No one is expected to remember what they did on any given January 31. There's no big pressure to ring in February, or June, for that matter, so spectacularly that you remember it through the ages. It seems random to me that we restart the year in the beginning of a season -- and a cold, hibernating one at that. I think the old Roman tradition of starting the year in March makes much more sense (and no, not just because it's my birthday month!). So this year, I vowed to ignore new year's eve and be a hermit for the evening. I downloaded the first season of "Mad Men" from itunes, and planned on having popcorn and ice cream for dinner. alone, thank you very much.
Still, when I tried explaining my avoidance to some friends I was challenged on past new year's eves. Haven't some of them made for great segments in my own personal highlights reel? yeah.... i rang in 1980 in denmark falling for a boy as he lit off fireworks to impress me, and i still can't get him out of my system. i said hello to 1986 with my best friend of all time in a denny's with hot fudge sundaes and french fries - possibly the world's two most perfect foods. i saw the ball in times square at some point in the 1990s. 2007 was ushered in at a posh club with VIP treatment and a group of groovy hipsters. on the flipside, there was 2001, which started with a personal fireworks display that only ended 4 days later when the wasband walked out in the middle of dinner, never to return. 2003, when i realized the significant other of the moment would rather spend the evening with the guys than me. or 2008, which began with a misguided attempt to create levity that nearly cost me one of my dearest friends.
I guess new year's is really just more of the same mixed bag of tricks the rest of the year has up its sleeve...
Misguided attempt? That's debateable. Costing this friendship? Not a chance in hell hot stuff ;-)
Posted by: Big Ten | January 27, 2009 at 05:06 PM