December 18, 1999.

I have this really strange compulsion, something that I've yet to write about. It's this:

No matter how enjoyable my evening is, no matter how filled with companionship & camaraderie & such, no matter who it is that I've talked to just before I get ready for bed...I need to talk to someone after I lay down & before I go to sleep.

I don't know why. I can't remember when this started...probably around the time I started dating Alexi, because when we broke up, I tortured Scherezade with my 10 p.m. nightly phone calls. Last night I saw the Boy to the door after spending approximately 7 hours straight with him. As soon as the door closed, I wanted to phone him.

I take comfort in the fact that Amy has reported a similar although entirely unrelated problem about leaving her then-fiancé Andy at the end of the night. So it's only us English teacher nuts, I suppose.

To be specific about last night, it was spent at a family party. My favourite second cousin turned 13 this week, and we were over for the traditional pizza, cake and loud socializing. News of the engagement was pleasantly received, although I got a bit tired of people after four hours of well-meant advice. My mother was being slightly aggravating in that she adopted a hurt joke tone when discussing plans, making everyone think that I was being unreasonable. I mean, it all went over pretty lightly, but I was not entirely happy with that spin on events, especially since I've been a lamb about the whole thing. The only issues I've dug in my heels about are vegan food when my dad was pressuring me to book the hall regardless. That and the general bossiness of my parents. I have to struggle a bit against their deep-down conviction that I couldn't organize my way out of a wet paper bag, let alone make decisions about my wedding.

Bah.

On the bright side, it looks like my second cousin is out of her snit, although her mother is still being cold. Oh well, the woman is a nutbar and I can't take responsibility for all of her problems.

The lights have gone out for the fifth and final time here, so I'll take that as a sign & haul ass to my first Christmas party of the season. Ho ho ho.