It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us again. I don't know if it is that time is flying and suddenly it seems like the holidays are around the corner, or if it is the brainwashing of the retail industry bombarding the streets and stores with their holiday paraphernalia. I do know however, whichever it is I was convinced that I better pick up a pack of holiday greeting cards today to send to my friends because if I didnt I came to believe that I would be sure to miss out and run out of time.

I had an interesting weekend. A good friend of mine came to town for the weekend. As a result, I was surprised to find that I learned a lot about myself. I guess sometimes we just "know" how we are, but don't give ourselves or our thought processes a lot of thought, so we never really realize it. Real interaction with new people in new ways allow opportunity for new light to be shed.

My friend was in town for just 2 days, I wanted to show him everything that I loved about this city and in my life here, as the hours went by, I found myself thinking this just isnt enough time! I said it often while trying to figure out how to fit everything into the two days while still taking the time to enjoy it, after all part of the enjoyment of life is taking the time to take things in. What I learned about myself, as I zipped around town from restaurants to various neighborhoods to galleries and other venues of enjoyment, was that it seemed like despite the fact I logically knew I couldn't do everything, I was hell bent on giving it my best shot - and what this made me realize was that I seem to suffer from "I know there is so much in the world that I want to do and I am just going to do my damnedest to do it all" syndrome. I have to always try and get everything; just a part of it is never enough, I refuse to settle for less if I can find another way. Most people think that what I try to do is crazy, what I wish to accomplish, or where I want to be but I realized overthe weekend, that this is not something I doby choice merely on the big issues in life, it seems to be a part of my personality and character which comes about in almost every situation - no matter how temporal or significant the case maybe.

- Now, I am being interrupted so I will post, and the rest of my story could follow some time soon. Until then, good night.

~v.