Another year in the can, though the completion of another year of my life doesn't seem like a thing to celebrate now I am almost certainly nearer to my last one than my first one. But 2010 has been a good year for me and I have made good progress both with my career and my attempts to grow up (I think I am now as mature as an average 25 year old, so am really coming on). I think I will he hard pushed to have a year where I get as much done as I did in 2010, but we shall see.
Today though, blog writing aside, I took it easy. I watched Toy Story 3 this afternoon, which I enjoyed and which managed to induce a few tears (that's twice I have cried in one month, what is wrong with me?). Fittingly perhaps it was due to the stuff about leaving behind childish things as you grow older. That bridgeway between childhood and adulthood is a tough adjustment for us and those close to us. Especially if we have toys that come to life. But even if they get passed on to another generation of kids, eventually they are going to end up in the incinerator.
It's been three years since I was in the country for New Year and I have quite enjoyed the tradition of escaping the day. But this time, because of my London run, I have to stay in town and went to a party at my friend Al's. I thought I might be pressured into drinking, but everyone seemed relaxed about me drinking orange juice and Oasis and at the very least I got through five and a half months of 2010 without drinking alcohol. It feels like a lifestyle choice now. I am sure I will make it to at least six months now, but whether I get through my much anticipated holiday at the end of the month is another question. It didn't dampen my enjoyment tonight, though perhaps hastened my exit. It's not enormous fun being sober in a room full of drunks.
Al had instituted quite a neat idea to the party, asking us all to bring in something from 2010 that we wanted to leave behind us, which he would burn in a brazier he had bought especially. It's been a good year where I have been pleased with nearly everything I have done and it was hard to think of something to burn. Others had gone for letters from exes, bad reviews, bank related paraphernalia and even divorce folders. In the end I plumped for one of my velcro Hitler moustaches. I was glad to see the back of the actual moustache and I don't think I will be returning to that style again (except for maybe Charlie Chaplin's birthday). But it's also good to leave a show behind and move on to the next thing. So the symbolic burning of some velcro (and a show programme) was as much in celebration of a project that I am proud of as delight in not having to walk around looking like such a dick any more.
I reminisced with my girlfriend about our last three new years - the last two together in
Mauritius and
Grenada (which still is the one to beat), and 2007
when we had not yet got together, but I was hopeful that we would and where I stayed at home alone. I've been in love with her on four new year's eves now and delighted that on three of them she has been by my side and being kissed in the first seconds of the new year. I had difficulty remembering much about the years previous to that though. I thought Warming Up might help, but actually I was generally quite cagey. So although I know
I had a party in 2006, I don't really remember anything that happened (maybe I didn't the next morning either), and I don't know what I did in
the evening of 2005 exactly, though I know who I was with. In 2004
I had another lonesome one after a gig, and
2003 was the year that my party was crashed by Chrissie Hynde.
In 2002
I went to a party with my then girlfriend, but didn't know anyone and wrote an entry that didn't quite make sense. 2001? I don't know. Though I do recall 2000. Who doesn't?
But how was that 11 years ago? The fireworks by the Thames looked a whole lot more impressive this year than the River of Fire we were meant to have back then, anyway.
Happy New Year and thanks for the support in 2010.
