A Brand New Day(niel)

I realize it's been over a month since my last post. A lot was happening! My brother got married. I blacked out for a minute and thought I should be in a relationship with Evan. I lost and gained ten pounds. Daniel came to America and changed everything.

Daniel. The love of my life. The apple of my eye. The brie to my bread. The onion on my pizza. He arrived three weeks ago tonight. The second I saw him in the airport, I knew we would pick up right where we left off. Or maybe it was later that night, when he let me choose both dishes for delivery and smiled while I ate the bulk of the Pad See Ew and the Beef in Garlic Sauce.  "I love it when you eat," he said a number of times. He wasn't being facetious.

I interpreted this statement as an implicit command to eat anything and everything in sight. Daniel and I ate (and loved) our way through the Mid-Atlantic. What's New York City if not the gastronomic capital of the world (or at least America)!? When we couldn't sightsee anymore around the Financial District, we ate dumplings in Chinatown. When we couldn't drink anymore in the East Village, we went to Artichoke Pizza. When we couldn't afford to eat out anymore, we ate lobster and steak at the homes of charitable friends (and parents of friends).  People love hosting a handsome, young Frenchman with a penchant for mispronouncing words and complimenting middle-aged women.

I fell even more in love with Daniel than I thought possible. It was so effortless. Uncomplicated. He watched episode after episode of Intervention, Bachelor Pad, and Real Housewives (New York AND New Jersey) and didn't even act bored.  He thought it was cute when I did Zumba in the living room. He thought it was sexy when I got riled up about political inequities for women.  He laughed really hard at my jokes. He thought the fat under my chin was endearing. He told me everyday that I'm beautiful.

And now he's gone. After a steady diet of Ativan and red wine and not eating (I wasn't being funny when I said I gained ten pounds. I gained ten pounds.), I'm feeling sort of okay tonight. If it wasn't for my incredible friends (two of whom came to Brooklyn tonight from the UPPER WEST SIDE just to make friendship bracelets at my apartment) and the new Justin Bieber album, I'm not sure where I'd be. Fortunately, I don't have to imagine a world without those things. A few more trips to 16 Handles, one or two more packs of cigarettes, I think I'll be back on my feet.

One way I won't be coping? On-line dating. I am officially unsubscribed to every internet dating site on the interweb. FOR GOOD (justkiddingyeahrightthatisobviouslyajokebutatleastfornow).