that made me feel good. He promised to call after the holidays so we could get together for a drink and catch up.

"Catch up"...too many meanings.

Anyway, Chatty Emily's gotta get a shower (finally) and get something done with her Saturday.