A decade
So it's a new year. On the 21st of December in 2012 the Apocalypse was to occur. I've been living life as though it had happened. I did absolutely nothing of note with my 2013. It was by far the least productive year during which I've had the pleasure of not dying. I can only hope I get my ducks in a row this year. The plan is in place for me to do that .. but I know I need to follow through with the plan. Anyway- since it's a new year; I want to list how I've celebrated the past New Years'.
2003/2004: At a stop sign. I had just gotten my Frankie, the sexy grey brick of a BMW, a few days prior. Eric and Andrew in Eric's car along with Andrea and me in my car were driving back to Andrea's place to see the ball drop. Time management was never my strong suit, and I've done little to aid myself in that area of my life. So.. we missed the ball drop. I was at a stop sign as the radio announced the new year and immediately started playing 'New Year's Day' by U2. How.. kitsch.
2004/2005: Kamp Club in Providence. Ahh senior year of high school. Eric had done a skosh of modeling at Barbizon in 2004. He met some, well, interesting people in the program. He officially was out, too. Two of his friends from the modeling biz invited him to go a NYE party at the club. So George, Taylor, and I met up with Eric and his two sassy amigas at the club and danced the night away. I remember I had wore as an ensemble a lime green tee shirt (probably from fancy-schmancy Macy's), a royal blue tie skinny tie around my neck, a grey blazer (I bought at the salvation army for a farthing), black denim pants, and a pair of running sneakers. Wow, I was trying so hard to be so 80's. Was I ringing in '05 or '85? Lawllzzz.
2005/2006: At Brenna's house. I dunno how the hell we ended up at her place. Brenna, Taylor, George, Eric, and I were home on winter break. We hadn't see each other in about 3.5 months or so. George and Eric were dating now. It was slightly awkward; because I had feelings for George that summer. I was out now, too. We all ended up watching 'Titanic'. It was weird. But, doesn't everyone try to hang on to their close high school friends during college? "We're gonna be friends forever!!" right? Pah!
2006/2007: First night in Boston. I met Jason that autumn. We became pretty close friends over those few months. It was decided that Jason and I would meet up with two of his high school friends (he was a year below me- so he was doing what I was doing the previous year..) in Boston. James and Terry were their names. They quasi-dated in high school. It was a fun night. I didn't get a kiss, but, I got a bro side-hug from Jason. He was still a little self conscious around his friends. D'awww!
2007/2008: Jason's dorm. Ugh.. this one should have been so much better. Jason and I were going to spend the night alone in his dorm (as his roomies were gone on break), but Matt Marando ended up with us. I liked Matt a lot.. and I don't think he meant to end up as the third wheel. I'm pretty sure his brother cancelled so he hung out with us. Bless Matt's heart- he didn't get the hint. Oh well, it could have been worse.
2008/2009: Some party in Brighton. I was working at Legal's at this time. Eric was at a party in Brighton with his starbucks friends. He invited Val and me (since we both were working that night) to the party. Val invited her potential beau Tim and I invited my friend Sean along. He was a newly out boy from Wentworth. He was cute. After the party we dispersed. Sean and I ended up at his family's income property in Southie. We had some more champagne and fell asleep on the sectional. Innocent and playful all in one.
2009/2010: The Four's in Norwell. Time to ring in a new decade! I was working at the Summer Shack now. I closed the restaurant with a few people- one of whom was Danielle. We got out of the establishment way after 11. She knew the bartender on at the Four's that night and suggested we go there. There were a few others around the bar- not crowded but not desolate. It was actually a decent atmosphere. She and I rang in the new year with schmaltzy knockoff Champagne in a cute gay boy/straight 20 year old girl kind of way. She was adorbs.
2010/2011: In line for Club Cafe. Giuseppe and I were meeting some friends at club cafe. Again, we were late. Probably on the account I didn't want to pay for parking; so I parked in a free spot and lugged the poor boy 10 blocks to the club. Anyway, they let people into the club in groups of 15 or so. Gup and I were the last to be cut off. So, at midnight, he and I were the first two outside of the door waiting to get in. Didn't stop us from making out like horny devils, but, whatever. YOLO, as the children say.
2011/2012: My parent's driveway. Ugh.. not a good one. I was living at a sober house waiting to get into residential treatment. New Years fell on a weekend so I could take a weekend pass. Fresh out of rehab and maybe 45 days sober, I drove into Boston and got blackout drunk. I'm not sure how, but I managed to make it back to my parents' place. Just.. bad, all the way around.
2012/2013: Providence Alca-thon. Sober for this bad Larry. Went to the church where I normally attended my Saturday night meeting. There were three meetings each separated by a half hour mingling period- beginning at 7:30. It was enjoyable enough. Mostly joked around with Sean all night. By 12:01, we were on the road on our way back home. Meh.
2013/2014: Bed. I had watched part of the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ft. Ryan Seacrest and Ms. Griffin and Mr. Cooper during the plentiful commercial breaks. At 11:52 I went to bed. I heard the fireworks from towns away go off a few minutes later. I knew I had begrudgingly made it through another calendar year.
So. Those are the past 10 12/31-1/1 of my life. If you told me 10 years ago that those would be how I would ring in the next decade's worth of years.. I probably would have unbuckled my seatbelt and not tested out the brakes at the stop sign in Frankie back then. Nyuk nyuk nyuk.
Only I can ensure the next ones are enjoyable. Here's to 10 more. Happy 2014.
-Brian
2003/2004: At a stop sign. I had just gotten my Frankie, the sexy grey brick of a BMW, a few days prior. Eric and Andrew in Eric's car along with Andrea and me in my car were driving back to Andrea's place to see the ball drop. Time management was never my strong suit, and I've done little to aid myself in that area of my life. So.. we missed the ball drop. I was at a stop sign as the radio announced the new year and immediately started playing 'New Year's Day' by U2. How.. kitsch.
2004/2005: Kamp Club in Providence. Ahh senior year of high school. Eric had done a skosh of modeling at Barbizon in 2004. He met some, well, interesting people in the program. He officially was out, too. Two of his friends from the modeling biz invited him to go a NYE party at the club. So George, Taylor, and I met up with Eric and his two sassy amigas at the club and danced the night away. I remember I had wore as an ensemble a lime green tee shirt (probably from fancy-schmancy Macy's), a royal blue tie skinny tie around my neck, a grey blazer (I bought at the salvation army for a farthing), black denim pants, and a pair of running sneakers. Wow, I was trying so hard to be so 80's. Was I ringing in '05 or '85? Lawllzzz.
2005/2006: At Brenna's house. I dunno how the hell we ended up at her place. Brenna, Taylor, George, Eric, and I were home on winter break. We hadn't see each other in about 3.5 months or so. George and Eric were dating now. It was slightly awkward; because I had feelings for George that summer. I was out now, too. We all ended up watching 'Titanic'. It was weird. But, doesn't everyone try to hang on to their close high school friends during college? "We're gonna be friends forever!!" right? Pah!
2006/2007: First night in Boston. I met Jason that autumn. We became pretty close friends over those few months. It was decided that Jason and I would meet up with two of his high school friends (he was a year below me- so he was doing what I was doing the previous year..) in Boston. James and Terry were their names. They quasi-dated in high school. It was a fun night. I didn't get a kiss, but, I got a bro side-hug from Jason. He was still a little self conscious around his friends. D'awww!
2007/2008: Jason's dorm. Ugh.. this one should have been so much better. Jason and I were going to spend the night alone in his dorm (as his roomies were gone on break), but Matt Marando ended up with us. I liked Matt a lot.. and I don't think he meant to end up as the third wheel. I'm pretty sure his brother cancelled so he hung out with us. Bless Matt's heart- he didn't get the hint. Oh well, it could have been worse.
2008/2009: Some party in Brighton. I was working at Legal's at this time. Eric was at a party in Brighton with his starbucks friends. He invited Val and me (since we both were working that night) to the party. Val invited her potential beau Tim and I invited my friend Sean along. He was a newly out boy from Wentworth. He was cute. After the party we dispersed. Sean and I ended up at his family's income property in Southie. We had some more champagne and fell asleep on the sectional. Innocent and playful all in one.
2009/2010: The Four's in Norwell. Time to ring in a new decade! I was working at the Summer Shack now. I closed the restaurant with a few people- one of whom was Danielle. We got out of the establishment way after 11. She knew the bartender on at the Four's that night and suggested we go there. There were a few others around the bar- not crowded but not desolate. It was actually a decent atmosphere. She and I rang in the new year with schmaltzy knockoff Champagne in a cute gay boy/straight 20 year old girl kind of way. She was adorbs.
2010/2011: In line for Club Cafe. Giuseppe and I were meeting some friends at club cafe. Again, we were late. Probably on the account I didn't want to pay for parking; so I parked in a free spot and lugged the poor boy 10 blocks to the club. Anyway, they let people into the club in groups of 15 or so. Gup and I were the last to be cut off. So, at midnight, he and I were the first two outside of the door waiting to get in. Didn't stop us from making out like horny devils, but, whatever. YOLO, as the children say.
2011/2012: My parent's driveway. Ugh.. not a good one. I was living at a sober house waiting to get into residential treatment. New Years fell on a weekend so I could take a weekend pass. Fresh out of rehab and maybe 45 days sober, I drove into Boston and got blackout drunk. I'm not sure how, but I managed to make it back to my parents' place. Just.. bad, all the way around.
2012/2013: Providence Alca-thon. Sober for this bad Larry. Went to the church where I normally attended my Saturday night meeting. There were three meetings each separated by a half hour mingling period- beginning at 7:30. It was enjoyable enough. Mostly joked around with Sean all night. By 12:01, we were on the road on our way back home. Meh.
2013/2014: Bed. I had watched part of the Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ft. Ryan Seacrest and Ms. Griffin and Mr. Cooper during the plentiful commercial breaks. At 11:52 I went to bed. I heard the fireworks from towns away go off a few minutes later. I knew I had begrudgingly made it through another calendar year.
So. Those are the past 10 12/31-1/1 of my life. If you told me 10 years ago that those would be how I would ring in the next decade's worth of years.. I probably would have unbuckled my seatbelt and not tested out the brakes at the stop sign in Frankie back then. Nyuk nyuk nyuk.
Only I can ensure the next ones are enjoyable. Here's to 10 more. Happy 2014.
-Brian