New Year's Eve

H put me on the spot and made me promise to stay awake until midnight, which is not something I've done recently. In fact, we're going downtown for dinner and a movie, hopefully timing our exit between 11 and midnight, then finding an appropriate bar in which welcome in the new year.

In my drinking days, New Year's eve was one of the two most unpleasant nights of the year, the other being St. Patty's Day. Why unpleasant? Because the bars were filled with amateurs. In fact, St. Patty's was the worst of the two because of all the green beer being consumed. I tried to get an early start on those days, like 7 a.m., so I'd be home into Oblivionland by the time the amateurs showed their partying selves.

Tonight will be fun. H just left on errands and social duties and won't return till 830, which gives me lots of time to have paella ready for her. And the Oregon game, which I really look forward to, starts at 5. I just hope they wear one of the traditional versions of their uniforms so I don't feel weird rooting for them. I hate most of their uniforms with a passion! In fact, I hate everything Nike has dished out to them, including a new basketball stadium. I've never worn a swish in my life and don't plan to start at this late date. Grumpy old man ha ha. (My antagonism toward Nike has its origins in my business magazine days when I did a feature on the company and was very, very unimpressed with Mr. Honcho and his reply when I asked why Nike didn't support the Arts as well as Sports. I mean, five digits to a small theater company would be a gold mine!)