Repeat after me. Pepper.

Happy Christmas Eve world. And to those who don’t celebrate, Happy Friday.

On this fabulous Eve of Christ’s birth I, probably not unlike others, am enjoying a delicious glass of Christmas Eve wine with my family after an off the chain Christmas Eve meal, complete with, yes, chestnuts roasted on an open fire, or in the oven.

As if that picture isn’t adorable enough, I’ve got Christmas Carols flowing in the background, a fire in the fireplace, and amongst it all I find myself, per usual, in the writing mood.

I’ve got disappointing news to disclose: Although I’d led on in previous posts that I’d be out of touch for the next week in an unknown country, plans have uncontrollably changed last minute. Instead of an exotic unknown vacation, I’ll be remaining in a 3g network with access to my tumblr iPhone app (you lucky ducks you). I suppose it’s for the best, who needs all the stress of going through customs anyway. Instead, I’m venturing to the confederate state of Louisiana to spend a week in New Orleans.

Amazingly, I’ve never been. Although I did have a Mardi Gras themed high school graduation party, and a New Orleans inspired boil for dinner the night of my college graduation. Obviously, it’s been a long awaited trip.

In preparation, I just downloaded The Confederacy of DUNCES by John Kennedy Toole on my new Nook ‘nook’ (Merry Christmas to me, Thanks Dad) in order to theme my travel reading with my trip. I also passed much time researching and picking more places I want to go than we can possibly hit in our 5 night, 6 day trip. I think I’ll like New Orleans, with the Café du Monde coffee, incredible food, plentiful drinks, jazz, blues and voodoo, it certainly sounds like my kinda city. I’m looking forward to sharing my recap of the holiday affair with you all after I’ve gained 10 lbs from all the eating and drinking.

Until then, as H and I have discussed, friends, it’s time to get into the deets on my travel partner. The ‘fortunate to bask in my presence’ dude-man has been titled to readers as my exclusive, unlabeled man friend in previous contexts, and is known in close circles by the initials R.S.A.

After 3 months and some number of days in the double digits, a lot of cups of coffee, some of which he was present for, pleasant conversation, and hilarious moments, I can confidently announce that R and I are, dating. (Thanks H for the lesson on the task to clarify what it was that I’d been partaking in. Kisses.)

Now, tomorrow, on Christmas Day 2010, R and I are going on a down south wonder trip.

Interesting facts about me – I’ve never dated a boy who lives in the same city as me. Not since high school at least when I thought kissing goodnight at the door was scandalous. (Yeah, I was one of those kids.)

Now at 22, and still wearing the same cowboy boots I loved when I started seeing that first boyfriend, I’m dating a boy who lives a block away from me. It’s an interesting transition having my sugar available so simply. Do I abuse it? Do I get a lot of action? Um.

Getting over the whole, “Oh so we can hang out all the time, that’s weird?” thing hasn’t been as hard as anticipated. Since the commencement of our more than friends dance after the night R and I had a conversation on my back porch that ended in him putting his hand on my shoulder and suggesting we get “African Coffee” sometime, I’ve even managed to move past the fact that R: talks exceptionally loud on the phone, snores, doesn’t like caramel apples, has a closet considerably more organized than mine, has a ludicrous taste in wine, unforgivably likes country music (gasp), doesn’t like coffee, and on incredibly rare occasions, does things that rate him as a tinge more hilarious than me. Let that shock set in.

It’s true, triumphant, surprising, interesting, adoring…this holiday season…my romantical life has taken on an interesting twist peeps. It’s full of acronyms, gadgets and obsessive tech enthused geek-tastic research. I guess it’s time to admit it. This kid is swell. After a few hurricanes and a beignet, I might even like him.

The next week will be an interesting, and telling, test. I predict we’ll return from this trip in one of two states:

1)     R and I will find each other insanely annoying and wont be able to be within 3.75 feet of each other. OR….
2)     R will be totally infatuated with me.

And so, charming, un-wowable R, what will it be?

Merry Christmas. It’s not a coincidence that my name starts with Christ and my last name is a holiday decoration.

-C