So, it's been a while since I posted, huh? I guess I just wanted to write something here one last time before I left, for old time's sake... oh yeah, I haven't even told you I'm leaving! Where is my head these days? Everything is happening so fast that I'm just trying to keep up.

I'll start from where I left off here last November. As you may have read, I was in bad shape after the whole confrontation at Sylvie's cabin, so we spent the first few weeks of December out there until I had recovered enough to travel. To be honest, I half expected Pest to come sauntering back in at any time and start moaning about how he wanted to get back to the city, but we never did see him again. It's funny that even though he had really gotten on my nerves when he was around, I couldn't help but miss him -- it was almost like I had lost a tiny bit of myself when he left... I don't know, I can't explain it, really. On the other hand, Sylvie didn't seem phased at all over Diego's passing. I thought losing a former flame like that would hurt somewhat, even if the heat had long since cooled, but if it did, she never let it show. Understandably, I wasn't particularly upset about his absence, either.

Anyways, the two of us made it back to San Francisco just before Christmas, and I spent the time at Sylvie's, just trying to stay out of her way as she got the place ready for the holidays. After all that time in bed, my hair was in bad need of a shapeup, and Sylvie offered to do the honors. I made the bold decision to cut it short... you know, to symbolize a new start or something. Anyways, none of Sylvie's friends could even recognize me when they finally came over for her holiday get-together! Not that amazing, though, as this was the first time I had really spent any quality time with any of them, really. As the party got into full swing, I started talking to this really great guy who was visiting from New York, and I guess I'd had a little too much wine, because I let slip some stories about Pest and how I kept this little online journal.

However, it turned out for the best, as he said that he actually worked for a big publishing house there, and was impressed with my "unique imagination." He hinted at a possible publishing deal for me right there on the spot (maybe he had had too much wine, too). Somewhat skeptical, I took his card and said I'd think about it, because I wanted to run the whole thing by Sylvie. So, after everyone left that night, I told her all about it, and she was probably more excited than I was. He was an old friend of hers, and was apparently totally on the level. Sylvie followed through with him, and before the week was out, we were scheduled to be on a plane out to New York the first week of January, giving me just enough time to write a short treatment and get everything in order.

When we got there, everything went unbelievably well, and I got a contract and an advance that was worth more than I'd earned in all my years of working (and my mother thought my English degree was worthless!). To celebrate, Sylvie and I spent a few days running around the city -- I'd never been there before, and I absolutely fell in love. When Sylvie suggested in passing that I should move out there, I immediately took to the idea. So, come next week, that's going to be my new address.

I guess there's really not much more to write. It's funny how quickly your whole life can turn upside down, isn't it? One year ago, I was an ordinary out-of-work dot-commer in an expensive, apathetic new city, with no idea where my life was going. There's no way I could have predicted where things would go from there. I hope you enjoyed reading my little stories as I waded through those tough times. It was almost like therapy to write these little journal entries. I guess I'll miss them, too. But hey, if you want to read more, maybe you'll find me at your local book store soon!

Goodbye, everyone! And Pest, if you're out there somewhere, thanks for everything...

- addie