One of my New Year's resolutions was to strengthen my relationship with my friends and family. I did so, in every single instance, but one. I approached each of them the same way, with honesty, even if a confused honestly, and a commitment to that relationship. I'm still working on that one.

This summer changed the way I approach friendships. I think of them more as a priority than as an after-thought, less a complement to my hobbies and more of a complement to my relationship with John and my family. I consciously spend time with people, and all sorts of people, too. I make plans, I schedule them, and I do what I can to make sure the time I spend with them is of high quality.

I've never done that before. I've had friends, sure, and I've spent time with them and kept up and all. But I've never done it so deliberately, and with such a long-term view. I want to know people. I want to know people that I enjoy and admire and I want to maintain that relationship. I really think the firm environment did it for me. I had such an opportunity to meet so many people, and to talk with them about the ways they've crafted their careers, and I realized how valuable that information is, how valuable it is to be able to connect with people, new and old and undiscovered.

So, now I go out to lunch with some girls. :)