Ringing in 2015 – Day 2

2015 started on a sober note. Sober, not somber, because we all know new beginnings cannot be somber, because new is nice. Unless ofcourse someone comes up with a master plan to screw up my mood when it is about to strike 12, in which case, it might get a little somber, but knowing me I would quickly turn somber into angry and whack said person really really hard.

Ok, back to the sobriety, I believe two glasses of wine in general means sober, we all know in some countries it even means daily dinner accompaniment. And on New Year’s eve, it is like anti-drunk, which is what I was on the 31^st, when it struck 12. We had finished watching Sherlock S03E01, devoured a bucket of KFC chicken, downed the said two glasses of wine, and were all set to sleep so that we wouldn’t be all groggy and annoyed when Zo decides enough is enough it’s time to play. Which is usually around 6 AM, when the rest of the country is safely tucked into their cosy blankets, including the sun, refusing to come out.

The reason I am stressing so much on this sober state is that this is a first. No, not in forever. I belong to a typical conservative Tam-Brahm family in the 80s-90s which believed in bringing in the New Year, watching the New Year’s special on Doordarshan, after the year end special round up episode of the World this week by Prannoy Roy. The whole family would be tucked in warm razais, and there would be some sweet prepared and stored for eating when the clock struck 12. A memory I look back upon with a nostalgic fondness.

So like I said, not in forever. This sober state was a first in 9 years. By which I mean, I was last un-drunk and not-partying on New Year’s Eve, back when we were bringing in 2006, which also might win the suckiest NYE award for various reasons, except that it brought about 2006, and with it, The Dude, who kind of converted my life into a full-on party for good. So every year, when the clock struck 12, the Dude and I would either be out enjoying the unlimited drinks, or setting up a party at home. (Except in 2010, the one NYE midnight I have no memory of *Shhh*)

But this year, considering we had just returned from a mad trip to Goa (which I’ll not tell more about because, hello, 29 days after this!), I decided we needed to calm down a bit – in terms of the alcohol intake, and also in terms of the need to step out to have a good time. And we did, with our KFC bucket, buy 4 get 4 free wine, and Sherlock.

And it was good, useful even. Like at 12, we were in our bed, so we did a “group huggie” as Zo calls it, only she was asleep and annoyed, wished parents, siblings, and were sleeping by 12:10. Like sensible people. Heh, who am I kidding, like old people. And wake up on time; we did, without a hangover, fresh and bright, something I don’t think any 1^st of Jan has been for almost a decade now. The Dude spent a lot of time on the PS3, while I did some spring cleaning, and followed it up with a lot of reading – a whole book in the one day. And then stepped out for some “window” shopping in the evening, which in my case refers to “taking notes of what is available where so I can try and buy when the trial room queues are shorter”. Overall – super accomplished 1^st day of the New Year.

Will we continue with the same sort of toned down celebration next year? Don’t know. Will we treat this as an aberration and get back to lots of drinking and dancing next year? Don’t know. Do I care to think about next year when this one has just begun? No way. Because who wouldn’t look forward to a year, where the first working day is a Friday?

And honestly, if that isn’t a sign of the awesomeness that is to follow, I don’t know what is.

P.S. The book I read was Sputnik Sweetheart by Murakami and I am still trying to conclude what I think of it.

P.P.S. I know you didn’t ask me, but I wanted to keep a note to help me with topics in days to come.

P.P.P.S. You know what, nothing. I am just fooling around. Don’t go away. Please.