Of New Years Eve

Firstly, and most importantly, I wish all of you the best for 2011.2010 was pretty much an awful year for me. In fact, I’d put it down as one of the worst years I’ve ever had to endure.But there were highlights. And there are people who have arrived into my world that were unexpected and have added so much to my life.It’s a funny thing, assigning such a lot of importance to a date. A date that isn’t internationally or culturally recognised. Personally, I don’t believe in resolutions based around the 1st of January. I think if you’re going to set your mind to doing something then just do it.But that being said, New Years Eve is a great way to focus on purging the past and looking forward to the future. And I am.My New Years Eve really didn’t shape up well.The friends I’d usually spend it with were out of town. The new friends I’d like to spend it with were out of town. The family members I’d optionally spend it with, were out of town. The loves I’d spend it with, were out of town.I felt isolated.So, I went out for a drive to Piha. To read and to relax and blow out the cobwebs. And it was the best thing I could do to stop obsessing about me. God. I’m pathetic.Getting back into town, the afternoon went OK - I relaxed, exercised, napped, went to my local bar and chatted to the Manager for a while.  At home I listened to 80’s music. Duran Duran, Dire Straits. I really had to do anything I could to avoid Glee on TV. I pretty much knew that this night was not going to end well..All my New Years plans went out the window. Friends that I were going to spend time with couldn’t. So, it’s 9:30pm and I am sitting writing this.It occurred to me that I really didn’t have a lot of people to send Happy New Year txt messages to. Which bothered me a lot.And then they started to arrive. Messages from old friends. Messages from new friends. Emails. Tweets.I realise that I’m not at all isolated. I have a global group of real friends. Friends that on the surface are ‘electronic’ but I have no doubt that if I called for help, would be there in real life to help.2010 has been a shit year. But 2011 is shaping up to be awesome.To those of you who have encouraged, cared and loved me this year, I thank you. To those of you who have judged, misunderstood and stabbed me in the back this year, fuck you.I’m off to the Neighbourhood Bar in Kingsland, Auckland to see in the New Year. The staff there know my name. And they’re amazing. See you in 2011.Simon.