Goodbye 2008.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas; I know I did. I spent nearly every second with my mom, and it was great. She's the only person who can make me laugh so hard in the Target aisles that I have to run to a bathroom, and we laughed so hard during our Saturday lunch that both of us desperately needed waterproof mascara. We spent every second at home under blankets, in pajamas, on the couch watching Criminal Minds and I loved every minute.
However, for perhaps the first time since moving to Nashville, yesterday I was ready to come back. Usually, I have to be dragged into the car back to Tennessee, but this time I was eager and willing to be back in my house, exuding sarcasm with M, C, & B at work, and get the ball rolling on 2009. Maybe, finally, I feel comfortable enough to call Nashville my home. Granted, I have a lot of things to look forward to in the next few weeks, but I think it's finally what I've been looking for; the past times upon return, I've had nothing here but work and TV. This time around, it's completely different. I have so much it feels as though it might explode, and suddenly I remember why I love life that way--bursting at the seams.
I'm having a New Year's Eve party at the house and I made the smart move of telling my mom. While she hates attending parties, there's nothing she likes more than planning them, and boy did she ever. There was only a little slice of clear back window to peer out of in the truck thanks to the pile of decorations she gathered for me. I'll be dreaming of disco balls for the next two weeks, I'm sure of it. Blue and silver everything--platters, utensils, candles, party favors...the list goes on. Should everyone who says they're showing do (or risk incurring my wrath), it should be around 12-15 people. Lots of great food, drinks, Wii & other games, with party favors galore come midnight. I'm ready for 2009--it could very possibly be my favorite year yet if what I think could happen does.
I'm even looking forward to after this event. I posted a link to my photography with an offer for free photos to my East Nashville listserv, and I've gotten such great positive responses. I'm meeting with a mother to take photos of her son on Sunday afternoon, meeting with a wedding photographer to discuss becoming her assistant, and possibly offering my photos to a woman who is interested in posting them in her building, where lobbyists and legislators occupy. My heart has grown ten sizes in love of East Nashville (as if I could love it any more than I already do), and to add to it, I managed to strike up the courage to give my email to a guy who I wanted to take photos of--it turns out he's a musician in need of new photos for promo of his new album. I finally feel as though I'm getting a foot in some doors, and every single opportunity matters.
I'm also starting my photography class at Watkins in February, as well as my intermediate Italian class at the end of January. I'll be busy on Monday and Thursday nights, and M and I still want to volunteer with the Untitled Artists Group on Wednesday nights. I had so many new ideas for art projects when I was home and I'm really excited to put them in motion. E and I are having our own photoshoot this weekend during her visit; we'll be each other's models and we have some really neat ideas; I can't wait to see how they turn out and then post them up as evidence of our creative genius together.
I know when I visited Longwood in October, I said it didn't feel like home anymore. And at the time, I didn't know if I felt comfortable calling Nashville home either. But finally, finally I think I can say that I'm glad to be home.
I am so excited for 2009--not to see what it brings to me, but rather, what I can bring and achieve in it.
-LC.