Last night we had our first New Years' party since we left Chicago eight years ago. (Also, HOLY SHIT. We left Chicago eight years ago.) Back then, the party was at Aa's sweet apartment on Barry. Then, our buddy G wore his cruise ship entertainment director guy tuxedo (and name tag!!) to host the shindig. We bought close to 50 champagne flutes at Goodwill. We dressed up (there is a picture of me somewhere in shiny burgundy pants applying lipstick in prep for this party, in fact. This photo is buried, like the Ark of the Covenant, in our basement). After midnight, we all took cabs to The Note and stayed out till 5 am. New Years' Day was spent in a deep hangover with several friends who spent the night. It was exhausting and I'm pretty sure it was fun, but I don't remember much of it after folks started arriving.
Last night, Aaron made mini-horseshoe sandwiches and we wore jeans. Nearly everyone left by 1 am. I had a manhattan and half a glass of champagne, and was in bed before 1:30. I remember all of it - it was definitely fun.
And today, Aaron used the leftover horseshoe ingredients to make a pie for R & H's yearly pie party. I know, just looking at these photos can make you feel like never eating again.
So far, I think 2009 has been pretty good. I'm going for a run tomorrow morning, my first in 5 weeks since my Thanksgiving tumble. Just typing that sentence, "I am going for a run", makes me want to clap. For the first time in my life, I have deeply mundane resolutions dealing with household budgets and organization, and I am thrilled about implementing and fulfilling those resolutions. Aa and I both think 2009 will be a year of big changes for us, and we're excited about that. And personally, I feel more grounded and capable and adult than I think I ever have (leaving aside my ridiculous dietary choices of the last 24 hours). Getting older no longer freaks me out. My youth was my youth, I'm going to be 35 this year, and I'm really excited about that milestone. What's my point here? I don't know if I have one. I guess what I'm trying to say is at some point, my perspective shifted from looking back and being sad about what's past to looking forward and being excited about what's coming. And something about the past few weeks has caused me to recognize that shift in myself, and it's neat. So in short, I had a really great new year's. And I hope you all did too.
5 comments:
Your thoughts on aging totally hit a nerve for me ... I recently listened in on a conversation where some right-around-30 folks were debating whether or not organizing social events around staying in constituted "getting older and more socially insulated." There was much hemming and hawing over how to make staying in not feel like getting older.
I thought to myself, "You know, I'm done with that debate." For the most part, I'm with you: my youth was awesome, and it's also done. I'm excited about what's next, and not especially interested in fighting the inevitable which is (der!) aging.
Barely related anecdote: I remember a convo with my 60something dad in LA where he looked at a heavily augmented woman and said, "There are many ways to maintain the joys of youth and fight aging. That's not one of them."
I got outrageously drunk at the Chicago NYE party that you mentioned. I remember vomiting olympically, operatically at the Note and still shudder with embarassment at the thought.
The party I was at last night also wrapped up c. 1am.
35 is a laughably dewy age to be reflecting so solemnly on. Not a judgement on your thoughts to be sure. Just that you seem soooo much more energetic and happy than when...
Youth (let's call youth one's 20s) was a shambling misery so much of the time, I feel well rid of it.
Alex - I agree, 35 is hardly old. And there's this annoying kind of binary when it comes to talking about age - young or old. You're one or the other. And I didn't mean to say that I'm, like, in the twilight of my years or whatever. Just - I am aware of and enjoying getting older / time passing in a way that I haven't really been before. Does that make sense? And! I also agree that I'm happier and more energetic than when dot dot dot, as you put it.
Ariel - I have heard a couple of similar conversations recently. And it is nice to know that you just don't care about that anymore. But I do think that debate is part of that dumb-ass binary I mentioned above. I just kind of got to the point where I am no longer made anxious whether my actions or interests fit into one or the other category of that binary. You know? So, uh, I guess what I'm saying is I have transcended age and I'm better than everyone else. :)
PS - I loved your post on this as well!
Ah, if only I could transcend my body-image issues as easily as my age issues. Age no longer seems to be the enemy for me or many other women I talk with. Heck, We (the royal-all-women-in-the world-we) have children in our 40s, kick-box in our 50s, and demand the right to sky dive no matter what our age. But even at a youthful 32 I look at my post-baby/post-youth body and shudder just a little. I need to get rid of my Rocky Mountain body expectations the same way I got rid of expectations that I will stay out past midnight anytime in the next year. (I was in bed on New Years at 9:45 and was thrilled because I actually stayed up and read for 20 minutes before turning the lights out and my white noise machine on.)
Diana - oh, body image issues! That's a whole other post, if not a whole other blog entirely. I sure hope we get to see you guys and meet miss Harper in 2009.
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