Tuesday, December 30, 2008

A friend of mine is a little depressed at the prospect of having to spend New Year's Eve alone, so I thought I'd blog about the last time I spent that festive night by my lonesome.

It was December 31st, 2004, and for one of the rare times in my late 20s, I was single, which means I didn't have someone special to bring in the New Year with. But I HAD been invited to a party that was about 25 minutes away from my house, so around 8:30 pm I stopped at the liquor store, bought a bottle of wine, and headed to this house party. When I arrived at the party, there were about 10-15 people there eating, watching year-end video shows and of course drinking. I acted like I cared about everyone introducing themselves to me, I got a plate of food, a glass of wine, and did my best to mingle and be cool.

About 15 minutes after I arrived, the woman who was throwing the party had some kind of family emergency, and she had to abruptly leave with her girlfriend. She told the people in attendance that she was unsure when she'd be back, but we were more than welcome to stay. I had planned on staying, but when the majority of the crowd left, I grabbed my bottle of wine (yes I'm that petty), wrapped up a plate of food, and headed home. When I walked back into my house, it was 11pm.

I remember sitting in front of the tv, with my plate, my drink, my phone and a notepad. I realized at this point that I would spending my New Year's Eve alone, so I thought I'd write down my thoughts and reflections(this was before I had a laptop clearly). Around 11:30pm, while I was trying to write, some exes and other girls I had been involved with in the past, as well as some family members started to call, and I just turned my phone off. I hadn't been too thrilled about bringing in the New Year alone, but now that I had settled into a comfort zone, I didn't want any outside forces messing me up. Once I turned my phone off, I wrote about the past year, what I wanted from the new year, and anything else that was swimming in my brain at the time. As the countdown began, I muted the tv, and began to pray a bit, and then I opened my eyes and it was 2005. Once I was at peace with myself, I returned calls to close friends, my son, my parents, and my brother, drank ALL my wine, and had a merry time. This wasn't the kind of New Year's Eve that I had planned at the start of the day, but by the end of it I was just fine.

And 2005 was a great year because I got a significant raise AND I met my current girlfriend, although we wouldn't actually get together for a couple more years. So to my friend who may be bringing in the year alone, don't feel sad or angry or even pitiful. Surround yourself with things you like (your laptop, a book, a drink, your favorite food) and as Paula Abdul would say, make the day your own.

My dedication to the late Freddie Hubbard continues. This is a video of him from 1998. Freddie is on the trumpet, Sonny Fortune is on the tenor sax, McCoy Tyner is on the piano, and Elvin Jones is on the drums. This concert was in Tokyo and it was a John Coltrane tribute.

6 comments:

£ said...

lol @ you grabbing your bottle of wine. Good thing you didn't bring a marble rye.

You know I never understood the compulsion some folks have to spend new years with someone or someones. Like - its cool if you wanna be w/ your man or girl or friends or whatever, but if circumstances don't allow for it, or you don't want to, that should be cool as well.. Then again maybe that kind of ambivalence is my problem. lol.

I remember new years 2005 clearly. My then significant other and I had had exchanged words a few days before and though I had gotten over it, he was still mad - and it carried over to new years day. By january second all was good but midnight of january 1st I was alone, humming o sole mio.

Hm...maybe I need to reconsider my stance on who I spend new years with. Is it too late(and shameful) to scour craigslist and find a hot date?

rashad said...

craigslist is full of creepy folks..you should try okpla..wait nevermind. Craiglist it is.

£ said...

LOL now see...

maxwellsmusze said...

i spent NYE 2005 alone and it really wasn't the bad. i think we build it up in our minds that each year its supposed to be our own personal time square but really its not that serious. i had done the whole club NYE thing and was way over it by then. spending all that money to get into a club and a dress and gather w/hundreds of idiots was no longer an option.

i went to the store and got a dozen krispy kremes, a bag of salt & vinegar chips, a bottle of wine AND champagne and ordered a pizza. had a ball all by myself calling family & friends (luckily no drunk dialing, more like heyyyyyyyy talk to me i'm fun:)and passed out probably before 1 am. your friend is welcome to use the above method. even though, i'm almost sure its against every resolution on earth.

Miss. Lady said...

I have rung in many a New Years alone or with my children and it is not all that bad; for the most part it is what you make it.

I was looking for something to do this year and now that I have found something to do my laziness is kicking in and I really want to ring in 2009 in the bed, sleep.

... My girlfriend keeps on reminding me of some old wives tale; the way you bring in the New Year is how you will spend the rest of the new year...

Well, last year I went to a party with friends and this year was not a party year so sleep into 09 is looking very likely.

GemEnigma said...

I remember clearly spending NYE (into) 2005 solo, in my (then)-new apartment, with a glass of something and on the phone with my BFF....because both of us were too lazy to go over the other person's house.
I distinctly recall phoning an ex to reflect on our history (and not reaching him, thank GAWD)....one of the few times I wished someone would have physically pummeled me to the ground in order to restrain my arms from such an embarassing mistake.

At any rate, despite my "Social Butterfly" ways during the year, I happen to prefer spending NYE reflecting and preparing.