$250 and words of encouragement

Wednesday was the office party. I didn't go. I never go. I don't feel like getting all dressed up, just to see my coworkers do things they'll regret the next day. (This year's notable moment: our chief digital officer reached for an hors d'oeuvres and ignited his sleeve on a candle. Of course, someone caught it on her phone. I don't find this funny and won't watch it.)

Learn about the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation

Instead I went to dinner with my friend Kathleen. It was our annual birthday/Christmas celebration. For her birthday, I got her a t-shirt from The Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation, which benefits families who are battling cancer, and it gave me an opportunity to tell her how much I admired how Kathleen handled herself during her own battle with the disease. For Christmas, I gave her an ornament I had made with one of her favorite pix of her daughter and her husband. (Facebook comes in handy at times like this!)

There was a symmetry to our gift giving. For my birthday, she gave me a Beatle pillow case, which she purchased for me during a family vacation to Jolly Old. And for Christmas, she gave me a glass cat ornament. I told her it's going with me to Key West, where I'll be on Christmas Day. I always decorate my hotel room, and why not display kitty?

We caught up on our lives and our friends. She asked about my theater buddy, Barb, who had been Kathleen's boss at one time. I mentioned how sad I was that Barb and I had drifted apart. Since she moved to Hilton Head, I don't hear from her anymore. I've reached out with chatty little emails that don't get returned. I miss Barb, I worry about her and I wonder what I've done to upset or alienate her.

Kathleen told me, in her best mom voice, that I must not do this to myself and I have to entertain the notion that Barb could be going through stuff that has nothing to do with me. That made me feel better because I haven't forgotten how much Barb has suffered and I'd never intentionally do anything to hurt her.

Then, on Thursday, two things happened:

1) I won the Christmas party raffle and received a $250 gift card to Tao! This amuses me because I didn't even know I was entered in the raffle, and Tao is restaurant/nightclub frequented by the cool kids. The cast of Empire hangs out there while shooting. And here I'll come, wearing my jeans and armed with my gift card!

2) I got a Christmas card from Barb, indicating that Kathleen was right.

All's well that ends well!