New years party was good! The first thing our hostess said to me when I got there was "You cannot smoke pot in my apartment." The last thing was asking me to steal someone's girlfriend. At least that last bit was half-jokingly proposed, but still. Perhaps I should attend to my reputation a bit more in the New Year. Perhaps I should just run with it. That seems more likely.

Also, though I've read several books that explain -- both mathematically and sociologically -- why things like this happen, it still weirds me out when people in my extended social network, who I've never met before, knows and works with other people (on other coasts and continents even) that I also know and work with. It makes me feel more disconnected with the world, actually. Swimming in my own fishbowl.

And it makes me nervous when people say, "very well said," to things that I say. I mean, I like it, but that's what makes me nervous.

Finally, the Bulgarian bar just isn't what it used to be. Or maybe it's not quite as cool at 1am on Jan 1st as on a random summer friday. At any rate, there wasn't quite the dancing scene I was hoping for. Should have stayed at the party. C'est la vie. Still a good night in all.

I can't wait for this war to be over; can't wait for things to change. We're getting there. It's going to happen. Going to be a while yet I think, but overall I'm cautiously optimistic about the new year and the 21st Century in general. I still expect near-catastrophic upheval to roil the globe, but I generally think I'll do ok for myself.

It's the year of dropping the hammer, a year to start building. I have project plans in the works, business plans, creative plans, etc. Thinking about trying to make something immenseley popular or visible. It's time I started putting my skill-blend to use. I don't want to be building websites for other people for the rest of my life.