Sunday, December 30, 2007

Been there, done that, don't want to go back

Maybe it’s much too early in the game
Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same
What are you doing New Year’s
New Year’s Eve?

Dateless on New Year’s Eve: what could be worse? You had to plan months ahead sometimes – at least until you had a steady – to make sure you wouldn’t be without a kissy-face partner for when the ball dropped at that mystical time.

But then I found, once I had that kissy-face steady, that sometimes there were spare females wandering around a larger social gathering back in the days of my callow and heedless youth. Consequently, one time, after having visited the beverage site with too much indiscretion, and having noticed those spare females, I engaged one in very, very fond embrace in an upper hallway of the house in which the party was being held. In fact, kissing her passionately, and with my hand well down the back of her long skirt, my steady’s best girlfriend wandered by. Any excuse that I was administering mouth-to-mouth resuscitation wouldn’t fly, I knew.

Anyway, girlfriend’s girlfriend never told my steady, but she was notably chilly with me for a few months after Jan. 1. As for the other girl; I have no idea what her name was.

And that to me epitomized all that I particularly loathe about New Year’s Eve. And, as the senseless hedonism of youth loses its allure, I find this fabricated festive time even more irksome.

Over the years I went to house-parties galore. Then we went to a couple of soirees held at local hotel ballrooms. They were singularly detestable exercises in forced frivolity. Do you really want to kiss somebody you don’t know, have never even seen before, and don’t even find especially attractive? I know I don’t. Not any longer I don’t.

So, it came as no surprise to me to read that a majority of Canadians, especially those past 40, essentially do absolutely nothing on New Year’s Eve. That news was also comforting. It let me know I am not either weird or antisocial. Well, the jury might be out on the weird part, but I’m not antisocial. I just don’t want to be told that this is an occasion in which I should have no-holds-barred fun. I’ve had that (see girl with long skirt) and it was a tiny bit enchanting. I no longer want that, anymore than I world want to wake up to an aching head due to overindulgence and lack of sleep.

Anyway, it's never been the same since Guy Lombardo shuffled off this mortal coil.

So, Wendy and I will have our own NYE. We’ll put on some nice music, the fireplace will be blazing, we’ll light some candles, and we’ll eat the lobsters we just bought.

I’ll then ask (from here on the west coast) if it is yet midnight on the east coast. If it is, we can have our NYE kiss without interference, and then maybe stay up a bit longer, or snuggle into our own comfortable king size. That does work for me, quite satisfyingly.

Happy New Year to you all!

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15 Comments:

Blogger meggie said...

You have written almos the exact post I was going to write!
With role reversals of course.

A benefit of age is being able to feel quite happy & comfortable about staying quietly home, with your significant other, & just toddling off to bed when you are ready, & hang the time!

Happy New Year, 2008.

2:39 PM  
Blogger Gorilla Bananas said...

"Dateless on New Year’s Eve: what could be worse?"

Being raped by a baboon. But the wider point you make is entirely correct. I shall be swinging in my hammock, looking at the stars. Or even better, asleep.

3:47 PM  
Blogger Big Brother said...

Right on Ian. New Years at midnight is way too late. Mrs. BB and I will just put on a good movie like we usually do, toast the New Year with a good cup of hot chocolate and hit the sack relatively early. After all Europe celebrated midnight about six hours before we did.
May 2008 bring you peace and happpiness with your loved ones.

6:59 PM  
Blogger Hermes said...

I agree but still love NYE. A milestone on this ticking time bomb that never seems to go off. All the best in 2008 and thanks for the award!

8:14 PM  
Blogger Janice Thomson said...

You are spot on again Ian. I'll be doing the same - minus a spouse LOL
Happy New Year my good friend!

8:15 PM  
Blogger Spider Girl said...

Kim and I just were having a conversation about this post about New Years---I do believe we've left behind any residual desire for New Years hedonism, if we ever had any.

Speaking for myself, I've never been a fan of New Years Eve festivities. I do stay up to midnight though. But that's just usual behaviour. :)

9:35 PM  
Blogger geewits said...

We always party at home, just the two of us, but it's the one time of the year that My Sweetie drinks all that champagne and he is just hilarious. He rarely drinks, so NYE is an event for me just for that! I hope you enjoy it, even if you do nothing. So did you do Tomes Square too? Mine was 78/79. Have we already talked about this?

12:12 AM  
Blogger Casdok said...

My son finds tonight with all the fireworks really difficult to handle so being dateless is a good thing!!
May you have a wonderful New Year! x

1:24 AM  
Blogger Liz Dwyer said...

I did Times Square one year and it was awful. People were so drunk and vomiting on total strangers. Not my idea of fun.

Nowadays I worry a lot about drunk drivers and it's more fun to 'party" at home with my sons.

3:14 AM  
Blogger Tai said...

However you celebrate, may your New Year be divine!

8:32 AM  
Blogger Ellee Seymour said...

Happy New Year wishes to you Ian, and your wife, I know it will be special.

9:48 AM  
Blogger CS said...

The point is that you are celebrating the New Year - I don't think there are any real rules about how you do it. I think it all depeneds on where you are in your life. I've been to big New Year's Eve parties and I've had quiet New Year's welcomings at home and liked them all. But I definitely will stay up past midnight tonight!

3:54 PM  
Blogger jmb said...

This fits this couple too. My husband has always loathed New Year's Eve parties since he hates kissing all these women. (He's rather shy you know.)
So we always spend it at home alone now that our children are gone. We have friends to New Year's day dinner instead.
Happy New Year to you and Wendy, Ian.

11:57 PM  
Blogger heartinsanfrancisco said...

Happy New Year to you and Wendy, Ian!

10:12 AM  
Blogger heartinsanfrancisco said...

P.S.

I hope it was good for the lobsters, too.

10:12 AM  

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