My Yankee Doodle Joy

I realized in the shower today that, along with Christmas and New Year's, the 4th of July is one of the only days of the year where I can effortlessly remember what I was doing each year, stretching back at least half a decade if not longer. Having been in DC for college, the 4th becomes kind of a New Year's Eve on steroids, where everyone you know or knew congregates in the District to drink and scramble around on the roof watching fireworks and celebrating the fact that we were all lucky enough to spend those golden years somewhere so cool. So the years I *missed* this extravaganza are just as clear if not more so as the ones I was there.

Exactly a year ago today I was in DC with Justin. I think we saw a movie during the day (Crank?), then went over to the Garfield House, of all places, to celebrate with the young 'uns and (in my case at least) have frightening flashbacks of such undergrad events as the Two Articles party and the first time I ever saw Con. The year before that I was in Bedford for Becca's wedding, which was a very different kind of wonderful, and the year before that was another DC year, another party at the Urban Oasis (are they still calling it that?). I remember Kevin loaning me his car, driving back to the house on Massachusetts with the windows down and the fireworks popping outside. The year before that I was with Jeff, and we were supremely lazy, lounging around Adam's place and doing almost nothing out of the ordinary.

Today I'm going to a BBQ and then to Thom's party for an hour or so, then working til close. I'm not too broken up about working, really...I'm pretty certain I'm taking a trip at the end of the month, so the money is welcome. Plus, it won't kill me not to drink tonight (or much, anyhow). I've been drinking too much and not sleeping nearly enough, so I plan to celebrate the 4th with some school friends and some cash in hand. And the Madison weather is gorgeous.

But I'm missing DC. When the sun sets and the parties start up...I know I'll be thinking about NW and Justin and the feeling of being with the people I knew for those years. It's almost enough to make me wish I'd never left.

Almost.