happy muthafuckin new year, baby! great time in TN, as usual. the cabin was jumpin--the play this year was "hobo: the musical," and it was fabulous. giant swamp chicken attacks innocent vagrants. much to laura's (cassie's sister) chagrin, the aforementioned chicken--made of paper and sticks--ended up in a bonfire later. got historically smashed but didn't throw up; go me. andrew played the bagpipes while we all guzzled champagne to ring in the year. ate greens and black eyed peas for luck. got three kisses at midnight, and the rooms of the cabin were filled with the sounds of wilco and the flaming lips. so maybe 2003 will kick some arse.

cassie got into an interesting predicament. I woke up yesterday and she was nowhere to be found in the cabin. went to put some stuff in the 4runner and the door of the SUV next to it opens. cassie hails me from inside, where she's lying down and chillin with this guy she was talking to the night before. apparently they both slept there all night. hmm. but she told me later that she laid down some "ground rules" and remained virtuous to a fault. still, funny. at least a fella noticed her, eh?

all the notice I got was from byron, whose midnight kiss took me by surprise (pleasantly so). he paid a lot of whiskey-laden attention to me, and it was probably my addled imagination but it seemed that vanessa (his girlfriend) was irked by that. I mean, he is bi. whatev; sure he was just being drunkenly friendly. at any rate, it's always nice to be liked. and all of that crew is so damn cool. wish I saw 'em more than once a year!

finally saw "say anything." what a great flick. also saw "harry potter and the chamber of secrets." also choice.

now to finalize the NYC trip. can't wait to get up there and gabe the city for a few days.

random conversations from the past two days: tina turner should have been the spokesperson for the Big Wheel, the pope should really replace his ring with a Ring Pop, and the bonnie tyler song "hero" is really about being hungry for a sandwich.