Happy New Year!!! And Happy Birthday,Ciaran,my fine Irish Brother!!!!

So a new year is upon us,another opportunity to better our selves,to do more for others,to find happiness, to make resolutions and vainly attempt to stick to them, blah,blah,blah.
Its 9 am Saturday morning and I've been up since 6:30am cause i have a friggin cold and can't sleep. You see I push myself so hard working 60 hours a week that every few months my body breaks down and I get a cold or something as punishment. I don't think the four days of partying and celebration up in Edinburgh helped either. And what an incredible four days they were! A once in a lifetime event. I laughed so much and experienced such unadulterated joy.Seeing everyone again after 8 long months felt so good I can't express it here in words. Of course the come down the day after we left was like a horrible emotional hangover that I'm still trying to overcome,but thats the price you pay. And I will pay it smiling.
I miss everyone already and I think we should make with the plans for our next get together. Perhaps over at Pennys? I don't know,just an idea. Let me know what you guys think.
I also miss my family dearly and all my great friends from home. I hear you had quite a celebration back in Trenton. I can't believe Christy missed Ryans show.
Anyway, as some of you know I got a sweet new digital camera from the lovely Nicola for Christmas and brought it with me to Edinburgh and took 340 pictures of our celebrations and the surrounding city. Since I can't properly describe in words how much fun I had this past weekend being back with everyone,or how much i love you guys or how much i love the gorgeous city of Edinburgh,I made a series of photo collages for your viewing pleasure right below these words. Hopefully they convey, in some small way, my feelings.
Hope everyone is great, and that everyone enjoyed the holidays here and back home. I know I always say I will try and talk to you all soon but please believe me,I will.

Bye for now:)

CDs of the week: Bjorks 'Medulla' and the Constantines 'Tournament of Hearts'. Both are
incredible records for entirely different reasons.

Books of the week: 'Heartbreaking work of staggering genius' and 'you shall know our velocity'.
Both by Dave Eggers. Buy them both and read them over and over.

Film of the week: Wolf Creek. A very disturbing Aussie horror film. Especially if you ever spent
any time backpacking through the Australian outback.

1. One of the many Closes(nooks and cranies) in downtown edinburgh.

2. the vegetarian sushi I consumed on the train home.

3. the center of edinburgh in sepia tone.

4. Nic watching scotland go by on a train in black and white.

5. The sandwich Nic consumed on the train home and other assorted items.

1. Nic and me on the big wheel(ferris).

2. The first night(fri) at Three Sisters.

3. Nic and Ciara

4. Lee

5. Me,in our room(and a rad t-shirt)

1. Ciaran and me

2. Keith

3. Ryan and me

4. Ryan amd Lee

5. Tomas

1. The cab ride to the Belford Hostel.

2. Dinner at Jimmy Chungs.

3. Screaming Ryan and a bottle of Miller.

4. The New Years after party back at the hostel bar(all the free booze you can drink).

5. The ladies.

Edinburgh,looking south from the castle.

edinburgh, looking east from the castle.

1. Us on the journey home.

2. Edinburgh from the west side.

3. unfocused sunset(the end).

4. Arthurs seat seen through some trees.

5. Bus tour through edinburgh.

1. Everybody together(the calm before the storm)
2. Tomas and Ciaran(you ever see the movie Jacobs Ladder?)
3. Two (sinister?)figures in black on the Royal Mile
4. On the train to Edinburgh.

1. pure joy. 2. untitled (the lads!(Ryan,Keith,me,Lee,and Ian))

3. Sundown on scotland(the journey home) 4. Ryan,Nic and Penny mulled wine in hand.

1. Nic on the train home. 2. Edinburgh at night(Princes st)

3. New years fireworks over Edinburgh Castle.

4. The drunken journey back to the hostel and and the free bar and the real start of the new years celebrations.(