8 is my lucky number, and my aunt’s too.

Last night, the cast of LYDIA had a New Year’s potluck. I made a roasted turkey breast, gravy, and rosemary potatoes. We watched the fireworks on the 16th St. Mall from the balcony of the apartment complex on 15th St. in Denver. It was the closest I’ve ever been to exploding fireworks. The cloud of smoke behind them was more beautiful than the lights.

Then the cast wrote an Exquisite Corpse poem together. It was one of the best I’ve ever seen. My line was,
“If all we have to give each other is the present – ”

Then we discovered that last call in Denver is earlier than it should be.

I learned a new tradition – you eat twelve grapes and get a wish for each one. I spent all of mine of the same wish, but I can’t tell you what it was.

And we had black-eyed peas, collard greens, cornbread and chili this morning in a New Year’s Day brunch with the Millans.

Happy New Year, world.