Tuesday Open Thread ~ New Years Eve Edition


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I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it. ~ Neil Gaiman

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Good Morning!

Welcome to Tuesday's Open Thread. As we contemplate the new year, let me take this time to say how much I've appreciated your support and encouragement this past year. It's given me an opportunity to push myself, doubt myself, enjoy the fruits of my labor, and hopefully prepare me for even bigger challenges ahead in the new year. Or as I am calling it; Foresight 2020! So whether you're celebrating tonight with a hot buttered rum by the fireside, or with confetti and champagne, I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year!

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The Wobbly Auld Lang Syne

Say what you will about a holiday that encourages a lot of drinking, over the years it has given me some colorful tales to tell. As a freelancer, I used to go to a lot of professional events during the holidays. Part business, part social, it was an opportunity to network and build relationships. One year, the advertising company I worked for held an elaborate party at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A beautiful but somewhat unorthodox venue for a holiday party, I wondered how good an idea it was mixing liquor with Egyptian antiquities. Fortunately for the art work, the damage inflicted was limited to the guests. Fortunately for me, I learned a very valuable lesson about how drinking at professional gatherings can become a litmus test of your decision making abilities. This became crystal clear to me when a junior ad exec drank too much and ended up on the dance floor. As in sprawled out on the dance floor (and believe me, people never stopped talking about it). Not only was it one of those cringe worthy moments for everyone watching that poor girl being helped up off the floor, it was also very instructive about what your co-workers will say about you when you drink too much.

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Remaining sober at parties can be useful in other ways. Especially if you want to learn a few things about the people you work with. An investment bank I once worked for hosted a very elegant affair at the Rainbow Room. No expense spared, and no significant others. Mischief brewing, very late in the evening, I saw the CEO slow dancing very closely with another freelancer. One of his hands was on the small of her back and the other was in her hair. They were moments away from making out right there on the dance floor when the head of HR grabbed his arm, and pulled him away. Not surprisingly, that was the last time I saw that freelancer again. Although a few months later, I happened to spot the aforementioned CEO at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station nuzzling over martini's with another women who was definitely not his wife. Discretion being the better part of valor, I kept that information to myself, but over the years I heard he hadn't lost his, er, appetite for women or liquor.

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ot potpourri holiday Scarlet-OHara-E.jpg
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Before The Cosmopolitan, There Was The Scarlett O'Hara

A bit tart, a bit sweet, and named after the iconic Southern Belle from Gone With the Wind, this ruby colored cocktail was introduced to me by a friend of mine who grew up in Texas where her Mother used to present it at holiday parties. Popular in the 1950's, this cocktail features a fruity, apricot-like liqueur, which pairs nicely in this beverage with cranberry juice and a dash of lime. So, why not switch things up a little with this retro cocktail and surprise your family and friends?

Ingredients
2 ounces ​Southern Comfort
Dash of ​lime juice
6​ ounces cranberry juice

Instructions

  1. Pour the Southern Comfort and lime juice into a large wine glass filled with ice.
  2. Fill with cranberry juice.
  3. Garnish with a lime wedge.
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Life is a Parade

From the East Coast to the West Coast I've seen my share of parades. In fact living in Manhattan, there's the danger of becoming a bit inured to them. In the Spring there's the St. Patrick's Day Parade. In the Summer we have the Puerto Rican Day Parade. In the Fall there's the Columbus Day Parade, the Halloween Parade, and when the Yankees win the World Series, we have a ticker tape parade. But nothing quite hits the scale in spectacular than the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. A parade I've seen a few times that does actually hit the Wow meter. If you've ever attended this New York Thanksgiving tradition, you'll understand what I'm talking about. Of course, the best vantage point for that parade is not down on the street, it's up above in a building overlooking the parade route. While the details are foggy of how I managed to get a view from a penthouse apartment on Central Park West, I do remember exactly what Woody Woodpecker looked like floating right outside the window. And you know what? The television does not do that parade justice because those balloons are BIG. Like real BIG. Which sort of fits in with the whole Manhattan thing. Big city. Big Balloons.

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ot happy new year rose parade roses up close_0.jpg
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Living here on the West Coast, we have The Tournament of Roses Parade, which fits in nicely with the Pasadena thing. A city that looks like a garden with a parade that is a floating garden. And we Californians take this parade just as seriously as New Yorkers take the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In fact it is my hope one day, as a Trader Joe's employee, to not merely watch the parade, but to be in the parade, walking alongside TJ's float right down Orange Grove Boulevard. Truth is, as cynical as I may seem about a lot of things, there's just something about a parade that gets my blood stirring and my heart singing!

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ot happy new year - bird.jpg
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Years ago, you could wake up really early in the morning on parade day and go see the floats staged on Orange Grove Boulevard. One year while I was visiting my Sister, a group of us agreed to get up early and go see the floats. Yet when the alarm went off at 5:00am, I was the only one dressed and prepared to go. What began as an outing to peek at a few of the floats, turned into an entirely different adventure. In a confluence of confusion and crowds, I was mistakenly barricaded inside the parade route with no where else to go. Not knowing what to do, I sat down on the curb watching the flow of people and activity around me. Behind me several feet away were people bundled up in coats, blankets and sleeping bags, sitting on lawn chairs, who had stayed the entire night in order to see the parade. That they didn't hurl their styrofoam coffee cups at me along with a few salty insults quite frankly surprised me. But they didn't say a thing. No one did. I kept waiting to be escorted out of the parade route but there was so much confusion everyone just ignored me. When I heard the sound of the marching bands playing in the distance, I began to wonder if I was actually going to get away with seeing a parade I didn't buy tickets to. As the first float turned down Orange Grove Boulevard, I got my answer, and within minutes, there was a line of floats moving toward me. Float after gorgeous float paraded right in front of me, people waved at me, brightly uniformed bands from around the world marched by me while I clapped along like a happy fool stunned at my own dumb luck!

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ot happy new year - tiki.jpg
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Back at my Sister's house, everyone sat down for a lovely breakfast wondering where I had gone. Before cell phones that's what people did. Wondered what happened to you when you were not where you were expected to be. Had I a cell phone, I would've taken a selfie in front of the parade and sent it to everyone I knew. But since I didn't, I just enjoyed the parade knowing that when I got back to my Sister's house, I'd have one helluva story to tell.

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ot happy new year - rose parade turtle_0.jpg
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That story is still one I like to tell whenever someone asks me if I have ever seen the Rose Parade. In the years that followed that adventure, I have seen the parade the way others do, by buying tickets and sitting in the stands. While I enjoyed that experience, it still paled in comparison to the feeling I had that crisp January morning when I unexpectedly found myself sitting curbside on New Years Day, close enough to those beautiful floats, I could've reached out and run my fingers across the avocados on the back of one of the most spectacular botanical alligators I've ever seen.

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Well, that about wraps things up for this week's edition.
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What’s on your mind today?
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Anja Geitz's picture

I have a 10am to 6pm shift, so I won't be able to take part in the conversation this morning. Will check in on my lunch break and look forward to hearing from all of you!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

lotlizard's picture

@Anja Geitz  
corporation rather than publicly traded on the stock exchange.

An Aldi brother a day keeps Amazon and Bezos at bay.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@lotlizard

I'm also thankful that TJ's is closed on New Years Day. I intend on going hiking if I can manage my champagne drinking tonite. Lol.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Enjoyed the story too.

Cheers!

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Anja Geitz's picture

@QMS

Loved the Trader Joes float. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with this year.

Have a happy new year QMS!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Lookout's picture

in the summer on founder's day. Mainly old cars, tractors, Shriner cars, and such. Folks come and hang out at the park as the vehicles pass by. The only other event like that is the Bike Ride Across Georgia which usually passes through town, and people line the main street and cheer on the riders.

I think there are a little over 600 folks that live in town - last census anyway - so these are really small events compared to those you describe. I like the spirit of the community gathering.

Have a great NY eve y'all, and sip the cup of kindness!

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPnhaGWBnys]

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“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Anja Geitz's picture

@Lookout

The parade in your town sounds like it would make for a good story too Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Raggedy Ann's picture

I remember going to the Rose Parade but don’t remember my age. My brothers lived in CA so we went every year either summer or Christmas. I remember staying in a hotel and leaving early in the morning to the parade route. It was in the 60’s is all I can say. Spectacular! I still watch it every year.

We have 4th of July and Homecoming parades here. A long Main Street and candy is thrown. It’s a fun time.

Get ready for the new decade!
Happy New Year everyone! Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

Anja Geitz's picture

@Raggedy Ann

I grew up watching the Rose Parade on TV. I can picture you watching it now. Had an invitation to see the parade this morning but I'm feeling a little queasy from too much champagne drinking last night. That'll teach me, eh?

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

WaterLily's picture

I've been pretty scarce these last several months due to life demands, but drop in quickly when I can. Hope to spend more time here starting in January.

Wishing each and every one of you a peaceful, happy 2020. I so appreciate the community we have here!

We'll be in PJs playing games and maybe watching a movie this evening, far away from the amateurs. Smile

Cheers!

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@WaterLily
Scary shit to the professional drinking class.

This maybe or maybe not a good time to discuss time. As it were, here we are. Zooming into the future, trying like hell to leave the past behind. New year, new decade, new set of engagements, entanglements and expectations.

Personally, prefer to slow things down a bit. Room for reflections. Lessons learned. How does the present represent the culmination of that which was and that which may be. An ages olde question.

Where would you like to be tomorrow? How does that imaginary place coincide with today or yesterday? Interesting reflections seen in the crystal ball and mirrors.

Olde and knew. Let us learn from mistaken beginnings and start anew. Apply the realizations to future growth. The how and why we got here. Guiding us forward.

Peace and harmony.

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WaterLily's picture

@QMS I love this.

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@WaterLily
had lying about. Ha!

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Anja Geitz's picture

@WaterLily

Went out last night and drank too much champagne. Recovering right now. Haven't done that in a while and now I know why. My uber driver last night was very young and hadn't been driving for uber very long. All the streets in Pasadena were blocked off because of the parade. I finally had to suggest taking the 210 freeway which traverses over the parade route. New Years Eve craziness. Oy vey!

Wishing you a great New Year Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Here is wishing all a wonderful trip into the New Year and hopes for a new decade. I am in Hawaii visiting with old friends and this is going to be a cultural “new Year” experience for me. One of my hosts is Japanese and we will be celebrating the Japanese style New Year. Yesterday was spent shopping at several Japanese stores to find all the necessary ingredients for the feast.

Today will be spent cooking up such delicacies as Lotus root, burdock root, boiled bamboo shoot as well as a host of other ingredients that she and her friend loaded in our grocery cart. I will bring a salad to the meal because my stomach is in rebellion from the many noodles and rice that I have eaten with little or no greens. This should be a very interesting evening as there will be a mix of many cultures at this dinner and we will be in a house overlooking Waikiki and Honolulu and so the fireworks display should be something to see.

Will take some time to walk along the beach before all the festivities begin and hope for peace and prosperity for all in the future.

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

Anja Geitz's picture

@jakkalbessie

With friends sounds like a marvelous way to kick off the new year. As does the epicurean feast you described. Was there any mochi on the menu? I know that is a popular Japanese dish to include in celebrations. And I just learned the other day that both sweet and savory mocha are served. Sounds very intriguing.

Here's hoping for a very prosperous and peaceful new year for all of us here at C99!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

enhydra lutris's picture

out on parades, San Diego has a ton of them and my folks dragged us off to every one. Little kids don't appreciate the nuance of this drill team versus that one or this band versus that one or even most of the damn floats, they get seriously tedious and boring and there is a whole of standing in the sun. They dragged us up to the Rose Bowl once, went the night before, slept in the car and then went early to snag spots on the curb along the parade route. Much waiting and then yet another parade with admittedly more grandiose floats and arguably sharper bands and drill teams, but yet another damn parade. At any rate, the massive overexposure as a child who'd rather be doing anything other than standing in one spot watching a sea of similarity parade past ruined parades for me forever except for one. The doo dah parade. I doubt that I will ever attend one, but if chunks of one re on TV, I will watch, and, for any unaware of it, I recommend catching one.

Have a great day and New Year's Eve, and a whole New (Gregorian) Year manana.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

dystopian's picture

@enhydra lutris Hat tip EL for mentioning that real socal holy parade, the doo dah parade. There are a bunch of clips on youtube. Some funny stuff. It used to be televised. It was probably cancelled because people were 'getting the wrong idea' about people in LA, even though they weren't. Early on it was also simulcast on FM radio, maybe KLOS, KMET, or KPPC, with Frazier Smith and a couple other of the LA comic DJ's would do the audio, maybe Mary Turner. It could get really funny. Like the days when Flo and Eddie and gang did that (voice-over audio) for old time Sat. and Sun. afternoon movies.

Here is some doo dah now... https://youtu.be/rBJEh8gwcGI

A happy, healthy, safe and happy New Year to all!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

Anja Geitz's picture

@enhydra lutris

Care to toss a few tortillas my way? :). Some very amusing hijinks going on at that Doo Dah parade. My Sister used to dress up for that parade Completely forgot about that one. Never saw it myself but looks like it could be entertaining.

Have a happy New Year!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

earthling1's picture

anniversary of my trip to Sydney, Au.
Watching the fireworks extravaganza from the Opera House was amazing.
Then, catching the first flight out got me back to San Francisco for another new year celebration. Never worried about a Y2K bug bringing the plane down.
Heart goes out to all my Aussie freinds suffering the smoke and wildfires.
Wish everone here a happy new year.

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Neither Russia nor China is our enemy.
Neither Iran nor Venezuela are threatening America.
Cuba is a dead horse, stop beating it.

snoopydawg's picture

@earthling1

'Unprecedented National Crisis': Australians Flee to the Water as Fires Consume Coastal Town on Southern Coast in Victoria

The fires are still only being fought by volunteer fire fighters. Just unbelievable.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Anja Geitz's picture

@earthling1

I have a similar one of Berlin in 2000 by the Bradenburg gate. I've always wondered why fireworks on NYE isn't more of a thing here in the states as it is everywhere else?

Terrible news about Australia. Just too sad for words.

Hope you have a good new year!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

snoopydawg's picture

'Tasteless': Australian PM Condemned for Hosting Fireworks-Laden Party While Country Burns

'Tasteless': Australian PM Condemned for Hosting Fireworks-Laden Party While Country Burns

As bushfires choked out the sky, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison enjoyed a lavish New Year's Eve party, complete with fireworks—earning him sharp criticism from both his constituents and from green advocates around the world.

"The arrogance of this government is beyond belief," activist Erik Standing Bear wrote in a Facebook post. "Another firefighter has lost his life. Several people are missing but government and certain people need to have their party. Disgraceful."

Morrison's decision to host the party at the prime minister's secondary residence Kirribilli House in Sydney despite the fires burning around the country and the volunteers working overtime to mitigate the damage was seen as the latest slap in the face to a weary nation and world tired of inaction on climate.

I feel like Debbie Downer this morning reporting on all of the horrible news hitting today. Tomorrow it will be a century since the country went through the roaring 20's followed by the great depression and we are right back to the wealth inequality numbers were in back then. Welcome back to our Robber Baron overlords. Thanks congress of so many sessions. Viva la France.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Anja Geitz's picture

@snoopydawg

Yeah. There's a lot of WTF to pick from these days, that's for sure. Sometimes it's difficult to reconcile what's happening out there with what many of us are trying to build in our own lives. Here's hoping for a better year for everyone Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

snoopydawg's picture

Lots more photos here

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

smiley7's picture

Made a wonderful Butternut and white bean soup yesterday; thought of you. Touches of lemon and maple syrup set it off, yummy.

Quiet evening here as i partied last night and have to work tomorrow.

Good story, could see you sitting on the curb. In university, i inherited being in charge of the annual Beat Duke float parade, great fun building the floats with the sonority houses.

Never did made it down the mtn. to a TJ's for the special champagne, bummer, maybe next year ...

Happy New Year.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@smiley7

I never thought to pair those together, but that sounds like it could work well!

Thank you so much for being who you are all year round. I've really enjoyed the interplay Smile

All my best to you and everyone else here on C99!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

dystopian's picture

A great Rose Parade story Anja! Happy New Year!

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We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
both - Albert Einstein

Anja Geitz's picture

@dystopian

Thanks for stopping by! Happy New Year to you too!

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

janis b's picture

Thank you for your wonderfully entertaining OTs, and all that you celebrate in life.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@janis b

So good to see you. Hope you enjoyed your holidays. Always a crazy time of year! Celebrating can be fun but I'm definitely ready for a little rest. Smile

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier