Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year

So here I am in my apartment. It's New Year's Day Eve or whatever you call the night after New Year's Eve, my hangover is long gone, and THE Ohio State Buckeyes just played their best game of the year against a very good Oregon team and ended an embarrassing run of poor performances in big games. If I were Jim Tressel, I would just run for governor now. If I were Terrelle Pryor, I would hit the town with a hot young female movie star or three before I head back to the groupie scene in Columbus. Now I decided to hit the computer instead of watching all the fights that are about to happen as the fine, upstanding young men from Cincinnati continue to get smoked by the finer, upstanding young men from Florida.

New Year's is always a touchy evening. You have to do something but expectations usually never met unless you're me and your expectations stay low. People are out everywhere, cabs are scarce, and it's freezing cold. It's a night that can either be moderately fun if all goes well or a complete fiasco the other 70% of the time. After some years of experience, I have decided on a few basic rules:

1) Chicago is cold. Don't party hop.
2) Cabs are tough to find. Take no prisoners. If you have to throw bows, or trip somebody, do it.
3a) No all-you can drink specials. You will never, ever get $100 worth of drinks or fun.
3b) Try to coerce a friend to throw a party if no one initiates. If no one wants to, throw a party yourself. Carrie and I did this last year. This year Graham hosted. Parties are good.
4) Plan ahead. Go to the grocery store and buy yourself a couple different kinds of hangover food. It's important to realize that you may not feel like making breakfast in the morning. So, if no one is going to serve you and you don't want to move, buy food that involves minimal thought or preparation. Normally, I like homemade stuff so this is a big departure for me, but I executed this to perfection this year.

5) Don't make plans for New Year's Day. Stay home. Do nothing, unless you're my mom and you got tickets to the Rose Bowl. That is the only exception.

For the record, it's a good thing I bought both because both got some good use today. Chips and salsa also came into play. Lastly, a meatloaf sandwich for dinner capped off a fantastic relaxing day. Now, after having read Ephesians 2:8-10 per Tim Tebow's left and right cheeks, the world is my oyster. Now, for the rest of my night. Do I watch the rest of The Fellowship of the Ring, which we started this afternoon? Maybe some backgammon? Maybe some Wii? Happy New Year and cheers to four-day weekends. Go Bucks!


Song of the Day:


Department of Eagles - Phantom Other

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