How I Spent New Year's Eve & What To Make Of It

Do you ever worry that if you throw a party nobody will come?

That's me.

But I'm changing that. Hell, I have enough problems sometimes without worrying about how my popularity looks to the world at large.

So JB and I invited some friends and friends of friends here for New Year's Eve and all together twelve of us had a great evening partying and eating and all around enjoying. Normally we would have planned a pot luck dinner but JB for some reason wanted Chinese take out.

Oh my did we ever Chinese takeout! Sushi, pu pu platters, scallion pancakes, peking raviolis, salmon teriyaki, tangerine beef, shrimp and scallops with basil, moo shi pork, eggplant and tofu, chicken and green beans in garlic sauce. And more. No need to include the whole menu: I'll just add it was wicked fun.

The potluck kicked in for deserts. Oh my oh my. Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. My apple pie. Fresh pineapple with with strawberries and blueberries. Frosted sugar cookies. Pastries just arrived from Montreal.

We sent up an extra table on the porch, lit candles, and sometimes our dinner conversation was 12 person deep and sometimes we became little groups. Marsha and I told each other how great it is that we are friends. Howard, a judge from LA, promised he wouldn't judge anything all night. We laughed. Pass the moo shi, try the salmon, pour the pinot grigio, hear the fire crackle, feel the warmth right here, right now.

Throughout dinner and into the night we laughed our heads off. We passed around rubber noses and wore them with all the ridiculous dignity we could could muster (remember Lo and Marianne?) We indulged, we imbibed, we inhaled. :)

I looked around and realized something that has evaded me for the last couple of years. I am here with people who are here. I am not here with people who are there.

Perhaps that sounds strange but maybe not. I just know I'll be looking forward in 2011. Thank God I will.

Photos? Where are the photos? Ah, it seems that 2011 will for me begin only with the color of words.

I hope you don't mind since I am a writer. And in 2011 I will write. More poetry. More essays. More philosophic waxing (hello Mim ♥). More hope. More stories. More the me I was, still am, will be.

I have sweet hopes for the new year. I started feeling my way with those sweet hopes last night, in the company of JB and friends. A good good start.

/

Yay.

.

Love

kj