MetaChat - So how are you spending New Year's Eve?

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31 December 2008

So how are you spending New Year's Eve? →[More:]
I'm having a quiet one. I've been working today (from home) and have just finished for the day.

I've been tired out these last few days. It's only a week until my holiday and I'm so ready for a break and to see my boo again. It's over five months since I last had any holiday, and work has been difficult in recent months. It's taken its toll - I've been in bed early the last few nights.

I've been invited to a big New Year party in east London (an AA party), with a bagpiper piping in the New Year, dancing, food, etc. But two years ago I (and a bunch of other people) picked up Norovirus at this same party. So as I'm feeling a bit run down, I'll pass on kissing a load of strangers, in case I get some lurgy just before my trip.

I've got some great new books to read, I recorded a few movies over Christmas, and there's a couple of things I want to watch on the BBC iPlayer. I have good food in the fridge (rack of lamb for dinner) and some home-made soup simmering on the stove.

So it's me and the cats, all set for a peaceful New Year.

How about the rest of you? Who's partying? Who's staying home?

post by: essexjan at: 11:08 | 60 comments

Meetup!

posted by Stewriffic 31 December | 11:13

Going to a party. For the first time in years I have someone to kiss at midnight, and I'm looking forward to that.

posted by amro 31 December | 11:15

At home with my family. I bought a bottle of champagne yesterday. I might make something yummy and festive for dinner (maybe taco layer dip or something) and buy some beer for hubby and I to drink while we watch something fun on TV.

That sounds like a Superbowl party, not a new year's eve party.

posted by LoriFLA 31 December | 11:30

We're staying in... if the neighbors shoot off fireworks, we'll go outside at midnight to watch 'em, then go to bed.

posted by BoringPostcards 31 December | 11:36

It sounds like we're heading over to a good friend's house for some video games and champagne at midnight. He's got a huge TV but no cable or antenna, so watching the ball drop is problematic.

posted by muddgirl 31 December | 11:43

We're still not sure. We'll either be going to a big swing dance party in St. Petersburg, or not. What we'll do if we don't go, I don't know.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 December | 11:45

Staying in, gratefully. Homemade pasta sauce and meatballs and pasta and champagne.

posted by Specklet 31 December | 11:53

We host an annual dinner for friends. I always get stressed out preparing, and this year is the king daddy of them all. I'm going to have to log some nap time if I'm going to get through it. Cooking for eight, two vegetarians, all the while tending to a toddler on my own.

However, once the dude's at his grandmother's for the night and the party starts, the big payoff happens. I am very much looking forward to this.

posted by middleclasstool 31 December | 11:56

middleclasstool, be careful with your cooking knives.

Not doing much, just breaking the diet big time and watching DVDs.

posted by Melismata 31 December | 11:58

Party! Headed into the center of town to a private party at a bar, then into the Rynek Staromiejski (er, Old Town Square) to take photos of the zillions of other people and dodge fireworks.

I had to wait in a forty-person line today at the grocery store, though, so not all lovelies and whuffles.

But! I'm currently roasting the pre-festivities dinner in my new knockoff-Le Creuset enameled Dutch oven! (Thanks Knockoff Santa!)

posted by mdonley 31 December | 12:05

Going to a party within walking distance of my apartment. No driving!

For the first time in years, I get to drink to excess on New Years Eve! I plan on being totally shit-faced by midnight. Woo hoo!

posted by Atom Eyes 31 December | 12:06

Home home on the range & in the cave, most likely. Hopefully Otto won't be too weirded out by fireworks. mrs chewie doesn't get home until 7ish.

posted by chewatadistance 31 December | 12:06

I've got a rather gooey sinus infection so I'll be either sleeping or I'll park myself in front of the moving picture box to watch some black adder or something else suitable.

Hope everyone has a good, fun and safe evening!

posted by fluffy battle kitten 31 December | 12:14

home alone doing laundry.

posted by meeshell 31 December | 12:15

Long lunch with coworkers at my favorite bar, then hopefully going over to my friend's place well in advance of his 9 pm party start time, to help out you know?

posted by TrishaLynn 31 December | 12:24

My ex-boyfriend invited me over for dinner. Since we broke up, I've had a disastrous relationship and he had one that wasn't much better, so we will probabaly commiserate together over the foolishness of having a heart.

posted by JanetLand 31 December | 12:26

We're invited to a party way up in the hills overlooking the city but we probably won't stay too late since the drive back down is pretty treacherous and it's snowing. There's fireworks down at the rivers so we'll probably come home and then walk down to the bank at the end of Allegheny Ave to watch them.

posted by octothorpe 31 December | 12:33

I will actually be working on New Year's Eve.

In a word processing center.

yeeee-haw!

posted by jason's_planet 31 December | 12:37

Going to a party within walking distance of my apartment. No driving!

We did that last year- it was FUN! Happy drinking ;-)

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 December | 12:38

Drinking in the city center, dodging fireworks, running through lit fireworks to get to and from the subway, cursing the German tradition of throwing fireworks at people, drinking more, avoiding injury, drinking more, passing out.

That's the forecast through 6 AM, now over to Pat with sports.

I fucking hate fireworks.

posted by cmonkey 31 December | 12:40

Yeah, I'll be walking, too. Phew.

posted by Stewriffic 31 December | 12:41

Got the house to myself so I'll play the music loud while I make myself a nice dinner. Evening will involve reading (1, 2). Expect to be sleeping like a log long before midnight.

posted by DarkForest 31 December | 12:50

Working. Subbing in for a mystery dinner show = $$. As the Castle Wench. It is cheezy interactive dinner theatre, but not a Medeival joint or Ren Festy, to clarify. It's just the current theme they are running. Shreiking and schmoozing and telling bad jokes and slinging plates. A good night for it because I will be festive and out and about, but not drinking (until I get home).

posted by rainbaby 31 December | 12:58

We just got LIVE LOBSTERS sent by my sister in Maine. Pips is boiling water right now.

posted by jonmc 31 December | 13:41

Nooo! Rescue the lobsters, someone! Save them!

posted by essexjan 31 December | 14:00

If all goes as planned a couple of friends and I will be invading another friend's condo (out for the week, but I have keys and permission) to cook and booze, and then going to the beach to watch everyone else's fireworks (too much wind to attempt our own) and have more booze.

Hopefully next year there will be someone to smooch.

posted by casarkos 31 December | 14:02

The mister and I are planning to:

- eat
- play WoW
- watch more of the Sarah Conner Chronicles
- eat
- nap
- play more W0W
- and maybe nap some more
- he'll probably have some alcohol, I probably won't

not necessarily in that order.

posted by deborah 31 December | 14:13

Making some tapas-like appetizers, then taking them to a party. I have some Chandon sparkling wine but I might get a bottle of something better.

Since we are geezers, I might bring up the idea of a pounce BEFORE we go to the party. . .

rb, you'd be a complete hoot in a cheesy dinner theater. . .I would love to see that.

posted by danf 31 December | 14:18

- performing a staged reading of a Mark Twain story downtown
- watching a great local country singer, Elsa Cross, at the Press Room
- hanging with my WSCA.fm homies,

- and revelling in a fully-charged iPod stuffed with the Duke, Fats, Bach's Brandenburg Concertos courtesy of Tafelmusik, and Sandy Dennis.

posted by Lipstick Thespian 31 December | 14:18

Wild and crazy over here. Cooking, drinking, installing the printer. We might go nuts and take the dog for a walk. We'll walk a half block up the hill to view the Acropolis + fireworks at midnight.

posted by taz 31 December | 14:23

JanetLand, you are so going to hook up.

posted by rainbaby 31 December | 14:29

Too late, jan. One (delicious) sea bug down, one to go!

posted by jonmc 31 December | 14:30

In something that in three years has become our family tradition, we're leaving the house to our daughter's annual New Year's Party and going down to George's Street in the Old Town. This is wall-to-wall restaurants where most of the staff dress in ball-gowns on New Year's Eve and swan around each other's workplaces, subbing for each other, in a kind of anarchic culinary waltz.
Somehow, this has become mixed in recent years with a Lesbian and Gay cross dressing tango through the same area so you never know if your wait staff is going to serve you or kiss you passionately. (And for the record, Yes, I liked it!)
Then we get back and sneak into our own house, then giggle mercilessly at what the teens below get up to and think is fun, but at least we're on hand with the proper resusc equipment. Although this includes a defibrillator, the only part of it we've had to use since we started this is the Full Irish breakfast the next morning and the saline drip plus paracetamol for those who over-indulged.

we usually don't book anything, just wander the old town having a starter here, a main course there, as we see the restaurants have a table. If we're stuck in between we'll go into the Dragon, our favorite pub for a pick-me-up (how come pick-me-ups end up putting you down?) or the total dive, the Royal Albert (scene of an infamous Karaoke Meet-up.

We usually run into some folks we know or more often, women who have been epiduralised by Mr Wilder, who come up screaming, "Oh It's the Magic Man, I named my baby after you!"

:-)

posted by Wilder 31 December | 14:34

We just got LIVE LOBSTERS sent by my sister in Maine. Pips is boiling water right now.

Can I touch them? No? I don't like to touch them.

we're doing black cherry salmon grilled asparagus and sweet potatoes

posted by chewatadistance 31 December | 14:34

Sadness. A bleak nothingness.
Happy new year.

posted by seanyboy 31 December | 15:56

Just finished them. Damn they were delicious.

posted by jonmc 31 December | 15:59

Vegetarian potluck followed by new years ceremony of atonement and renewal of vows with my Zen group.

posted by pieisexactlythree 31 December | 16:10

Some friends invited me over, and some others invited me on a bar crawl, but I'm weary and in need of some hometime and comfort. My partner is working 'til almost midnight, leaving me with the night to myself, and I accidentally planned out an absurdly stereotypically feminized evening for myself:

I'm making myself an easy dinner, probably waffles (using the waffle iron we got for Christmas!) with macerated strawberries. Breakfast for dinner!

Then I'm turning off the phones, lighting candles, and getting into the tub with my new fancy lavender soap, a split of prosecco, a couple of bonbons, and a dogeared copy of Pride & Prejudice, where I will soak as long as I want with no interruptions. I also picked up the DVD of P&P, in case I want to unwind on the sofa later, watching instead of reading.

I also have Count Dracula starring Louis Jourdan, in case I decide I'm not in the mood for biting Austenian wit but just, y'know, biting.

I am so pleased with this plan. Happy sigh!

posted by Elsa 31 December | 17:03

Had a quiet one, made a nice meal for dinner. Then had dessert, went to watch the fireworks and now I'm off to bed. Happy New Year!

posted by Daniel Charms 31 December | 18:01

I'm currently visiting at my homie's place (which is in this super wee town that I absolutely adore) and we have about $60 worth of alcohol sitting in the car and about $10 worth of mixers and we are going to another friend's house to partay this evening.

posted by sperose 31 December | 18:08

It's 6:30, and we still haven't decided.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 December | 18:24

Quiet evening, as ikkyu2 is on call. I'm going to attempt this Moroccan Slow-Cooked Lamb (though I'm using beef, because I made lamb for Christmas dinner) and mushroom risotto, mainly because both of them can sit for a while if necessary.

Though it'd help if I started cooking it as some point...

posted by occhiblu 31 December | 19:26

I am so jet lagged I slept at 645 pm last night and am now awake at 6 am new years day. So um nothing. Happy New Years everyone!

posted by special-k 31 December | 19:33

I guess we're staying in. New Year's Eve is such a drag, it's always a disappointment. That said, there are a few things that might make it brighter- the $16 bottle of champagne I splurged for (they were doing tastings at Publix), and a run of "Bridezillas" on the DVR.

posted by ThePinkSuperhero 31 December | 19:36

I'm enjoying my new toy -- I gots me a little Chanukah/Teacher's Bonus gift: an 8.9" Acer Aspire. It's such a cute little thing. It took me three days to decide which mini-notebook I wanted to get (I looked at Dell, Asus, Acer, and MSI Wind; it was between the Acer and the MSI Wind. Ultimately, I went for lighter weight -- just over 2 pounds! -- and longer battery life, and the small keyboard's fine for my little fingers). I can't wait to take it to work with me. I'm so gonna write those bestsellers (well, I'll settle for just getting something written).

And the lobsters were indeed yummy, squeemish as I was about picking them up and putting them in the pot (I let jon do that). Mmmm... lobster with melted butter. Later tonight I'm gonna make some shrimp scampi and we're gonna watch a movie or two (we have the latest Indiana Jones and American Splendor from Netflix) and of course watch the ball drop. And I stocked up on some booze and snacks (got some persecco and peach brandy I thought I might mix, and some beer and jamesons for jon). So no Chuck Berry, but a cozy night of plenty none-the-less.

Happy New Year, Bunnies! May it be a good one!

posted by Pips 31 December | 19:36

shooting a party until 4am, working at the bookstore at 11:30am.

[sigh]

posted by heeeraldo 31 December | 20:15

rainbaby: nope, that didn't happen. But thanks for the good wishes. :)

posted by JanetLand 31 December | 22:12

I made cookies...scuppernong white wine for later.

Home is goooood.

posted by bunnyfire 31 December | 22:17

Hanging out at my mom's place, with my kid brother, who's in Canada for the holidays, from the UK. My girls are 5 hours away, which sorta makes me long for them right about now.

posted by richat 31 December | 22:32

Sleeping. I have to get up at dark thirty tomorrow for another day at work. Probably will wake up at midnight with excited dogs when assholes shoot off guns and fireworks.

I never did get New Years Eve. In college and my 20's I was quite into carousing and having fun. Didn't matter really what it was. Could be just a few friends and heading to the Sonoma coast for a bonfire, or something larger like a kegger in college, or some event. New Years Eve was always a time when some close friends and I would just hang out, or I'd spend it alone at home. I can only think of one year where I was romantically involved with someone, and we did our own couple thing. It's like there's so much pressure for people to do something exciting that it kind of defeats the idea of a party. It just seems forced somehow. Why only do that once a year? I know several friends felt the same way I did, and called it amateur night. Now I'm just old and cranky, and I don't understand much of anything anymore.

posted by eekacat 31 December | 22:34

i have been boozed and smoked and my cat is enraptured.

posted by ethylene 31 December | 23:39

Went to see "Doubt" (excellent) and am now watching the "Twilight Zone" marathon. When I was a kid in NY, WOR Channel 9 used to have all the Twilight Zone reruns and started the first Marathon, which became a ritual with my group of friends and siblings.

The Burgess Meredith episode Time Enough At Last breaks my heart every time.

posted by ltracey 01 January | 00:02

Cruel fate and old glasses.

posted by ethylene 01 January | 00:04

At 11:40, Mrs O and I walked down to the rivers' edge through our neighborhood which was snow covered and totally quiet, we didn't see a single other person during our walk. We saw the year in all by ourselves standing next to the rivers watching the fireworks, the river boats and the big christmas tree at the point.

posted by octothorpe 01 January | 01:12

Italian food and Frost/Nixon; which ran past midnight. I wish I could have been far from New York.

posted by brujita 01 January | 02:27

i always wish to be further from DC, literally.

posted by ethylene 01 January | 02:38

≡ Click to see image ≡

posted by ethylene 01 January | 02:40

I managed to stay awake until midnight, and I phoned my boo at work (7pm his time). We listened on the radio (him over the phone) to the chimes of Big Ben ringing in the New Year, then I sang 'Auld Lang Syne' to him. (Yes, I know, he's a saint.) Then the cats decided to be naughty and tried to open a cupboard that contains nothing of any use or interest to them, so I had to sort them out.

All in all, as good a New Year as I could have wanted, talking with my boo on the phone.

posted by essexjan 01 January | 03:09

so I had to sort them out.

sounds ominous...

posted by taz 01 January | 03:28

We spent the daytime of NYE on the beach - got there at about 8am, put our portable shade device up, set up the folding chairs and eskies and sat watching the boats go past and the kids swimming and digging in the sand, played some beach cricket and generally had a fun and relaxing day. Got home about 7pm and were fast asleep well before midnight.

posted by dg 01 January | 16:47

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