My old/new best friend

I'm pretty good about keeping in touch. Especially with people I like. And there's nothing better than receiving a random email or phone call from the past - someone who Googled your name and just wanted to say hi. I have some great friends from college. Soon after we graduated we initiated a yearly get together over President's Day and swore we would always keep the holiday free (because, honestly, what else are you going to do on President's Day? Freeze your ass off and hope your boss gives you the pointless day off? I thought so) to spend time with one another at a destination of our choosing, usually someone's apartment or house, although we've talked about going somewhere nice and tropical and warm one of these years.

I have another friend from college who I hear from quite a bit, but the interesting thing about this friend is that we were never really great friends in the first place. Did we maybe have a drink together once or twice? Maybe. And I mean that - maybe. I'm not really sure. Because, you know, we weren't best buds. What I am sure of, however, is what this individual has been up to since graduating - from her jobs to her living arrangements - because she emails me, and about 500 of her other BFFs from college and God knows where else, whenever something happens. I find this both odd and heartwarming.

Needless to say it was no surprise when I saw an email from the girl in my inbox this morning. "Ah, I wonder what my old chum, who I haven't seen in years and didn't see much when we went to school together, either, is up to," I thought. Turns out she's moved to the Bahamas and is renting an apartment with guest accomodations.

Not only did she want to fill us all in, she wants us to come visit. She really does. I know, because she wrote it: "I've leased and moved into a two-bedroom apartment. It's beautiful and I love it. So this means, for all of you guys, that I officially have a guest bedroom. PLEASE come visit me!!!!"

Check out the part where she uses caps and four exclamation points to express how much she wants me to come visit. Me and the 7 trillion others on her email list. Well, why the hell not? "Hey girl, what's new! Actually - scratch that - I totally know what's new with you! Guess what???!!!! I'm COMING TO VISIT!!!! Yeah. Tomorrow. Cool? Get out the rum and save me a spot on the beach! What? Who is this? Cara. Remember? Remember, you know, that time, we had a few drinks. Boston? It's been years!!!! I'm so sorry I haven't kept in touch!"

Inspiration

Last night while driving home from a health board meeting I played with the dial a little - feigning interest in the latest news and commentaries - before switching it over, sneakily, although someone might be watching, to E!, channel 162 on XM. I'm hard on myself for listening to this station so much, but honestly, after sitting through a two-hour health board meeting and taking copious notes on new environmental services fees, is listening to the latest in Hollywood going to kill you? Certainly not. Is it going to educate you, or make you think more deeply about the state of the world? Probably not that, either. Unless you are listening to the latest report on Tom and Katie, and why the hell they haven't delivered on pics of their new baby yet, and maybe some Scientology theory thrown in - then you're exercising the mind, I think it's fair to say.

But last night there was no way I was going to resist when I realized that the Martha Stewart E! True Hollywood Story was on. Married at 19, a stock broker at 25. This was a Martha I didn't know. A callous, backstabbing woman with a penchant for ditching her family in the face of a new professional challenge? Yes, that too. What really inspired me about her story, however, was the way Martha acheived her goals, as well as her age when she did so.

One of my favorite things to do, as of late, is seach out celebrity's ages - especially those close to my own age. Inevitably, young stars, far younger than me, are making it in their chosen field of study. Lindsay Lohan. That 14-year-old golf star.

I applaud them, but secretly adore the 28-year-olds amongst the bunch, still forging their way. The 30-year-olds. And older, much older. As I haven't quite figured out my own path in life, I love to hear similar tales. Like Martha Stewart, who didn't, by the way, start catering until she was in her 30s or so and didn't publish her first book until her 40s. By 50 she was on the up and up with a magazine. She was a household name. But that wasn't the crux of her empire. Martha had television to conquer yet.

She also, around this time, allegedly tried to sort of run over her ex-husband, I think, who'd married her 26-year-old assistant. Not her finest moment. And, I mean, maybe not the best role model, with her personal life and all. That, however, is not my point.