New Years... expectations and resolutions...

I guess it should come as no surprise that I'll be spending this New Years Eve alone. I'm dating a musician and a good one at that. Still... he was supposed to play locally so I had hope. It's interesting, isn't it, how that NYE kiss at midnight has passed from tradition straight into superstition? I'm not sure what bad thing is supposed to happen... but some HORRIBLE fate awaits those without a responsive pair of lips for that midnight between December the 31st and January 1st. Here's what I expect out of my NYE now. I'll probably hang out with my gay boyfriends in a club... get hugs and kisses from friends and be home by 12:30. I don't want to spend my last holiday freebie day off with a hangover... so I don't want to drink too much. I'll have a good time but probably not a GREAT time on my New Years Eve without Keith... I'll get a call from him for my midnight, though probably not for his since he'll be playing.

I want something from this brand New Year... I want to find a direction. It seems my newly earned BA gets me nowhere. I've got to decide what direction (educationally) I should enhance myself in order to live a satisfied and hopefully more prosperous life. Oh... and I hereby resolve to try to fold AND put away the laundry as it comes from the dryer instead of waiting untill I have a ginormous mountain of laundry (credit goes to Keith for creating this un productive habit!!).

So I hope every one I know has a wonderous NYE, just enought Champagne, and no headache for your Bowl game watching enjoyment!!

Happy New Year..

Lauren

All I want for christmas is....

Ok not my two front teeth.. I got those a long time ago, and i don't think it was at Christmas time. What is it about growing up that makes you change the kinds of things you want? When you're a kid all you really want is toys. No matter what your age there are ALWAYS toys marketed for you. I could want an I-Pod or a lap top, a flat screen TV or jewelry. I don't deny that if someone should want to give me those things I'd be really excited but they aren't what i actively want. I want a fence for my dogs, a gas range for my kitchen. I want a job that I love and peace just in my family. I want someone I love to snuggle up with, and cold doggie noses in the morning to wake me. Thankfully i have that someone to snuggle with, and my corgi kisses anytime i want them. Peace has never been achieved in my family..too much missdirected passion... so I'll just hope for a truce. The gas range would be nice but I can live without.... So I guess my biggest wish is for a fence... my angels would love to have it and it would make them so much safer. Here are the reasonable gifts I'd like should anyone ask.

-Home depot cards... towards that fence or other home projects
-TJ Maxx Cards.. can you say HomeGoods?!?!
-Ornaments for my tree... I have my first real tree this year and the ornaments are kind of impersonal (I really want a corgi ornament!!)
-picture frames or albums
-Happy Legs (for those of you who don't know its a dog training device)
-old Julia Roberts movie "Something to Talk About"
- any CSI or Law and Order season (except SVU season 4 got it)

So anyway, there is not much I don't have that I really need and the love and time I get to have with my family and friends it worth more than anything I could ask for.

La

Why don't we get drunk and....!?!? View from the Audience

Oh my!! I spent the weekend nights down town watching Keith play at a bar on Printers Alley. The bars he usually plays downtown on the Broadway strip are older vacationers and yuppie 20 somthing locals catching some local culture. Printer's Alley is a different story. Long known for the none too classy Brass Stables "show bar" (a very tactful euphemism for a strip joint) and the run down musician's hang out Fiddle and Steel, the clientele is, in general, a little rougher. Even the 20 something yuppies who venture into Printer's Alley are looking to do something OTHER than mind their manners.

The night started pretty deserted... maybe 6-10 transient patrons in the hours between opening (about 8 pm) and 10 pm. As the night picked up the crowd got drunker. Their were possibly about 35 or 40 people by the end of the night with two notably drunk women left after closing. One had had to be bodily pried of the stage where she'd been grinding on the front man. Both had to be carried out after they couldn't be convinced to leave after closing. The next night the owner of said fine establishment was drunk by 10 pm and continued to drink into oblivion. He made rude, lewd, sexually suggestive, racist and homophobic commentary over the PA. He once again proved the truism : Drunk people should not have microphones... especially remote cordless models that project from far away. They will say ANYTHING to get a reaction.

As is his habit, Keith wowed the owner and the rest of the band. He's been offerred the standing gig... but it remains to be seen if he'll take it. It pays $100 a night, but he works for 8 hours with no break, no tips, and an obnoxious crowd. I hope he gets something else.. he's really worth more, and he's exhausted all weekend.