"Did you hear that loud laugh?" ~ Jane Eyre

I have much to smile and laugh about on this first day of 2006.

The New Year has started off wonderfully.

I woke up late, ran out to get a peppermint mocha from Starbucks to appease my headache, came home and read the highlights of the Giants game last night when they clinched the NFC East, and made all of my New Year's day phone calls to friends and family. I think New Year's Day is much more special than New Year's Eve. This afternoon's revels at Second Avenue Deli with my best girls and their guys was filled with lots of giggles and laughs. Starting out the year with the goodness of matzoh ball soup is a good omen, indeed, for a delicious year ahead.

The Delicious Days of 2006 (what I look forward to)
1. Chocolate Spa: Sarah and I leave this Friday morning for the Hershey Hotel for a Chocolate Spa Weekend Package!

2. My Birthday: I turn 28 on the 27th, and Robin already told me that her gift to me is seeing Billy Joel in concert at MSG!

3. The Superbowl: I know my Giants are going to win this.

4. Jack's Christening: Jack will be baptized on May 21st at St. Vartan's Cathedral.

5. Yankee Games: Tickets go on sale for the games in February; I cannot wait to get sets of tickets for the season.

6. Graduation: I will receive my MA this year!

Newness of the New Year (what is NEW around here)
1. The New Car: The new car is fantastic. I smile each time I hop into the driver's seat! The new car smell is divine.

2. The New Apartment: Yesterday I got new dishes, new silverware, new drapes, a new liquor cabinet, a new area rug, and Robin installed my new dvd player.

3. New Books: I can't wait to read the new books I got for Christmas, including "Wines of the World: an Essential Handbook" and "Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Changed a President and Fueled His Greatness" by Joshua Shenk.

4. My New Hair: I went to the salon this week and darkened its color. The shade is called "Expresso" and its practically black.

5. New Recipes: I pulled ten recipes that I would like to try over the course of the next month. They include pasta with lemon cream and prosciutto and apricot glazed chicken. Lately I enjoy the sweet and savory, like the chicken briwats Rokhlin and I had at Zerza's this past Wednesday.

6. New Music: The new Madonna cd and the new Fiona Apple cd are all that I am listening to at the moment. Both are worth checking out.

New Year's Resolutions 2006
1. Yeah, right!