Thursday, January 03, 2008

A Different Kind of Start To the Year

It struck me sometime after the team that couldn't beat App State made Tebow cry (shirt not likely appearing on EDSBS: Tim Tebow: Cryingest Heisman Winner Ever!) just how different my start to 2008 was.

From the end of 2002 to the end of 2006, I was in Athens.
For as long as I can remember New Year's Eve, I was on the east coast (there may have been a visit out of state to the grandparents, but it would have had to have been prior to even preschool days and I don't remember much from ages 0-3.)
During that '02-'06 I was either seeing at least one band where I knew most of the members, was at a party where I knew at least 2/3rds of the attendees or both.

And also during that '02-'06 I was either getting over a breakup and/or crushing rejection from someone I was at least quite smitten with, or attempting to make something happen with someone I was at least quite smitten with.

The end of 2007 was different.

Oh sure, I registered the time zone part right away. And let me tell you as a lifelong east coaster: it's a weird feeling for ABC to cut to the ball dropping in Times Square and a room full of people muster nothing more than "...happy new year...east coast...meh..." or something like that.

I wonder if this throws people used to Central Time for a loop when they've gone east for the holidays too.

But anyway, I figure different is good. Other than briefly cursing being at a party chock-full of couples around 1am EST, it's a nice feeling to start a new year not keeping myself up at not because ______ did/didn't do _______. Not obsessing about plans to win someone over/win someone back frees up more mental energy to do things like:
A. Admit I was wrong about Willie Martinez. He's turned into a badass DC, and it actually didn't even take the brilliant gameplan vs. Hawai'i for me to realize this. When Pet Rhino fled in the dead of night to Fayetteville, thus freeing up the Falcons' staff and making Brian VanGorder available for any school to hire, at no point did "we should hire him back" cross my mind. He was great when he was here, particularly making halftime adjustments, but since the UT game no offense was a threat to us. And David Cutcliffe and Erik Ainge aren't setting foot in Sanford Stadium next year.
B. Enjoy New Orleans. I was last there in 1994, and while I'm sure there were bars that would serve an 8th grader, my appreciation for the place has gone up now that I have fully experienced The French Quarter.
C. Wish Atlanta had New Orleans liquor laws. I got into to town on a Sunday night. We went to the grocery store (which had displays for Jack Daniels and Crown Royal--which you could buy along with Combos and frozen gumbo) and bought beer around 9pm. Later we went to the quarter. It was packed. When we finally, drunkenly boarded the limo and the place seemed to be slowing down...it was 6am.
Now sure, going out til 6am on a work night wouldn't be something on the agenda a lot for me here...but there are far too many Monday holidays (MLK and President's day to name two) and it'd be nice to actually go out and do something other than visit a sports bar or the movie theater the last night of a three-day holiday weekend.

And all told, it's a nice nearly clean slate start. A job I don't hate, and no romantic entanglements (but living in a city that isn't predominately full of 18-22 year-olds. Ok, so that's not totally a plus. And neither are the Auburn, Florida, UT, et al alums. But there's over 4 million people here, and a better music scene--at least for the past couple of years--so I figure my dating odds are better. I suppose in a pinch I could go ahead and include Athens too...but my commute takes the joy out of driving and 70+ miles each way is a long way. I'm not going to say "no way" but I'd rather make a road trip with someone. It's ok, you can go "aww" for the last line.)

Happy New Year

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