So New Year's was fun. After an encouraging drunk-dial from Jenna on Friday, I called Lakes Express for a $30 ride to the Cities from Brainerd. Where I spend New Year's Eve isn't such a big deal for me — but opportunities to drink with Jenna and Barry are few and far between.

The night was "low-key," though for once I'm not using "low-key" as a code-word for "we played drinking games." Playing Burnout 3 while intoxicated is no mere game, people.

As far as I can tell, the five or six of us spent most of the night just talking, though about what I haven't the foggiest. I know that I didn't make that friend of Jenna's cry this time, that was good. Other highlights: washable straws, Puzzle Fighter, and my first mojito.

I passed out first, though I'd like to think the night was winding down at that point (2:30 or so?), and the couch was mine. I woke up the next morning with one of those almost-hangovers that gradually turns into a peaceful feeling of lightness.

My bus wasn't scheduled to leave until 9:45 p.m. so I had basically another day to hang out with Jenna and company. We must have watched several hours of entrapment and compelled identification on FX. Sadly, there were no Cops episodes set in the Twin Cities or Chicago. That would've been fascinating.

I missed the Law and Order marathon on TNT, to my great regret.

The bus ride back was typically uneventful. I sat next to an army brat (the best kind of brat, I guess) and we spoke for maybe thirty seconds over the course of eight hours. Roughly translated: I lucked out. I even managed to sleep for a few hours.

At the station a girl with a bright pink suitcase cut in line right in front of me and about thirty other people just as I was about to board my bus. I'd thought I was the kind of person who would chew out someone so wantonly selfish — but apparently not. That's the low point of 2006 so far.

Back to school tomorrow. I was so motivated back in B-town, where I had the luxury of being lazy yet motivated in the abstract; now that I'm here I remember all the little duties and distractions of Chicago...