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Wow

Excitement

Sorry to be telling you in such an impersonal way, but yesterday Brian asked me to marry him and I accepted (happily).  :)

Here's how it went.  When I started the diet, I made this big weight loss goal to lose 10% of my starting weight. And on Monday I reached that goal!  So when I left work, Brian was standing outside (which was a surprise) and looking really nice with a Williams Sonoma bag in his hand. I said hello and asked what he was doing there and he said, "You didn't think I was going to let this big goal go by without a celebration did you?" and then he handed me a box that was wrapped and it had a gift certificate from Williams Sonoma in there to celebrate making my goal. Hoorah! So we went to the store, which is in the Columbus Circle area of New York, and shopped around a bit (with me taking 20 minute phone call in the middle because I didn't realize we were on this secret tight schedule...). At some point I told him he should throw away the bag that the gift certificate was in - little did I know it contained my ring! He told me, "Yeah, I want to keep it because I think it will be good for wine..."   He's so tricky. 

Then we finished shopping and went upstairs for dinner at this little place that overlooked the fountain and everything in Columbus Circle. And dinner was great - he had a huge smile through the whole thing and I kept asking him what was up and he told me that he was just really proud of me and everything, which I totally fell for because - hey - I'm proud of me, too! And then after dinner we walked around a bit and he took me over to these two little chairs with a nice view and we started chatting about our relationship and everything and he was saying that it was so much fun and he really hoped it would last a long time. And I, playing right into his hands, said "Yeah, I hope it lasts the rest of our lives." And he said, "Well, that part's up to you." and he pulled out this gorgeous ring and asked me to marry him. And I said yes (actually, trying to be funny I believe I said "I guess" but that joke fell flat... note to self, next time I'm getting engaged it's not a good time to joke around).

And then he had made reservations at this Jazz Club up there that overlooks the City that we had gone to on one of our first dates and they gave us free champagne since we had just gotten engaged and it was really beautiful.

So!  That's my exciting news.  And below I'll try to put a picture of the ring so you all can see it.  :)

A little past half year update

I was looking at my last update and realized I'd given a preview of 2006 but have not updated on the outcomes.  So, here goes, in preview order. 

Still dating the boy, who is amazing.  My family loves him, and more importantly, so do I.  So that's going well.  Tallahassee was bittersweet - weird to think I'll never go back since my last friends who lived there have now left it.  France was amazing, perhaps even more so because the boy got to tag along and we did a lot of exploring of smaller cities and regions that I wouldn't have done otherwise. 

The wedding train continues to roll along, although I've worn my last bridesmaid dress for the foreseeable future.  (My friend just got engaged and I'll be in that one, but they're discussing a 2009 date.  Seriously.)  Next up is New Orleans, which will be a combo law school reunion/wedding/fun times to be had by all event.  I'm really looking forward to it. 

I'm 20 pounds down, have quit a couple of particularly bad habits, exercise at least 3 times a week, wear a pedometer to keep myself from getting sedentary and am going to church again.  I'm going to see Paul Simon for the first time on Sunday and Jason Mraz a few weeks after that.  I've seen 3 or 4 shows on Broadway, most recently Sweeny Todd which was amazing and if you live in the area you should stop what you're doing and go - RIGHT NOW. 

The boy and I sing a lot together and are recording here and there to keep ourselves honest.  I'm holding a piano for a friend for the next year and so am getting back into lessons. 

Work is going well - I'm learning a lot and enjoying it still.  I get admitted in September (finally).  And I think I'm starting to nail down my interests in a way that I couldn't do before I started working. 

I've cried, but not too much.  I've laughed more than before.  And I think I've learned what it really means to love.

So all in all, 2006 is going well.  How about you?

Brief summary of 2005, in (mostly) chronological order: 

Started out the year in Vegas.  I worked on a Supreme Court case for a man who was facing the death penalty (and we won).  I spent many months arranging music.  I sang.  I danced.  I wore green tights on my arms.  I studied.  I got my first A in law school.  I graduated.  I studied even more.  I got a new apartment.  I took a test.  I obsessed about the result of that test.  I went on a cruise.  I got my first "real job."  I explored my new neighborhood.  My grandmother died. I billed over 200 hours in one month.  I went to trial.  I found out that I do indeed love being an attorney.  My godfather died.  I passed the bar exam.  I walked to work for a week.  I came home for the holidays.  I cooked.  I got my first Christmas bonus.  I went to a comedy show. 

Overall, I made many new friends.  I kept and developed relationships with many old ones.  I felt loved.  I felt hated.  I felt beautiful and ugly, at once and separately.  I laughed more than I cried.  I had fewer anxiety attacks this year than I did last year.  I confronted my fears.  I felt tired.  I felt happy.  I felt alive.

Sneak Peeks at 2006:

My first real date in 2 years.  Travel to Tallahassee for perhaps the last time.  Travel to Europe.  Six weddings to attend.  Two weddings to be in.  Pounds to lose.  Vices to overcome.  Shows to attend.  Songs to be sung.  Tears to be shed.  Laughter to be shared.  Love to be freely given.