Yes it's a time to reflect on the year gone by, but that doesn't take very long these days. (Remember in primary school when the year went sooooo sssslllooowwww, and now I think I'm still tired from not enough sleep last NYE) I could focus on the year coming, but I'll barely get through thinking about January and it will be February already. I'm not one for New Year's resolutions. I never keep them and I'm old enough to know that I never will.
However, despite the fact I may not enjoy the occasion all that much, it's still a memorable time, so on this New Year's Eve Eve (still one sleep to go in Canada) I'm going to take a trip down memory lane.
2000: New Year's Eve had never been so anticipated. Was the world going to end? Were we going to lose all our money in the bank? Would our mobile phone networks die? Turns out, none of the above. The most eventful thing about this NYE was me trying to stay awake. Mum and Dad hosted a party at the farm (my uncle was visiting from Canada) and I struggled to make it to midnight.
2003: Finally I was old enough to be left unsupervised for a NYE. I spent it at Sisters Beach with my friends (THE place to be on NYE once upon a time). There was a lot of drinking (not by me) and a lot of trashing what is usually a gorgeous area (again not me). What did I do? Spent most of the night avoiding some guy because no, I did not want to go for a "walk" on the beach.
2005: Ah the Falls Festival. Year's later it's still THE thing to do on NYE. I was never a big fan. This year I was working during the day but trekked back out in the evening to camp. The only thing I really remember was having a fight with my then-boyfriend.
2008: Off to the Burnie Beach for the fireworks, but before the clock struck 12 I ran away, went home and watched Clueless. The reason: avoiding a boy (I seem to do a lot of this on NYE).
2009: Ok my best NYE so far. I made no plans, bought a bottle of champagne and sat at home and watched Casablanca. This is the only NYE tradition I may repeat.
2010: This New Year's Eve comes a close to second to the year before. The girls and I went to the beach, watched the fireworks, and were all in bed at a reasonable hour. We weren't hungover, we weren't tired and the fireworks were pretty.
2011: Another reason I always associate NYE with being a dud. I finished work at 11, went to the beach with friends at 11.30, caught the bus home at 12.10am, drove back downtown town to cart all my friends back to their house. In bed by 1am.
2012: Well who knows. I have a huge day at work (shifts at both my jobs), will finish late and have got a copy of Casablanca just in case.
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| New Year's Day fireworks at the 2009 Burnie Carnival |
Was that a bit depressing? Perhaps. But just because I don't enjoy NYE, doesn't mean I spend the whole time feeling sorry for myself. Perhaps a quick reflection on the very awesome memories I have of this time of year (excluding NYE) is needed.
Taste of Tasmania: Only the best event ever! How can it not be? A 10-day event dedicated to eating and drinking outside in the sun. I've already seen some pictures of the latest berry platter at the 2011 event and all I can say to those people is that I hope you ate so much that you felt sick. Not just slightly sick, but never-want-to-eat-again type of sick. Top it off with the boats coming in from the Sydney to Hobart and you have yourself a very nice few days.
New Year's Day Sports: The North-West Coast's greatest tradition. A day of running, cycling and woodchopping. Not by me of course. I'd spend it eat numerous bags of 50c lollies and steak sandwiches. And lying upside down on the cycling track to watch the fireworks.
Tapas in Salamanca: This is a relatively new tradition for me, and one I'm not sure when I'll get to enjoy again. Christmas brings a lot of friends back to Hobart. And Salamanca in the summer, well it doesn't get much better. Unless accompanied with little bits of food and lots of wine. The most memorable? Ordering one of everything off the menu at a new tapas bar. It wasn't until later that we realised how annoying that must have been for the kitchen.
