The Ritual of New Year’s Eve

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Does anyone living and conscious in the Eastern Time Zone not watch the ball drop in Times Square at midnight? Never mind the clocks or local countdowns – it’s not officially the New Year until the ball touches down and all hell breaks loose among the million or so people crammed into Times Square.

Despite having lived less than 2 miles from Times Square for 25 years, I have never had the desire or curiosity to do New Year's Eve in Times Square. I’ve been fortunate, though, never having been to a bad New Year’s Eve party. They were all good and all different. From others’ house parties to pre-Saint parties to the Saint to parties at my West Village apartment. [See http://aboutnothing-doug.blogspot.com/2008/08/saint.html] They were terrific. There was the millennium (celebrated) New Year’s Eve – 1999-2000, when everyone feared an electronic meltdown. We took public transportation from Fort Lee to the Village, then uptown to do our partying. From the Upper West Side we headed home at around 5, cabbing it to 175th Street and the George Washington Bridge. It was a mild night so we walked the mile across the bridge spanning the Hudson River swirling with fog from the sudden rise in temperature.

Good people – family and friends – have lost loved ones to tragic deaths in 2008. Those we lost survive within us as they touched our lives. Those who survive have a different New Year’s Eve ritual tonight.

Friends and I looked forward to the New Year as we figured it couldn’t be worse than the old year. The old year was often pretty crappy as it always included deaths of friends from AIDS. Nonetheless, we danced forth into the New Year.

I may not be dancing into the New Year, but do look forward to 2009. I made noticeable progress in 2008 conquering the demons that have plagued me since 2004. Barack Obama gives me more hope for our country than I have had in many years. Longtime friends with AIDS live to see 2009. I see much to look forward to in the New Year.

Happy New Year – may you have a healthy, gratifying, prosperous 2009.

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