No New Years’ compares to 2009. A party at my house in Los Angeles with some of my closest friends, right after we had spent two nights camping. It was such an exciting thought that we were all going to stay in touch after college. Of course we haven’t continued to stay in touch as well as I had hoped on that December 31. But I am overjoyed that we have remained friends and that I have made so many new ones in the time since.

EDIT: So what do I think about those sentiments two years later? I just got back from a beautiful safari, which I went on alone, joining a group. It wasn’t with 10 of my closest friends as I would have hoped. I’m 7,000 miles from home and had my iPhone stolen. But I’m at an internet cafe planning New Years’ over the internet four hours before 2011, and looking forward to hop in a taxi and connect with friends on my shiny new black and white Nokia phone. And I’m so thrilled to see the people with whom I have spent so little time yet grown so fond of. It’s not a picture perfect New Years’ but it is an awesome one.

I don’t practice New Years’ resolutions, because I think any promise made in response to a stupid holiday is not a promise likely to be kept. But I think it’s a great time to be thankful for the people around us and the ability we have been given to spend some time on this planet.

I’ll take the stupid snow off soon, I promise.