Another Year - 2011

Aaaahhhh! Another year gone by. Another year older. Supposedly another year smarter but that’s a rather dubious claim. I’ve been away for twelve days which seems like an eternity when you have the itch to write. I chose to spend the time with my parents rather than at the library posting blogs (they don’t have a computer and i don’t have a laptop). But just because i was away, doesn’t mean that my brain stopped writing. Now i have to post because it’s getting rather crowded in here.

So back to the New Year and a shout out to friends in Pensacola, Florida. Thanks to facebook, i’ve reconnected with people i should have never let out of my life. Susan and Loz – you guys are just awesome! Years may have gone by, but we haven’t lost our touch in mind-melding conversation. Do you know what i’m talking about here? Have you ever run into an old friend that you haven’t seen in years yet the two of you strike up a conversation as if time had not put a grey hair between you? Weird and beautiful. The definition of a real friend.

I haven’t been out for a New Year’s celebration in ages but Susan talked me into it (just like she always did). In Pensacola we don’t have a ball drop to begin the New Year, oh no. We have a pelican. A 13 foot tall, 17 foot wing-span, silver feathered, lighted pelican. How could i say no to that? So i went to the party under threatening clouds and tornado warnings. We managed to get a round of beer from a very stressed out bartender – i have no idea how she remembered every order people yelled at her – and we headed out to the streets where the bands were rockin’ the stage and people were buzzing with that strange apprehensive energy they get before something big is about to happen. We were just getting into our suds when we spotted a guy in a kilt. Susan and i both moaned how we liked men in kilts (yes, it’s true) and i turned to her and said, “i luv pipers.” In a blink and with our best Scottish accent, “We’ve got a piper down!” That’s a quote from a B-rated movie that came out long after we had parted ways. That we would both pick the same quote and speak it at the same time attests to our laugh-chemistry. So it was a great night. Despite the fact that “New Year’s” is really just another tick of the clock. Just another moment in a long string of moments and the only thing that makes it unique is that we decide to wear silly hats, blow loud horns, toss confetti, drink too much, act stupid, and watch a lighted pelican drop from a crane. Any excuse for a party.

 I appoligized for the piss-poor quality of these photos, but it was one night that i didn't want to bring my camera - so my phone was the next best thing...!