5 Days till 30- 2002

Craig went back to Ohio to finish his Master's degree in May. He had found it difficult to be here in NYC and even contemplate writing a thesis. So, he stayed with my mom and finished out a few classes to complete his degree without the thesis. I stayed here in the big city working at Serendipity, which turned out to be such a blessing in disguise. I made really good money and could pay the bills all by myself. The downside was I was working and going out after work so I barely had any other life. Mere had moved to the city the December before and she only lived a few blocks away so I spent most of my free time with her. When Craig finished in late July (I think) he came home with his friend Mike. This was not an easy time, but alas it is one of those things I feel is probably better left at that. Craig started working as a temping again (but this time for a much better organization) in December which was really good for him. Mere had started working at Serendipity too and we didn't get time off for Christmas, so the three of us celebrated our first Christmas away from home together.
The best part of Christmas that year was Christmas Eve. We had decided to go into the city to St. Patrick's for midnight mass. It has always been tradition in my family to go, so I wanted to continue it here. I had to drag Mere and Craig there. Problem was you needed tickets to get into the church. They don't cost anything , but mass is so popular (go figure?) that they hand out tickets to the first people who show up either the day before or the day of (I don't know, specifically). Anyway, we walked to see the tree at Rockefeller Center and then we headed back to Queens to McCann's Pub. And lo' and behold they happened to be doing a drawing for an all-expense paid trip for two to Ireland. Now, on my birthday (in case you don't know the date, that is November 18th) which was well over a month before I had bought one ticket with the last dollar I had. The raffle had been going on for at least a month and a half. So, Mere, Craig and I are hanging out on the couches drinking beer, lamenting the fact that we got turned away from church and I say, "Wouldn't it be funny if out of all those tickets they pulled mine?" (insert jokey, fake laugh here). And then I hear my name. It was the most exciting thing to win. I had never considered myself particularly lucky before. It was the best Christmas present!