New Year's Eve 2009 at The Sleaze

We're nearly there - only a few more hours until we sprint across the finishing line for 2009 and dash into 2010. In my case, it will be more like limping into the New Year. I've felt bloody awful for the past few days, having difficulty in summoning the energy to get out of bed, let alone function normally. I'd like to be able to blame it on excessive alcohol consumption, but sadly that just wasn't the case. However, in a state of desperation last night, I searched my medicine cabinet and came up with some past their use by date Beecham's powders. Deciding to risk the possible side effects, I took one before I went to bed. Incredibly, I didn't fall to the floor clutching at my throat, only to rise a few moments later looking bestial before going out on a midnight rampage of depravity. Nor did I suffer any outbreaks of lycanthropy or invisibility. In fact, I woke up this morning feeling full of energy and enthusiasm for the day ahead. Not that I've actually done anything exciting today - unless you can classify making a start on clearing up my spare room 'exciting'. I know that New Year's Eve is meant to be a day of wild partying, but I'm afraid that I'm not willing to risk my new found good health by going out into the freezing night and jostling with idiots at the bar whilst too loud music blasts out the speakers at some pub or other. So its just me and the sausage rolls seeing in the New Year whilst watching Dario Argento's Profondo Rosso.

To be truthful, it's some years now since I bothered going out on a New Year's Eve. As I've mentioned before, most places have either private parties, charge on the door or are packed to the rafters with dick heads. Simply going out for a few pints with friends at New Year's Eve seems impossible in this neck of the woods. Indeed, at this time of year drinking generally is disrupted by the appearance of seasonal drinkers. You know the ones - they don't go out to the pub at any other time of year, but come Christmas and New Year, usually after they've already got pissed at an office party, they feel the need to invade local pubs, talking loudly, screaming with laughter at the slightest thing and generally making a nuisance of themselves. I'm looking forward to next week - even though I go back to work, I'll at last be able to have a pint in peace at my local. It'll be the first time since Christmas Eve. A combination of illness and roving bands of seasonal drinkers have put me off going out since then. Anyway, enough of my moaning. What about the coming year? Well, as usual, I'm not making any resolutions - nobody ever seems to keep them, and why resolve to change now? If you really want to change your life, you can do it any time - you don't have to wait until the New Year. As for what 2010 might have in store - who knows? It probably won't be much different from 2009. Years are like that, the bastards. So, it only remains to wish you all a Happy New Year. See you in 2010.