What will you do for New Year's?

NYE used to be a big deal for me when I was younger and lived in a place that had lots of central parties going on for the festivities. I remember getting all dolled up and going to rather expensive and immense parties with countdowns and fireworks but at this point in my life I don't think I would even know that it was New Year's Eve until the fireworks went off at midnight, pissing my dog off and waking me up in my bed. I am normally in my bed before 10pm on most nights and since my job is not one that is attached to a calendar it is not uncommon for me to not really even know what day it was.

This year on Christmas I wasn't really familiar with the fact that it even was Christmas until I was wandering around on my bicycle and just happened upon a bunch of people with santa hats on all at a pub that I frequent. I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade and think it is great that people have fun getting together on these days but it just isn't important to me.

src

I'm not sure exactly when this began but I suspect it was right around the time that I moved to SE Asia. New Year is important over here, but I think it is significantly less so than in the west and a lot of this has to do with the fact that they haven't really focused so much on monetizing it. Commercialism isn't as big of a thing over here as far as I can tell and I suppose I could be a bit wrong about that because I am not a citizen of these countries that I have called home for the past near 20 years. It just doesn't seem as evidently a money-making situation here as it was when I called USA my home.

One of the main reasons why I don't get excited about having a big party on NYE is because of the fact that most of the people I know that are in the expat community don't have traditional jobs and therefore any ol' Tuesday could just turn into a massive party for no reason at all. Most of us don't have an employer breathing down our necks to be at such and such place at such and such o'clock so the notion of getting plastered until 2 in the morning is something that almost all of us are capable of whenever we feel like it, not just special occasions.

src

As a member of the expat community it is not at all uncommon to see people horrendously drunk on any day of the week. This is especially true in both Thailand and Vietnam because if you are drunk and disorderly, the police are extremely unlikely to do anything about it. Also, since the populations of both of these countries are so polite and mind their own business, the general public is also very unlikely to do anything about it as well. This isn't necessarily a good thing but I do kind of appreciate the fact that the public and the authorities kind of leave others alone even if what they are doing is kind of a nuisance.

I almost never get so drunk that I even have the opportunity to make a scene and even if I was at that level, I have enough self control to know when it is time for me to go home and this results in me normally getting started partying before dinnertime and also arriving home before 9 or 10 pm. This may have something to do with my age as well because if I am out and I look at my watch and it is even past 8pm, I feel like I need to start to make a move to get home. I am almost NEVER out past midnight and this is a very different me that existed all those years ago.

I recall being in my early 20's in college and we wouldn't even leave the house until around 10pm. These days this notion just sounds crazy to me now. You mean to tell me that you aren't going to even get STARTED until 10? At that time of day most of the time for me I am in my living room contemplating if it is time to adjourn to the bedroom.

Special occasions like New Year's have very little bearing on how late I am going to stay out and if I was a betting man, I would put money on the belief that I will be at home, probably under some blankets before the parties around this city even get bumpin.

One things is for certain: I will definitely be home before midnight because my fluff-bunny is terrified of fireworks and will be extremely scared if I am not there to comfort her. That is my "go home before 12" insurance policy.

Whatever it is that you end up doing for tonight, be it a crazy party or just being asleep before the bell for 12 even rings, I hope it is a good one.