Have a ball: today is the first day of the rest of 2007
Well, I’ve recovered from last night.
Not all that much to recover from, actually, compared to my wild and misspent youth. Yes, on certain New Years Eves Past I actually used to haul myself off to Times Square to watch that ball go down, back when it was really just a plain sphere rather than some sort of complex and enormous light-studded Christmas ornament resembling the mother ship from “Close Encounters.”
Here‘s a history of the Times Square ball. Memory did serve me well; it turns out that my forays into Times Square were made during the era of the unadorned aluminum ball, a mere 150-pounder (the ball, that is, not me!) sort of like the plainness of Pat Nixon’s Republican cloth coat.
Today’s ball, by comparison, weighs over one thousand pounds, is studded with Waterford-crystal triangles and lit by–well, it’s way too complex, so I’ll just quote the official site:
For the 2007 New Year’s Eve celebration, 72 of the crystal triangles feature the new “Hope for Peace” design, consisting of three dove-like patterns symbolizing messengers of peace. The remaining 432 triangles feature Waterford designs from previous years, including the Hope for Fellowship, Hope for Wisdom, Hope for Unity, Hope for Courage, Hope for Healing, Hope for Abundance, and Star of Hope triangles. These crystal triangles are bolted to 168 translucent triangular lexan panels which are attached to the aluminum frame of the Ball. The exterior of the Ball is illuminated by 168 Philips Halogené¡ Brilliant Crystal light bulbs, exclusively engineered for the New Year’s Eve Ball to enhance the Waterford crystal. The interior of the Ball is illuminated by 432 Philips Light Bulbs (208 clear, 56 red, 56 blue, 56 green, and 56 yellow), and 96 high-intensity strobe lights, which together create bright bubbling bursts of color. The exterior of the Ball features 90 rotating pyramid mirrors that reflect light back into the audience at Times Square. All 696 lights and 90 rotating pyramid mirrors are computer controlled, enabling the Ball to produce a state-of-the-art light show of eye-dazzling color patterns and a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One Times Square.
But I digress. Today’s the day for New Years resolutions, pristine ones we haven’t yet had time to break. So, here are mine:
(1) The usual diet stuff. Say no more; we all know the drill.
(2) Get the house in order and put it on the market.
(3) Plan the move.
(4) Throw out the junk.
(5) Redo the blog to make it more difficult for trolls to post.
(6) Write more segments of the “change” series!
(7) Read more books. Ever since I’ve been blogging, reading for pleasure has fallen by the wayside.
(8) Realize that this list, which is only the beginning of what I need to do (and only deals with the outer, rather than the inner, self) would probably take most of 2007 to accomplish.
2007-it has a ring to it, doesn’t it? One of the things I find it hard to believe is how much time has passed since the millennium. I’ve read that time really does appear to pass more quickly as one gets older (and that’s the only direction in which one can ever go, it seems) because a year becomes a smaller percentage of the life already lived.
When you’re five years old, a year is one-fifth of your life, and it seems like the next birthday (or Christmas, or whatever it is one is waiting for) will never ever come. But when you’re–oh, to choose a round and arbitrary number, fifty–that same year is only one-fiftieth of your life. Thus, the perception of the acceleration of time.
But, whatever your age, have a good year! If anyone wants to share New Years resolutions here, feel free.
Sounds like you had a wild old time, I got off work at 10, went home, had a beer and called a couple of friends.
My New Year’s resolution? Suffer Fools less gladly.
Happy New Year! May you accomplish everything you set out to do and make it a wonderful year.
Throwing things out is about the only one I’ve seriously tried. Mostly It’s been a bust. I’ve become content with the piles not getting larger or more numerous. I’ve got to do better than that.
Last year I did get rid of three motorcycles and two boats. That felt good. I’ve got two motorcycles left (the minimum I can live with) and I promise not to buy any more unless I sell an equal number. Really!
Now, about those piles…
I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. But I did get rid of a lot of stuff when we remodeled the house last year – three large bookshelves’ worth of books and an inordinate amount of other stuff.
I had a wild time last night. I watched The Godfather.
I am gonna get organized in 2007!
I promise!
Happy New Year!
I don’t do a lot of resolving, on New Years or otherwise, but one thought came to me as I read these posts. I think I’ll resolve to try harder to get Mrs. Rod to throw out some of what we’ve accumulated over the years (45, to be exact). Will appreciate any prayers.
Rod
Neo:
I resolve:
1) Be more faithful keeping up with marking papers;
2) Read (and listen to) something besides theoretical physics and chemistry;
3) Complete building HO model railroad engines (Pennsy K4 4-6-2, Pennsy 0-4-0, and Challenger 4-6-6-4);
4) Spend more time exercising and gardening;
5) Finally make that sailboat trip through Maine waters…
Now those resolutions should make my halo shine!
My resolution: to act in ways that aren’t motivated by a desire for approval.
Interesting comment on the perception of time, Neo. The syndrome of elves perhaps?
The increasing speed of time passing with age?
Ah yes, it’s called JJ’s Theory of Aging Relativity. When a year is 25% of your age (like your example of a 4 year old aging to 5) it is a long time and takes forever to pass. OTH when a year is 1.4% of your age, well, need I say that it is a quite short time and passes all too quickly?
This theory has not yet been approved for general dissemination as the brilliant assumptions behind it are being challenged by……..well, just about everybody.
My resolution for 2007:
Quit dreaming up crackpot ideas and theories. (Much better to stick with the easy stuff, like Norman Ornstein’s Theory of the Winner of the Superbowl Determining the Direction of Stock Prices.)
We usually have a NYE party at our house, but I’ve had almost no holiday spirit this year, and so convinced my wife to cancel the thing (I don’t think she was particularly sad about it, either).
Spent the evening watching a Three Stooges marathon on one of our local stations. Then to bed.
Resolutions? Just three – weight (when you’re puffing like Sidney Greenstreet and sweating like Michael Moore in the mornings, it’s time to shed a few pounds); finish my second book (selling the first one isn’t a resolution – that’s out of my hands to affect); and devote myself to more religious reflection and action so I don’t feel so spiritually sloppy.
Where I’m at, people shoot off guns at midnight – sounds like a small firefight going on. For the millenium I too participated but haven’t since.
Resolution: Learn to shoot.
I resolve not to send e-mail to posters when I mean to comment!!