Peeking from behind the sofa …

Is it over yet?  Is it done?  Please say yes!  I kind of hate the new year thing, really.  Oh sure, when I was a kid the whole ball dropping thing was cool and magical in its own way, but now?  Not so much.  The crowds, the noise, the drinking, the people.  And you say, oh but the crowds!  The noise!  The drinking!  And all the people!  Yeah.  There’s the difference between you and me.  I’m just not into it, ok?  I watch the ball drop thing on TV, but only so I know the moment the clock strikes midnight and I can kiss my beloved; and the kids think it’s cool, but honestly it’s just another day.  So far I’ve had about 15,908.  Interested in how many you’ve had?  Just click here.

I don’t make resolutions and I don’t have any traditions for either new year’s eve or new year’s day.  Why wait around for January 1 if you want to change something about yourself or your life?  What’s wrong with just today, whenever today might be?  What if it’s … May 13?  Or September 5?  Why all the hoopla about a new year?  Nothing’s really different you know.  Sorry, I’m honestly not trying to piss on your parade, I’m just telling you how it is for me . Traditions can be cool, but only if they mean something to you.  Take Darc and me – we decided this year that we no longer wanted to have traditions for tradition’s sake.  Neither of us are particularly fond of turkey, but we’ve always had turkey on Thanksgiving.  Why? we asked ourselves.  Well, the Pilgrims ate turkey, we think.  Probably.  Maybe.  Buuuuut, we’re not Pilgrims.  So from now on we’re ditching the turkey for Thanksgiving.  The day is about gratitude, right?  Blessing and bounty, thankfulness.  Frankly we’re not all that thankful about turkey. 

So what about new years?  What’s the meaning of the traditions?  You know, there really isn’t any.  It’s just a period of time, the period of time the earth has revolved around the sun once.  New Year’s used to be celebrated on March 15 in ancient Roman times.  Now-a-days, it seems that the only tradition for the new year is to get falling down drunk.  Now there’s an auspicious beginning.  Do you really like starting something with a hangover?  Really, I’m genuinely curious.  I’m not against drinking or anything like that – I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but the drunk part I just don’t get.  And yes, I’ve been drunk – that’s why I don’t get it.  Let’s see – standing around the heart of New York (or anywhere else) in the cold with thousands of drunken strangers in the middle of the night … this sounds like fun to you?  Would it on any other night?  If not then, why December 31?

Is it the “new beginning” thing?  The collective “everyone in the world has to buy a new calendar” thing?  I can see why that would make calendar makers happy.  But really, isn’t each day a new beginning?  Each breath, each heartbeat?  What have calendars to do with that?  It’s not the year that matters, it’s the moments; each and every one a shining star begging to be captured and held dear.

In the meantime, I’ll be over here behind the sofa.  Let me know when it’s over.  Oh, and Happy January 2nd.

 

Posted in Thinking out loud.
10 Responses to “Peeking from behind the sofa …”

  

1. Raquita Says:
      January 2, 2008 at 3:50 pm e

      FOr me the new year is an reason to see people celebrate beign with them, and making it through another year together. Yes you cuold do that on any given day – and we do mind you – but its nice to have days off from work set aside to celebrate and enjoy. how many people just stop to reflect on any given day? we’re too buzy living most of the time to remember to do that, so I don’t mind the new year for that opportunity.
      I don’t do the getting drunk thing either though…
  

2. Sherri Cornelius Says:
      January 2, 2008 at 5:39 pm e

      I like the symbolism. And with all those people focused on the same thing, there’s powerful good energy floating around. And the drinking in a crowd thing? I’d be inclined to do that about once a year, and the best opportunity is on NYE. ‘course, I haven’t done that thing in literally 12-13 years, so…what do I know?

      I’d rather do New Year’s Eve than Christmas or Thanksgiving, any day.

      hugs
  

3. Raga6 Says:
      January 2, 2008 at 8:07 pm e

      Yea!! Craig is here sooooooon! I am so with you on the whole New Years thing. we stayed home. I’d rather be with my kids than a bunch of drunk assholes.

      Raga

      Also, I tried to post something on your honeys site but it isn’t showing up so I’m not sure he’ll get it. I would like him, and you, to read this story. It makes me laugh and I think you’ll laugh too. Or I hope so or you might not and then you’ll think I’m disturbed. I hope not. Anyway. http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3306824/1/Santa_Claus_VS_The_Zombies

      That’s the link.

      raga
  

4. DarcsFalcon Says:
      January 3, 2008 at 1:21 am e

      Raquita – yes, I can see how the days off from work give you time to reflect and enjoy. A nice evening with loved ones gathered ’round, that is totally cool. And I wish I was with you – your evening sounded like fun. But it’s the drunk thing that really kind of bothers me. Now that I think about it, it’s the drunk and OUT thing that is doing it – so many people celebrate by getting drunk at parties and then driving home. More than anything else I guess, that’s what bugs me about new year’s celebrations.

      Sherri – I understand the symbolism, the whole “new” thing, I really do. I know most people feel the way you do about it. What I was trying to say is that for me, there really isn’t any unique symbolism in new year’s day, or eve. If I had to name a personal symbol for new-ness, I’d probably have to go with sunrise. Does that make more sense? Also, I can see on many levels why people prefer the new year stuff to Christmas or Thanksgiving – it seems to be more about friends than family, and families can cause so much stress over the other holidays that maybe new year’s is a relief!

      Raga – Yay! You’re back! I wondered what happened to you, and you don’t have a blog that I can check up on! Hint hint! Thanks for being with me on the new years thing! I was starting to think I was even more … unique than I realized! Lol. Let’s get together next year and do something non-special! Your posts on both Darc’s and my sites were held back in the spam box, so we had to retrieve them. I’ll have to check out that link you listed – Santa vs zombies sounds … intriguing! Lord knows there’s not enough laughter in life, so if a story can bring some on, I’m for it! (I doubt I’ll ever think you’re disturbed, btw)
  

5. Raga6 Says:
      January 4, 2008 at 6:28 pm e

      Hi! I’m am totally for getting together next New Years! You could come here and see what New Years feels like at 70 degrees or we could go there and I could see real snow for the first time. LOL

      As far as the whole blog thing… I had one once but I felt pressured to put things up and I’m more of a say what’s on my mind at the time type girl and I could never remember everything I wanted to write by the time I could write it down. Does that make sense? You guys should have my email address, I think, and I can always be reached that way if you want or need me.

      Also, I hope you got a chance to read that story and if so I hope you liked it. I read it to my mom and she couldn’t stop laughing.

      The Ragster )
  

6. DarcsFalcon Says:
      January 4, 2008 at 10:09 pm e

      Raga – Woo! Well, I grew up in the SF bay area, so I know what a green Christmas and New Year’s feels like – and I MISS it! (not the SF part, but the green part!) so if you want to come here and see snow that’d be cool!

      I understand about the blog thing – and I won’t tease you about it anymore Sweetie. I’m sorry if I made you feel pressured – I honestly didn’t mean it that way.

      Yes, I read that story – it was cute! Nice to see those old zombies get it! lol

      I’m so glad to see you here!
  

7. Raga6 Says:
      January 4, 2008 at 10:44 pm e

      You didn’t pressure me! I didn’t mean that at all. I pressure myself. I’m sure there’s a term for it but I don’t know what it is. I’m just strange like that.

      My husband is from central California. He hates the weather here. I’ve here my whole life and I hate it too. )

      I’m glad you liked the story and I’m glad to be here too!

      Raga
  

8. DarcsFalcon Says:
      January 5, 2008 at 12:12 am e

      You’re not strange at all Sweetie. Not at all.

      What part of central CA? (or email if you don’t want to get too personal online!) I know how it feels to hate where you live – oh my Lord, I know how that feels. You have my total sympathy!
  

9. Raga6 Says:
      January 5, 2008 at 12:51 am e

      I feel sooooo stupid asking this but where do I find your email addy?
 

10. DarcsFalcon Says:
      January 5, 2008 at 1:40 am e

      Dearest Raga – the big duh is on me! There’s a profile page here on WP, where we have to fill out that info, and I thought it automatically showed up if someone clicked on the “meet Vanessa” page. It doesn’t. And I didn’t even know! So I’M the stupid one. YOU are NOT. I’ll have to figure out how to get it up on that page somehow – in the mean time, you can email me at darcsfalcon at hot mail We have to be careful how we put that info in blogs and posts and what-not because spam-bots crawl around websites looking for the little at sign, and the dot com things.