the end fast approacheth

as the proverbial saying goes, "all good things must end." this extended weekend has been a very good thing, and in about an hour and a half, the last dinner and event of the convention will begin. it's the capstone event in which we will receive the long anticipated convention doll. given the other dolls  that have been created for this event, i have no doubt that she will be amazing (speaking of which i think my total tally of dolls collected from this event alone is at about a stunning 31, with the potential of two more to be added).

an added bonus of this event is that a certain celebrity designer associated with this company will be attending this last event as well. his design career started (at a very early age) with this company and he is still involved even though his main focus is now designing for real women rather than those of the plastic variety. our collecting community still claims him as our own and is very proud of his success. it's been exciting to see his career flourish in the way it has and to remember him way before he designed both inaugural gowns for our current first lady.

in year's past, toward the end of convention, i'm pretty much ready for the event to be over and to head home. this year is the rare exception where i could probably go for another day. i'm not sure that is as much a commentary on the quality of this year's event (though it has been my favorite of the five i've attended) as it is on how desperately i needed such an experience at this time. whatever the reason, suffice it to say that i am beyond grateful for this time.

one interesting moment did happen at today's lunch. i was having a conversation with a dear "dolly friend" who made a long desired relocation across the country last year. this move has placed her much closer to another good friend, and they've now had opportunities to get together every few months. hearing about an upcoming visit they are planning made me realize how much i miss having friends more directly in my life. it's a missing element, a longing really, that i've become more acutely aware of since i had the chance to visit with my childhood friend and his family a few months back.

as i've reflected upon before, moving has provided many opportunities for which i am grateful. yet with every move, particularly to areas where i don't know anyone, i have become further removed from dear old friends. the busyness of each new job has made making new friends that much more challenging. one lingering fear is that when i look back on all that my life has been and where i am that i will find myself regretting the choices i've made because i will find my life missing the one thing that really matters in life -- loving relationships with people who know you and cherish you for who you are.

i guess such reflections are as much a sign of this event ending as the rapidly approaching final dinner. let's hope that i can carry some of the life and vitality from this experience back into the "real" world. a little light and lightness will be most welcome during the lonely winter nights ahead.