Pinch me.... this can't be true....

Yesterday I got the most awful news. I got three phone calls in a row from Mary Beth. Thinking that something had to be wrong (her mom has been sick) I pick up during my call times, which technically, I am not supposed to do.

She obviously didn't know how to tell me. But I could tell something was wrong. And then she spit it out:

A girl we went to high school with - Imette St. Guillen, someone we were relatively close with back then - had been found dead. Murdered. In New York City. I was shocked to say the least.

If you watched the news last night you heard all the gory details, and if you didn't then I am sorry but I just can't bring myself to actually write them out. You can find the more tasteful article of the four I found on the New York Times Website. The other articles I found were on the Herald's website, the Globe's website and then the worst of the articles was on the NY Post's website. I swear the Post is like a tabloid. The articles they have written to date on this tragedy have been awful. I guess no journalist can spin this story into something pretty, but you can at least be respectful.

The waves of horror broke out yesterday around 2pm. Brian called Adam, who's married to Victoria. Victoria called Megan, who called Mary Beth, who called me. I called Katie, Michaela, and Jen. No one's reaction was any different. "Oh my God! Her poor mother, the poor friends who left her." It's all we could think. We were shocked. It hit me really hard. I was shaking and sick to my stomach. I cried for a while. And this was before I heard all the details of how she was found, which was enough to make me sob in my recliner for an hour and want to throw up. I can't even begin to tell you how hard it hit me.

After seeing her high school year book picture on the news, I ran to get my yearbook. And there was her bubbly handwriting, reminding me about the night in eighth grade when we went to the circus with Pat Shearns and telling me never to change and that she would cherish all the fun times we had through the years, and to keep in touch.

I can't say I was ever Imette St. Guillen's best friend. Since high school I saw her occasionally when she was home on break at JP Licks with everyone, and at our high school reunion where we switched cell phone numbers and said we'd keep in touch.

But we never did keep in touch. And maybe that is why this hits me the way it does. It just makes me realize that people say "keep in touch" too easily, without regard for what it means. Or how much effort it takes to stay in touch with someone. My last memory of Imette is standing around our reunion drinking white wine with her telling me how excited she was about going to John Jay for forensic science and how she wanted to solve crimes one day. She told me how happy she was to go see another new city - she had gone to DC for undergrad - and then she told me to keep in touch.

I guess I just always thought there would be a chance meeting at JP Licks.

And now, when most people are getting back together as a class for weddings and births, the class of 1999 will get together to stand behind a woman who lost her daughter in the most tragic of ways - assaulted, bound and left with people's trash on the side of the road. It just can't be happening like this.

I will tell you one thing though, when people say keep in touch this time around I am not going to wait for chance meetings, I am going to try my best to keep in touch. Because (and I know it's cliche) life is really too short, it's precious, and there isn't always a tomorrow.

Imette, we'll miss you.
May God Rest Her Soul.

New Music Alert!

So many of my good friends know that when my mom went back to work when I was 10 or so her good friend Colleen watched us during summers, and after school. She was like our other mother - and she had two kids, Katie who was my age and went to Latin with us for a while, and Brendan who was Kerry's age. Well, Brendan is about to land a record deal, fingers crossed!!!

His music is good - his voice is raw, his music is so real - he references the Churchyard behind my house in one song - and he's just a good kid that has been through a lot in his young life (he's 20) and has chosen to get it all out in music. He's worked really hard to get his life in order and he's really working hard on his album. He's a singer/songwriter and he plays his own instruments, so he is the total package - and that is a rarity in this world... so I thought I would introduce my blogger friends to Brendan Little. On his website you can hear tidbits of his songs, and on my Myspace page one of his songs is playing. Also, he was featured on MTV a while back.

This Week in Maggie-Land....

So, life has been hectic since my birthday -

On my actual birthday we all went out to the North End and ate really good food and it was awesome, and I got drunk. I got lots of nice gifts and still have to send thank you cards...

Then on the 11th Rich's mom had a party for me - it was really nice and I got lots of nice gifts, and it was great to be the center of attention for another day. :) I will certainly do well as a bride since it doesn't bother me to be the center of attention. Wow, that sounds conceited... Rewind - let me explain. Recently it has come to my attention, that some people don't like to be the center of attention - like at Bridal and Baby Showers. I think I can handle it to a degree - like for weddings and child birth. I don't strive to be the center of attention in all situations, only the ones that are forgivable - like my birthday. OK, that being said, I am not a conceited bitch, just a very sociable person. :)

Then this weekend we had a Blizzard, which as much as Sunday was a hassle, I don't think amounted to that much stress on Monday. Thanks for the DPW and the private contractors, I got to work in no time. And to Lowell to see Mo (and Martina) on Monday, which should have been Sunday night, but Mother Nature (and Martina) said nope! Mo surprised me with tickets to go see Martina McBride for my combo Christmas/Birthday present which was amazing. Although we sat in traffic for over an hour while already in Lowell, and missed the opening act (The Warren Brothers) the night was awesome. Good music, a good friend and a good hot dog. :) So, this is a very special "THANK YOU" shout out to Mo, who over did it in a BIG way to make Christmas and 25 an extra special birthday for me. The only thing better would have been an NSYNC reunion show with Katie and my sisters in tow. :)

So, I am watching Jean's daughter Alyssa until Friday AM. We woke up late this AM which was a catastrophe, but we made it the bus stop on time, so that was a plus. Talk about melt down! It could have been worse, but man was she freakin'! When I say late I mean 7:06 when I thought the bus came at 7:15, when in reality it comes at 7:30..... little did I know. But we made it. And tonight is an early to bed night for sure!

Anyways, I have to get going with my day, so more later! (Or in a week or two....)

Another Year Gone... Or One Just Starting... Guess It Depends On How You Look At It

Wow, I woke up this AM and I was 25.... you really do wake up older.

So far my birthday has been great and it's only 10am.... Yesterday Gerard, Janine and Kathryn had a little birthday party for me at work - complete with cake from Konditor Meister. It was marble cake with chocolate mousse filling and chocolate buttercream frosting with chocolate dipped strawberries on top and chocolate shavings and it was INCREDIBLE. Gerard had to drive to get it and was gone for two hours due to traffice - what a good cousin/boss.... and Gerard and Janine gave me a gift certificate for a manicure and a pedicure at Keldara Salon and Day Spa. I am so excited to use that!

I also had dinner with my family last night... even though Kerry is away at school and my mom is in the Dominican Republic; Stevie, Patsy, Rich, my Dad and I had a great dinner... my dad made veal and eggplant parm, and meatballs, sausage, ziti, mozzarella sticks and had an ice cream cake for me... it was realy nice to spend some time with the family and eat great food.

My mom just called from the Dominican Republic to wish me a Happy Birthday. It was probably a $90 phone call! :) She's going to be home on Monday night with a present for me. Can't wait to see what she picked up - I love stuff from trips. You can find some really interesting things in other parts of the world!

Anyways, tonight we are going to go to Cantina Italiana in the North End. It is a great little restraunt that Rich took me to on my birthday the first year we were together... It is so cute and it had GREAT food, relatively inexpensive given that it's the North End and it's a Phantom Gourmet Great Ate, so you know it's good.... There are 15 of us going tonight! I can't believe the guy didn't faint when I called to make the reservation!

Back in January when Janine and I joined the gym I thought it would be a good idea to not get on the scale until my birthday.... so I figured I would get on it this AM before my shower and things look good - even after dinner and two cakes I have lost 7.9 pounds since January 1st. I did cheat and get on the scale last week, so I kind of knew what to expect, but it still makes me very happy.... I had wanted to look 10 pounds by my birthday, but I will certainly take 7.9 pounds! Every little bit helps. My new goal is 10 pounds by Saint Patrick's Day, and I will try my best not to get on the scale until March 17th... not that it's not tempting! Well, it is and it isn't.... when I am making positive progress I want to get on the scale... when I am cheating and eating cake for breakfast (don't think I didn't) it's easier not to want to get on the scale...

Anyways, I have to go clean up this messy house and get ready for my first day of being 25.

Have a good day! I think I am going to!
Love ya! More later!