Villanofun Reunion

I know I have been MIA lately but I have a good excuse. The biggest being the 1st Annual Philadelphia Book Festival coming up and I have been reading up a storm to get ready for it. My mind is crammed with all this fiction it is the only thing I can really think about other then the basics. I don't think you want to hear about all the books I have been reading right lately. I will probably spotlight some in my next "suggested reading" post. There are a few authors who are going to be there (and Patti Smith!!!) whose books I have been meaning to read and since now they are coming to town I figured I’d get on that so I can prepare my questions for them and feel confidant when I ask them to sign my book. Yes, I am a major nerd. I know that and I have made peace with it.

The other reason is that last Wednesday I was in New York for my best friend Tanya’s birthday party at the Time Lounge in the Time Hotel a few blocks from where she works at Wenner Media or something like that. Her building’s security rivals the Pentagon’s and maybe because it is next to Radio City Music Hall but there were three checkpoints before I made it to the second floor. T and I had a crash gossip session and she loaded me up with all the free magazines I could handle. Isn't she a peach? BTW if you are into magazines then this was the party to be at. Magazine people everywhere. They are like a society or something.

The thing is when I looked back on the Evite RSVP list when I received my email reminder I had a mini panic attack. There on the list was my old Villanova roommate and several friends from when I attended Nova for two years. These are some fabulous people but I have some deep complicated feelings about that time in my life. I am working through the sense of failure and inadequacy that leaving left me with even though I do not regret the decision. I also hate that I essentially lost touch with them. It kills me to have people disappear from my life. Anybody I cared about at one time I can’t let go entirely. I always want to know what they are doing and what they are about. I had another Colleen dropout from this winter and even that makes me a little sad. All of this Villanova stuff I am working through in therapy and I think coming to terms with a lot of stuff and unloading some serious baggage. Baby steps.

Well, I had a fabulous time. I did. I loved talking to all my old friends and fell right into it. I am still not over my issues related to Villanova and the hardest part is that I don’t know why I even have them. Why I went there and why I left all makes sense to me but when I think back on it I remember how miserable I was and how bad I felt about myself. I listened to a lot of Tom Waits during those years… I am starting tear up a little (what is my problem? If you know please enlighten me) so I am done talking about it for now.

Tanya, Happy Birthday and I love you very much but am still recovering from when whoever it was who thought it would be fun to pick me up, throw me over their shoulder and run with me through a crowded block after I had several cocktails. Upside-down with the bouncing pavement below as the only thing I could see put the fear of God in me.

The picture is from Freshman year and that is me (everyone’s favorite girl) on the left, next is Kristen, Tanya's roommate who I am told lives in Brooklyn with her boyfriend, Tanya center, and my roommate Carolyn on the right. I don't know why we are flipping off the camera but I am sure we had our reasons.