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New Year’s Eve

I’ve had some really wild ones.

In high school I remember my junior year hanging out in the neighborhood, standing in the middle of the street singing the B-52’s Love Shack.

My senior year we were at my friend Melanie’s house. Her mom was always going out on dates, so that left her house open for parties. My friend Norma and I actually looked in the phone book and called our French teacher at midnight to wish him a Happy New Year. Obviously alcohol was involved.

One year in college I spent the big evening in Boston with my then boyfriend…now husband. We spent fifty bucks a ticket to go to a club down the street called The Roxy, and being a college student, that was a lot of money I remember thinking that if I was going to spend that much money, I was going to drink all the free champagne I could down. Not much I actually remember about that night. However, I do recall going to the bathroom, standing in line for a long time, then forgetting where I had left Melvin. I spent at least 30 minutes wandering the club looking for him. We did manage to find each other for the midnight kiss…but it was close. Now the next day I remember very clearly, and it was not a pretty sight!

One year when I lived in New Jersey I spent the big night in New York City. Not in Times Square though. My friend Lanette and I took a group of kids from her high school Cross Country team, and we ran a race in Central Park, which began at midnight. Half-way through, in addition to having a water station, they also had a champagne station! I was SO COLD that year, but we had a lot of fun...and encountered some interesting characters on the train ride home.

The next year was the year 2000! I was VERY excited about Y2K. Melvin and I decided to ring in the new millennium in style by going to Vegas. We went to a club called Rum Jungle at Mandalay Bay, spending $250 for a ticket to get in! We were really going all out. And I had the same mind set that night as I did back in Boston…trying to drink my money’s worth! I remember the DJ playing Prince’s “Party like it’s 1999,” ringing in the New Year, then Will Smith’s “Willenium.” And like in Boston, I wasn’t feeling all that great the next day…and we had to catch a plane back home!

Since having children, our New Years have been more kid-centered, including a First Night celebration in Ocean City, NJ, and last year hanging out at our town’s sports center, watching the kids jump in the inflatables, dance to a DJ and create crafts.

This year...well...nothing. Melvin’s on call (and as of 8:30 PM is at the hospital), I’m fighting a sinus infection and Ella has a fever of 101. So no exciting celebration this year.

But next year……we’re going to party…preferably someplace hot!

Happy New Year everyone!