You’ll never believe what I’ll be doing on New Year’s Eve

I’ll be slow dancing (we’re talking very slow) with Hugh Laurie on the veranda of a villa high above the city. The only sound will be a single saxophone in the far, far distance, so faint we can only just make out the melody of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face.” The sky will be thick with stars and a sliver of bright moon is hanging up there, too, but there’s only just enough light for me to see how very soulful and blue Hugh’s eyes are, which is quite enough light, indeed. And in this particular fantasy, Hugh is both quite unmarried and smells really good (like…clean laundry and maybe a hint of something citrusy-spicy, but just a tiny hint—you know, that delicious clean warm man smell), and every now and then he'll purr a wry British witticism into my ear, but not too often, because he’s so overcome by my nearness that he’s gone a bit shy. And then, when the chime of a clock (also in the distance) tells us it's midnight, we'll stop dancing, and slowly, slowly move in for—

         OK, are you guffawing yet? (Man, I just had a wonderful time writing that. I need a moment to collect myself.)

           Anyhow, New Year’s Eve is upon us, and frankly, I really don't know how I’ll spend it, but obviously, I can think of how I’d like to spend it (see the first paragraph). I’ve experienced quite a few New Year’s eves so far in my life, and I’ve spent them in a delightful variety of ways: playing loud, drunken, dirty-word Pictionary with a group of friends; groomed elegantly within an inch of my life milling about with other people groomed within an inch of their lives, the only sounds the murmur of polite conversation and the genteel ting of crystal champagne glasses touching at midnight; playing guitar at a party with my band while drunken frat boys (is there another kind of frat boy? Forgive me, but I mean, really) chucked beer bottles at us; fending off drunken sloppy kisses at parties at midnight; deliberately moving in for a really good kiss in a quiet living room at midnight; feverishly writing twenty pages (that was last year); wearily crawling into the sack before the clock strikes 12 after watching fireworks on TV; or making a few fireworks of my own, if you get my less-than-subtle drift.  (See first paragraph, if you don’t. It's along those lines.) I’ve seen any number of great bands on New Year’s Eve. I’ve lost my wallet. I've gotten a gnarly case of the flu. I’ve driven around literally for three hours looking for a place to park after a night out, when I lived in the Russian Hill neighborhood. And I've done many, many other things either much too mundane or too scandalous to mention.

New Year’s Eve is a pressure-filled holiday, especially if you live in San Francisco, because everyone who doesn’t live in San Francisco throngs to the city for the party at the Embarcadero (I used to do that, too). It’s nearly impossible to get around the city on New Year’s Eve—masses and masses of people fill the trains and buses, and it’s next to impossible to get a cab—and events are wildly expensive, for no reason except that it’s New Year’s Eve.  I have to be in just the right mood to enjoy drunken throngs, and I don’t really feel that mood coming on this year (or this decade, really). So I’m at a loss. I might join some friends at a local bar for darts. I might write ten pages.

As for resolutions…oh, I have a slew of them. But I like to stagger the rollout of them throughout the year. LOL. I like to make sure I’m never without a “project” (and God knows, I'm nothing if not an ongoing project). One of my resolutions is to write a book so brilliantly entertaining that my agent, and then my editor, and then all my readers (in that order) pass out from the sheer wonderfulness of it after they read it. Because everyone needs a goal, right? (hee!) That one ought to keep me busy for a good portion of the year. :) Wish me luck with that.

Whatever you do, kittens, here's to a hope-filled, love-filled, laughter-filled, peace-filled, prosperity-filled, cream-filled (because hey, why not) 2007. What are you doing on New Year's Eve—any plans? What should I be doing? Do you have any resolutions?

Comments

[Kathy K]

No plans: New Year's Eve will be spent quietly at home with my husband and most likely just our 14 year old daughter; as for the other three of our offspring ~ 22 year old son, and two daughters ages 21 and 19 ~ well all bets are off that they'll be around; but then I never really know what or where they'll be. LoL

If there are just the three of us home, we'll either watch movies or play games and pig out on the once-a-year stuff we save for this occasion of food that I don't have to cook! And if the other three kids aren't around, well then, there's more for us.
I'm not one for crowds or parties; I've turned into a real homebody over the years and I'd rather see the new year in among warm, familiar surroundings so that once the last chime of midnight is gone...I can go to SLEEP!
I'm too much of an morning person to really enjoy late nights ~ unless I'm reading a fabulous book that I just...have...to...finish.

Hey, Julie ~ why not come up to Edmonton and spend a quiet New Year's Eve here...in the snow and maybe-cold.
No earthquakes here! *grin*...

[Kathy K]

And a very Happy, Joyous and Prosperous New Year too Julie ~ and to all my fellow post-ers as well.

Kathy

[Diana]

Eh, New Year's Eve isn't a big deal to me, so I'll probably just stay home or get together with a few friends. I don't plan to go out and mix it up with the crowds, though. The older I get, the less I enjoy being among crowds. I don't do resolutions either. Can you tell I try to live a very stress-free, easygoing life (try being the operative word)? :D

[Haven Rich]

I'm not sure how I'll spend New Years Eve, but this past evening (29th) was pretty wonderful. My husband took me out to eat and then we went shopping. Now for those that know me, this isn't an everyday thing. Nope, it was our Anniversary.

So anything we do on New Years Eve, will have to be pretty amazing to top last night.

[Lois]

I spend every New Years Eve the same way except in 2000 -- sleep right through it. 2000 I did want to see what everyone was doing, not to mention laugh at everyone who thought the world was going to end. LOL :) But I simply prefer to be asleep by the time midnight rolls around. :)

Lois

[Julie Anne Long]

Boy, you guys are a mellow bunch. LOL! Maybe I'll join you. Putting my feet up in a cozy room and having some good snacks and playing Scrabble on New Year's Eve is sounding better and better. 2006 was...*eventful,* to say the least. LOL. It'll feel good to wake up and find it's a brand new year. :). I'll have to poll my usual partners in crime, however, and see what they're up to. Edmonton sounds great, Kathy. Apart from the whole SNOW bit. LOL. I don't have the right clothes!! Although I do now own a hat. :) Jeez, the weather has been crazy, lately. I think the little earthquakes have stopped for the time being (knocking on wood, here).

Yeah, Diana, sometimes it's easier to hole up in your apartment in San Francisco on New Year's Eve. I can remember quite a few New Year's eves, however, where it was bucketing down rain and I was still out in it. LOL. Crazy! I remember coming down that steep hill from Noe Valley (I was at the Rat & Raven) and wearing slippery boots, and I kept falling down. LOL. You're bound to hear the firecrackers and see the fireworks on TV, so you'll know when it's 2007. :)

Hey, Happy Anniversary, Haven!! Which anniversary is it?? I'm glad you guys had a really lovely time out. It's funny...a friend of mine just asked me if I could remember the nicest gift I ever got from a guy, and I could think of a few, but you know...most men are like deer-in-the-headlights when it comes to gifts. They just go blank. It's almost unfair to put them through the trauma. LOL. Mostly what I remember are the lovely, little heartwarming, random things they do throughout the year. You know, like car maintenance. :) Or suddenly bringing home your favorite ice cream. I'm glad your sweetie came through with a great evening for you.

I know, Lois -- the year 2000!! That's so funny. All that panic and speculation surrounding it, and amazingly, the world didn't end. :) Hope you get a good night's sleep tomorrow night. And happy 2007!!

Maybe I'll do something symbolic to usher in the new year. Like write some bad habits down on a piece paper and hold a fire in the fireplace and burn them. :) Something along those lines. I do appreciate a good ritual.

[Isabel]

Happy New Year, to all! :)

[Estella]

No plans.
Happy New Year, Julie!

[Julie Anne Long]

Happy New Year to you, too, Isabel! And thanks, Estella -- Happy New Year to you, too! Happy 2007 to all of us. And now I know if I stay home tomorrow night I'll be in good company. :) Sounds like NO ONE in our blogland is venturing out. I'm still on the proverbial fence about that. If my hair behaves itself and looks good tomorrow, I'll go out. LOL. Just kidding.

Wow, 2007 is only...a day away!! Years seem to go by twice as fast now that I'm a writer. Go figure. :)

[Haven Rich]

Ok, just found out what we SHOULD be doing. Nothing like a last minute plan huh?

Well it seems if the weather stays clear, we're going to a bonfire. If it starts to rain again (as it had been the past two days) then we are going to a local bar.

No worries, I'm the DD so we'll make it home safely!

Hope everyone has a wonderful New Years Eve!!

[Kathy K]

Well, um.. kinda missed saying to everyone:

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

Although I can still say that...2007 is still new, right??

Hope you all you had a great one!

Kathy

[Julie Anne Long]

Hey! Happy 2007, kittens!! We made it! And yep, we get to say Happy New Year for a few months, I think, Kathy. LOL. (Wasn't there a Seinfeld episode that addressed that?? Seems like there's a Seinfeld episode for everything.) I'm moving VERY slowly today, because i worked out just a wee bit too hard yesterday, and woke up feeling like someone had beaten me with sticks. LOL. I'll recover. I'll probably blog something tonight or tomorrow.

Anyway, welcome to a brand new year!! Glad we're in this together!! I have a good feeling about 2007...:) Let's hope the feeling lasts a few days. LOL.

[Haven Rich]

Welp, I've already been sick for this year. I'm hoping that'll be the end of it hehe.

I hate when I run high fevers (103 or so) and then drop down to my "living dead girl" temp of 94(yes you can run this temp and still be alive).

So I think those sticks travel lol. I'm hoping tomorrow my temp will be evened out again and I'll feel better.

[Julie Anne Long]

Haven, I'm so sorry you're sick! But hey, that must mean the holidays went well. LOL. The holiday cold/flu is almost as much a tradition as Christmas carols. Hopefully you've gotten your big cold out of hte way for the year. Careful with that temp. I mean, we all know you're *hot,* but 103 is a little *too* hot. LOL Take care of yourself! Hope you feel better soon!

[Haven Rich]

All is back to normal. My body is so strange (sorta like me). I run high fevers one day, low temps the next and then I'm normal again.

The bad part about such a drop is it makes me dizzy. But once I'm over that, I'm ok for awhile.

And we did have a good time. Hubby had too good of a time, but still it was good hehe.

Now I'm getting back on track and ready to head into this new year with a kick!

Have a great weekend Julie!