New Year's Eve

Daughters Stacey and Barbra

 Well this is it, December 31^st, 2011, the final day of the year.  I asked a bunch of people this week what they were doing tonight.  The younger ones, like my daughters, were both going out—dinners, nightclubs, concerts, but the older ones—the old fogies like you know who--were either staying home or going out to eat and then back home or to a friend's.  Quiet.  Safe.  Most were praying they could keep their eyes open till midnight. 

“But if Dick Clark could do it…”, someone said.   That would be their first challenge for 2012.

I tried to remember our many new years’ eves and most blended together.

We once we paid a bundle to see the Fifth Dimension in the early nineties.  I was so excited.  They used to be huge with their hits “Aquarius’ and “Wedding Bell Blues.”  Yes, they'd been sliding in the charts, but with Marilyn McCoo’s perfect voice, and the rest of the group.  I didn’t care that they hadn’t had a hit in awhile.  Kids had no taste.

Thrilled, I sat at the edge of my seat, applauding deliriously when they made their entrance and continued clapping until the group wasted half the concert swooning to gospel songs.  What the hell were they thinking?   I wanted to shake them till they got some sense in their heads.  Did they think it was a revival on a Saturday night in some Iowa cornfield?  All they needed were a couple cripples tossing their crutches to the winds. 

No, the New Years I remember most is the one I spent in the hospital 38 years ago.  We were on our way to a party when my water broke.  “Couldn’t be,” I said to Bob.  “It’s ten days early.  I'll change and we'll go to the party.”                                                        

“I think we better call someone.”

After arguing back and forth, we finally dialed the doctor while my husband prayed for a tax deduction.  But Stacey never accommodated us.  She always arrived on her own good time—that morning a few minutes before ten on January 1^st.

 

A new years’ baby!  They're supposed to bring good luck and this one lived up to the adage.    

That got me to wondering how many babies are born each day in the world, and the best anyone can guess is 440,000.  So under a half million will make their appearances tomorrow.  Good luck to all you new parents, which also got me to wondering if there were any famous folks born on the New Year ’s Day.

                                                                

There's a bunch, but just to name a few:

1431-Pope Alexander VI

Paul Revere

1735-Paul Revere, American Patriot  

George Washington Carver

1860-George Washington Carver, American educator

1874-Gustave Whitehead, German born inventor

1879-E.M. Forster, English novelist

1883-Gabrielle Chanel, French fashion designer

1895-J. Edgar Hoover, FBI Director--he turned into a nutcase

1900-Xavier Cugat, Spanish Musician

Barry Goldwater

1909-Barry Goldwater, American politician 

1912-Kim Philby, British spy

1919-J.D. Salinger, American novelist

Rocky Graziano

1922-Rocky Graziano, American boxer

1943-Don Novello, American actor

1970-Kimberly Page, American actress

2000-Kala Sosefina Mileniume Kauvaka, Tongan baby born first in new millennium
And all race horses are considered born on New Years' Day.

 And to all you humans, thank you so much for reading my blog, and may the coming year bring good health and prosperity.  Remember to smile.  It’s just a lot more fun that way.  Happy New Year!!