I think we've started an epidemic..."metropolitis" (RoRo's term, hereby copyrighted as his)

I just came off a high.

Sam, Eugene and I met up with some of the core members of the Met at Aegean restaurant in Laguna Beach tonight. There are so many wonderful things I am going to take away from our three hour dinner - I don't think a blog post can handle that many words. How best can I describe it? It was hope, inspiration, love, trust, and admiration all rolled up in one.

I have to admit, I was hesitant about bringing people from the Met together. Kara is my cousin-in-law and we had hung out at the food festival but I had never met Rolando (my cousin Kris's friend) nor his lovely girlfriend, Elisa. I didn't know how the dynamics of the group would work out.

It's happened a lot these days...instead of meeting with a handshake I've been meeting people with a hug.
It was like we were old friends - all of the nervousness, all of the anxiety about whether or not we were going to get along just wasn't there. In its place was excitement, joy that we could all come together like this and meet each other face-to-face.

We shared personal stories - Kara's struggle with cancer, Rolando and Elisa's excitement about having a baby, my dream for the Met. We bonded over our shared love for Apple - I swear Steve Jobs should have taped us 'cause it was a lovefest. But more than anything, we felt a bond, an understanding for one another, just like we had been friends for a lifetime.

I hope this is only the first of several chances I get in spending time with them. If only I could be so lucky.