As I was leaving work this past Friday, I asked my buddy Tim what he would be doing for New Year’s. “I’ll be in bed by nine o’clock,” he replied. “Yeah, me too,” I said. I thought for a second and then said, “You know you’re getting old when that’s what you want to do on New Year’s Eve.” We both had a good laugh, wished each other a Happy New Year and headed home.
In my prime, New Year’s Eve was a party which was anticipated all year long. I spent many a New Year’s at the homes of friends, in hotel suites, apartment complex clubhouses and one fantastic year at a mega blowout at the Georgia World Congress Center featuring Charlie Daniels, The Atlanta Rhythm Section and a number of other groups whose names fade into the fog of revelry from nearly a half century ago. One New Year’s Day morning I woke up shivering in the back seat of a friend’s ’66 Chevelle after a celebration at Spanish Trace apartments. He was asleep in the front. I managed to get the door opened, stumbled to my VW, drove home and crawled in bed. The flu set in that night and hung around the rest of the winter. But, I had a great time at the party and that was all that mattered.
That was then and this is now. I have absolutely no desire to go anywhere on New Year’s Eve except for the blissful Land Of Nod. I will wake up early on New Year’s Day, clear headed, refreshed and not feeling like I’ve been run over by Lynyrd Skynyrd’s tour bus. I’ll have my coffee, spend a couple of hours in the studio and then enjoy greens, blackeyed peas and college football.
This afternoon, I took care of the bird feeders and put corn out for the squirrels. It was very cold and almost eerie, the dead of winter on New Years Eve. Everything was still and quiet. There were no cars on the streets in the neighborhood or voices from the yards. No power tools were roaring. Nothing was stirring in the woodland. It was beautiful. I felt very privileged and happy to be outside in God’s Creation, taking care of His creatures. It was a wonderful way to say goodbye to the old and to bring in the new.
I wrote a blog last year listing ten New Year’s Resolutions. I kept exactly one them, which was to not eat liver, fried bologna or Spam. That’s not really a resolution, it’s just three things that I refuse to do at any time. This year, I really only have a couple of resolutions. Number One is to stay on this side of the sod. Let’s just say that the other is to work toward realizing a lifelong creative dream.
Happy New Year, everyone! I’m heading up to the kitchen window. I’m going to have a beverage and see if there is any activity around the bird feeders. Who says old guys don’t know how to have fun? –J.