Here's to good friends...

Being away from my friends is the hardest part of this journey. I knew that it would be difficult, but I had no idea how much it would hurt my heart. Though I am over here, part of me is still sitting in a dark restaurant or a sunny courtyard, laughing and gossiping and waxing poetic over a glass of something with my girls (and the odd boy). My friends are amazing, smart, funny and kind. They are patient and tolerant and incredibly special. I am so lucky and so blessed.

You will be happy to hear that, when I was out with work people last week, one of my new friends said, "The best part of going out with Katie is that you never know what she is going to say, but you know it is going to be good." Later in the night, the count of random things I said in all seriousness, but seemed to strike people as funny (why??) was up to 10 and included my feelings toward Tony Blair and John Cleese and my affinity for gay porn. Apparently I was on fire.

And so, my friends, I am the same -- as randomly entertaining to people here as I was there -- but they aren't the same as you and I haven't told you nearly enough how much I love you.

On a serious note: two amazing people I worked with in Portland lost their son last week. Please send some love out into the universe for them.