Another New Year

Another New Year has dawned and I can honestly say I'm happy where I am in my life. It's a good feeling. I know restlessness will begin again because contentment just doesn't seem to ride easily on my shoulders. But I'm okay with that too. Don't know what the next step in life will be, but I look forward to it when I decide to make it happen. Our New Year's Eve festivities consisted of our traditional Chinese food dinner and shrimp with cocktail sauce. Not at the same time, of course. The way we celebrate has changed over the years, as we get older and as new generations develop their habits. Not that I didn't or don't enjoy going out and having a rolicking and devilishly self-punishing-the-morning-after celebration, but I have come to enjoy beckoning in the new year in a low-key fashion with family and friends. I can remember when New Year's Eve was almost as exciting as Chrismas Eve. I can remember getting into discussions about which country is first to celebrate the new year and getting so wrapped up in the conversation that we pulled out the encyclopedia. When I was even younger we would get out all the pots and pans and make noise like holy terrors for the first few minutes of the new year. Then, of course, we would call everyone we knew to find out what they were doing. When I was younger there seemed to be more excitement and anticipation everywhere. New Year's Eve was a true holiday, not simply an excuse to get drunk, which is what it becomes for a lot of people. I've been there, too, and I'd tell you about it if I could remember. Nowadays, there's no special lead up the the ball drop. It sucks. I can remember the pre-peach-drop-in-Atlanta days. First there was the Baby New Year special with Father Time. Then came the Wizard of Oz. We didn't have a VCR or cable, this was the traditional yearly seasonal fare that was available. (Random Aside: The world started to go to hell right about the same time we could rent, then buy movies. When childhood memories become commodities, many of them cease to hold meaning.)This year, the boys chose the movie. Hellboy.

Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.