Day 72: Casse-rollin'

On Thanksgiving Day last year, I was unemployed and living in my parent's house. It was a strange point in my life, from which I've grown exponentially. I remember last year how inadequate I felt about not being able to bring over food to our Thanksgiving dinner. If I had done that, I would be using food that my mom bought, using her dishes and, sadly, she probably would have washed said dish. So I didn't make anything.

Now that I'm all moved out, employed and on my own, it was the first time that I could really bring a dish to Thanksgiving. I didn't bring anything fancy, but even my green bean casserole was a sign that I was on my own and contributing to the family meal in a grown-up kind of way.

I was tickled by the whole experience, as frivolous as it was, and grateful for how far I've come in a year.

Day 71: Friendsgiving

Today, I enjoyed a pre-Thanksgiving meal with the same culprits from the Twisted Taco night, in what we affectionately called "Friendsgiving." I've never celebrated this holiday with people my own age and enjoyed it thoroughly. While I'd like to relay a story or two, I'll just keep it simple and say that it was good food and good company, and nothing out of the ordinary for dining with twenty-somethings.

It has not been the easiest year for me to find friends, as I'm still adjusting to this whole grown-up routine in a (relatively) new city. Mark has some relationships from college who are in the city, some of this dinner crowd included, but I'm severely lacking in girlfriends and even just acquaintances. Post-college relationships are hard to find and even harder to nurture. I'm still learning.

While I can't say I've developed the deepest relationships with tonight's group, it simply feels good to know of people who have potential to grow into friends. It feels even better that they extended an invitation to me.

I felt it inappropriate to snap pictures throughout the night, because, well, I guess I'm just not comfortable enough yet to whip out the camera and ask people to smile with me. It would have seemed forced and pretentious, two things I don't want to be. Even for the sake of the blog.

Hopefully, throughout the holiday season and into the new year, some of these acquaintances will become friends. I am ready to have some new perspectives and new conversations. I am ready for new company and dinner parties that I'm not surprised to be invited to. I am ready to give what I can to people to enrich their lives and mine. I'm ready for real, genuine adult friendships.

I am ready to host my own Friendsgiving next year.