Another Aud Lang Syne

Yes, my dear friends, it’s the end of yet another year.  2008 was a lot like life always is – some great moments, some horrible ones, and everything in between.  And as I sit here watching the Disney Channel New Year’s Eve show with the Girl, with the Boy tucked into his crib, I’m pretty much exactly where I imagined I’d be, and I’m quite happy about that.

Still, on a night like tonight, all eyes are turned to Times Square in the heart of the big city.  When people from outside the area hear I’m from NYC, they often tell me that it’s a dream to be in the “Crossroads of the World” when the ball drops.  I can understand that.  They HAVEN’T been there.   As someone who has been there, I can tell you exactly what it is like.  Crowded.  Surrounded by drunk people.  Crazy yelling people.  Crazy yelling drunk people.  Crazy yelling drunk people pushing you over.  You get the drift.

But my memory isn’t all imperfect.  For year I did to the Times Square thing also happened to be one of my coolest NYE memories.  In fact, it’s one of my favorite NY moments ever.

Any New Yorker knows that the City is just waiting to give you a moment that is yours and yours alone, and one you will never forget.  This was such a moment.

It was either 1988 or 1989, can’t remember exactly what year this evening started out in.  We partied, for sure, but that’s not the memory that comes back to me.  After spending the night out with friends, we retired after midnight to the apartment belonging to the grandmother of one of the revelers.  It was a rent-controlled beauty, right around the corner from Lincoln Center.  A 1 bedroom with an alcove that served as a guest room.  There was room for all of us, and we crashed.

The next morning, we awoke early, as we had to clear out before Grandma got home.  I needed to head downtown to Grand Central to catch a train up to Westchester, where I was living.  It had started to snow, with the streets and sidewalks quickly enveloped in a snowy white blanket.  I headed to the nearest subway station, intending to take a train and stay out of the cold and wet snow.  However, when I got into the station, you could only get through if you had a token, and there was no token clerk on duty.  FAIL.  I headed outside, planning to hail a cab or get to the next subway station for a train.  But once I got there, I noticed a calm over the city.  It was as if I was the only person in the entire city, experiencing the calm of a snowstorm all alone.  I walked down through Central Park for some extra calm.  I saw about 5 people total, which made it even more special.  It was a morning to remember, for sure, as it made me realize why I live in NY in the first place.  Because the magic is there, just waiting for you to find it.

Happy 2009 – may all your dreams come true in the new year.  I can count many of mine that already have.