Lola's Diner: New Year's Eve

I am so happy to be moving on to 2011. This year has been a rough one. First it was the break-up with Anastasia, then jumping through all the hoops with Social Security, including a hearing and then being denied, then independent evaluations for the insurance company I got my disability benefits from, then just recently losing those benefits, my son tearing a ligament in his ankle requiring crutches and a cast, then my car accident (The damage total is now $7,759.29 and they estimate my car won't be repaired and back to me until after the middle of January. That estimate will go up because they failed to include estimates for damage to my front seats during the accident.), and no job, even though I have been doing everything I can possibly think of to find a job. And my refrigerator completely dying yesterday. My kitchen smells like spoiled meat. It's disgusting and what's sad is that I lost everything from the holiday boxes of food that a local charity delivered.

The relationship failure was a hard one and many lessons learned. There were dating failures. Some of those were learning experiences as well. Along the way I have met many great friends and I've become the most social I've ever been in my life. I can't imagine going through the things I've gone through this year without having these friends. Several have become close and are very supportive and always willing to lend an ear and offer advice. You ladies ROCK! I camped for the first time, and numerous times this year. Who would have thought I was the type to love camping? My daughter was only hospitalized once this year, with everything that has gone on this year, that's a blessing in itself.

No one to smooch at midnight this year. The first time in...wowser, probably my whole lesbian life. I've planned to attend a house party with the group I belong to so I don't have to be home alone. It's a bring your sleeping bag so you don't have to drive home with all the amateur drinkers, otherwise I wouldn't be going out. I could stay sober tonight, but what about all the other drivers on the road?

I have a phone interview on Monday so wish me luck and say some prayers for me.

Here's an early toast for New Year's Eve for all my readers and blog pallies:

May the new year bring you much health, happiness, positive new experiences and many opportunities for growth...both personally and financially.
Happy New Year!

This is a re-post from 2008. Why? Because I lead a really dull life and this is proof positive that wasn't always the case.

I think the most memorable New Year’s Eve was back in the ‘80’s. I was 19 or 20 years old. (The legal drinking age back then was 18.) I had arranged to bar hop with friends by bus. Each of us took a bus to our first stop, which was Wendt’s Bar in Milwaukee. Even though the idea was to bar hop, we stayed there most of the night.

Lei’s, party hats, streamers and horns were aplenty. So much so, that my friends and I wore multiple hats and Lei’s. After ringing in the New Year at Wendt’s, we walked about 2 blocks to another bar. At some point my friend Cindy's mother picked us up and was going to give me a ride home, but there was some arguing going on between Cindy and her Mother. I ended up asking to be dropped off at an intersection about 3 miles from my parent’s house. (Yes, I still lived with my parents.) Taking the bus at that point wasn’t an option because the end of the bus line was less than a mile ahead.

I began walking and stopped at the next bar just to warm up, or so I thought. Apparently wearing 2 Tieras (one forwards, one backwards) a Fez type Happy New Years hat in between them, about 8 lei’s, and more streamers and confetti than I’ve ever seen since, makes you the life of the party. Having never been the life of the party before, I rather enjoyed the attention. Every single patron (and there were still a heck of a lot of people out at the bar at that hour) had to buy me a drink and wish me a Happy New Year. After a very short while I had to switch to plain soda because I could not possibly drink any more alcohol. Around 5:30am I decided I was close to being sober enough to walk the 2 miles home.

So picture this (and I am so glad that I didn’t know anyone at that bar and that no one had a camera.) Picture this, I am walking home (more like stumbling), it’s nearly 6am, the sun has already come up, and I am still wearing the 3 party hats and I still have about 4 Lei’s and streamers and confetti all over me.

I am a freakin'

walking

New Year’s Eve party!

Somehow I managed to walk down 3 streets in our subdivision without being seen by anyone. I also managed to get in the house and into my room, without my parents seeing me come in. The issue here isn’t underage drinking, I was of drinking age. The issue is not having my parents see me looking like a New Year’s Eve Party threw up all over me. My friends thought it was cool, after all, they had just as many party hats, leis, streamers and confetti as I did. Somehow I don’t think my parents would have been impressed.
As you contemplate your New Year's Eve celebration, please:

Use public transportation (some cities over very reduced rates certain hours on NYE/Day or
Designate a driver or
Have a house party and let your guests sleep over.
Be safe!

I want to see you all back to blogging bright and early New Year's Day.
(Ok, maybe after you sleep a little late and have a couple aspirin.)

What was your most memorable New Year's Eve?

Please post it in my comments section.

(If you don't have one yet, please don't try to imitate my exploits.

The hangover for the next day and a half was excruciating.)