"Another year over...a new one's just begun..."

At the risk of sounding like Barry Manilow, it's just another New Year's Eve here at the ol' homestead and I'm spending NYE alone for the third straight year, which speaks volumes on the current state of my flatlining social life.  I did have an offer to hang with a couple married friends of mine at one of the casinos tonight, but I would have just been a third-wheel (which I'm getting way too old for), so I passed.  All my other friends are married with kids and/or have no desire to get out on NYE, so I'll just spend it with Dick Clark and Co. once again and drink myself blind to the sound of ol' T. Rex (or perhaps some Johnny Cash).

Then again, going out on NYE is rather overrated anyway.  Unless you're willing to spend a shitload of money, decent options are pretty limited.  Even the crappiest sports bars or biker bars are going to charge you ten bucks just to get in the door and provide you with some cheapo party favors, lame appetizers and overpriced watered-down drinks.  If I had a girlfriend, or if I could round up a group of friends to get together with and ring in the new year, I might be more inclined to splurge and go out.  Even better would be if I knew someone who was throwing their own NYE party at home, but such is not the case.  Just as well—this way I don't have to dodge the drunks driving home since I'm already there.  Come to think of it, one of the better NYE's I ever had was the time I spent it playing house with an ex-girlfriend curled up on her sofa watching Dick Clark (Kiss was on that year, as I remember).  I guess I'll continue my tongue-in-cheek tradition that I started in 1999-2000 during the whole Y2K fuss by making The Who's "Had Enough" the last song of the year I hear right before Midnight because it ends with the line "here comes the end of the world..."  Hey, one of these years, it might just be right!

Before I sign off for 2007, I want to wish the Mizzou Tigers best of luck against Ar-Kansas tomorrow in the Cotton Bowl.  I also want to send warm greetings to the good people of Buffalo who will attend the outdoor hockey game tomorrow in the Bills' stadium between the Sabres and Pittsburgh—let's hope y'all return home safely without freezing off any of your extremities!

And to the rest of us—with the exception of those who made my 2007 Asshole(s) Of The Year list, as well as the New York Yankees—I raise a toast and hope we all have a boffo 2008.  Happy, happy, joy, joy!