The last day of December was interesting, I went with Tara for a few hours to her birth collective potluck. Imagine me in a room with some real "out there"  people, the majority were pregnant women. People there were nice and friendly though, they're interested in what I'm studying in school, even though it'd be so much easier to talk about sports, the lack of bagels, or how bad fast food is. Instead topics were on the birth cycle, hospital and state practices, and more things that I'm sure would peak my interest if I wasn't so disgusted by it - placenta.

After the potluck we went to Owen's house. I met a girl from Wisconsin who just had her Deering Goodtime shipped down to her so I finally got to play a little bit. I guess I'll consider and open back for the time being. I felt so blissfully American with my banjo, a few sips out of a can which may or may not have had an alcoholic beverage in it, and a bowl of vegetarian chili. Before we left, I traded a bead in my dreads for another. It's always weird to part with things, even in the purposes of an exchange, but I kind of miss that bead- it was old to me (Maybe 3 years), and had and intricate design, but not intricate enough that I'd give back this piece of amber.

For the remainder of 2011 Tara and I walked around downtown Asheville with Riley, the decided name of her shelter dog. I was glad to be on the same page as someone over the New Year celebration. We were just hungry and just looking for it to count down so we could hear some fireworks, since seeing was difficult, and go back to 40 to eat. Those were my festivities and hopefully things will turn around enough with this internship that the stresses will be worth the hassle.