New Year's Eve Rumninations

Me at the Philadelphia Mummer's Parade 1965 (with the big smile and trench coat)

 Here I am, another New Year's Eve working at the hotel. 

I'm at work now, on call at the front desk. Waiting for one more guest to check in. 

Surprisingly, occupancy is quite good tonight, albeit subdued. No one asked me where the fireworks are tonight. I wouldn't know if you asked me. I don't think the locals are doing a fireworks display this year. Too much of a super spreader event.

Tomorrow will begin another new year. Hopefully this coming new year will be vastly better than 2020. One thing for sure, Trump will be gone. But not of course without a last grasp by his coward Congressional Republicans seeking to overturn the lawful election of Joseph Biden as president. Trump and his cowed sycophants say there was "massive fraud." Where? Show us! Of course they have no evidence, they're just following Dear Leader's exhortations. They are petrified of a negative Trump tweet that could affect their reelection chances that they will do anything Dear Leader instructs them to do. Notice how I slip into these rants? 

Change of subject.

Lately I've been having a lot of dreams. No nightmares, thank goodness. I don't think I've ever had a nightmare in my life. Some uncomfortable dreams for sure but none of those dramatic, wake up screaming nightmares like you see in the movies. 

My dreams of late have been of friends, family and pets of mine that are departed. Sometimes I think they are beckoning to me. Probably are since I'm not that far from Check Out Time. I've already outlived most of my contemporaries, something that I would never have imagined if you had asked me that when I was in my younger days. I thought for sure I would be gone by the time I was sixty years old. I almost checked out when I was seventeen years old from that botched hernia operation where I contacted a staph (sepsis) infection that took me six months and numerous hospital stays and surgeries to correct. Maybe my young resilient body saved me that time.

Now, my whole body aches. In fact it is aching now (back). I had to take another Advil. I can't stand more than an hour before the left side of my back below my shoulder blade screams in increasing pain. Could be a lot worse of course. That's what I always tell myself when I focus too much on my woes.

Any New Year's Eve resolutions Ron? No for me, I'm not one for New Year's Eve resolutions. If I make any resolutions, I make them during the year to correct course. It's what I've done all my life and I'm not about to change now.

This time of year I often think of my New Year's celebrations of years past when I was in the prime of my life. I lived in Philadelphia. New Year's Eve was spent at the local gay bar (usually the Westbury Bar which is now a drug store or the 247 Bar which is now a restaurant - gay bars are an artifact of history in these inclusive accepting times of the so called "gay life-style"). New Year's Day was spent watching the Mummer's strut down Broad Street in Philadelphia. Of course drinking was involved thus the cold didn't bother me too much.  Now in my old man days, New Year's Day will be spent at home with Bill, doing my usual routine. Breakfast, then to my home office to check my e-mails, update my on-line Scrabble games with Pat and a slew of strangers on Facebook, lunch, nap, then back to my home office for more e-mail checks and online Scrabble games and maybe update my blog. Hopefully I'll have one of my Netflix DVD's to watch tomorrow at the Tipton Cinema (my home theater in my bedroom.)

Such is the life of this seventy-nine year old Delawarean this new year. I don't even have my Palm Springs Winter Escape to look forward too. I cancelled that trip last week because of the virus. I haven't received my refund yet which is bothering me. That's something I will have to check into next week. 

Have a happy new year everyone! 

Happy New Year 2016.

Here we go folks, another year has ended and we get a reboot for a new year.

Last night I worked at the hotel, which was almost full.  And as usual, all the guests were so nice and friendly.  During my fifteen plus year working at a hotel I find that the guests during "The Holidays" (Christmas and New Year's) often to be the nicest and happiest and last night was no exception.

I got off my shift at ll:00 PM, which gave me enough time to get home (takes me about fifteen minutes) to see the Kathy Griffin/Anderson Cooper Awkwardness Nonsense on CNN.  Last night was no exception, especially when Kathy told Anderson to put two spoons to his eyes and she spray tanned him.  What was that all about? Poor Anderson, usually giggling (like a little school girl) wasn't giggling over that stunt and I don't blame him.  Kathy?  What are you doing?

I was going to flip the channel to look for Dick Clark's Rocking New Year's Eve (he's still doing it isn't he, dead or alive?) but was too lazy tired to pick up my remote control.

Yes, I did watch "the ball drop".  Very colorful this year I must say.  

My New Year's resolution this year is to get rid of this ten pounds of flab I have around my middle.  The first step was to go to bed last night right after the ball dropped, sans my usual banana smoothie.  Oh how I missed that smoothie.  I'm not sure if I can keep this resolution but I would really like to get rid of that life preserver I have around my waist. 

Pat was playing a New Year's gig last night in Toronto. More power to him and his bandmates.  I don't know if I could stay up until four in the morning.  Of course he's unconscious sleeping right now. 

Bill made me promise to be nicer to him this year. That I will do.  I have to admit sometimes I lose my patience with his hard of hearing.  I feel like I'm shouting all the time which upsets him so I have to find a middle ground. I'll work on it, I promise.

We have a quiet day planned here.  Update my Scrabble boards and, of course, update my blog.  I should update my e-mail, or shall I say scroll through all the junk e-mail looking for the real messages.  I have to admit I don't do e-mail much these days.  It's been ruined like snail mail, overwhelmed with Junk Mail. 

By the way, I still didn't get my new Discover credit card.  I notified them almost two weeks ago.  I called two days ago to inquire where it was and was told it was "still active."  I asked "Did I do something wrong when I called and said I lost it?" He very nice gentleman on the other side of the line said "No you didn't sire, it was a clerical mistake."  Gee, thanks.  The very nice gentleman said he would overnight it by Fed Ex.  Of course I didn't get it yet.  Service.  Am I asking too much?  I hope I get more dependable service in the New Year.

Only a little more than a week to go folks before the Ron and Pat Show hit the road again.  This time California.  Here we come LA!

The Intrepid Twosome in LA last year - we're going back but without out hats, we lost them on a roller coaster ride in Toronto this past August - don't worry, we have new hats

New Year's Eve Wipeout - 1963

Me "celebrating" New Year's Eve January 1963 - Fifty years ago

This lingering cold of mine is just about gone.  Just a trace left.  I almost felt normal this morning when I woke up.  This past week has been one I will remember well, the New Year of 2013 that I was sick as a dog.

Which reminds me, fifty years ago, January 1963 I was also sick as a dog.  Regular readers of this blog will recognize the picture of me above with my drunken head in a turkey roasting pan surrounded by New Year's Eve party goers.

There is a Story behind this picture folks.  Here it is.  

Way back in the Nifty Fifties, when a young man like me was old enough to join the Army (at 18) but not old enough to vote or drink, I couldn't wait until I could get a good drunk on like all of my Army buddies.  They always seemed to have so much fun getting drunk.  

In November of 1962 I turned 21 years old.  I was of legal age to buy my own car, which I did.  Of course I totaled it one hour after I got it but that's another story for another blog posting.  Hey, a guy my age is full of stories, what can I tell you?

I was also of legal age to drink and I was determined to get "bombed" on New Year's Eve, just like my buddies. 

I was invited to a New Year's Eve party at Dave Fry's house in nearby Glen Burnie, Maryland.  Dave and I were stationed at Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland at that time.

I got in my clunker, and with my Army buddy friend Ron Hampton (yes, another "Ron") we headed off to Dave's house, in my '54 Plymouth sedan that couldn't go over 50 mph without getting the shakes.  My car frame was bent from my accident but I drove the car anyway.  Such was the folly of youth at that time.

When we got at Dave's all the gang was there.  Hey!  We were told to help ourselves to making drinks.  Since I wasn't a beer drinker, I made myself a screwdriver, which as you drinkers will know is vodka and orange juice.  I wasn't sure how much vodka to put in per orange juice. Ron told me 
"one shot per glass of orange juice."  Okay doakey, that's what I did......the first time.

The second time, since I wasn't feeling the "effects", I decided to put TWO shots of vodka per TALL glass of orange juice.  After the second gulping of vitamin C I still wasn't "feeling it."  Hey, where is this "BIG WHOOP!" that I'm supposed to get?  

Third drink....this time I put THREE SHOTS of vodka to one TALL glass of orange juice.  Guess what, we were running out of orange juice and I still wasn't feeling "IT."  

I guess you all know where this is going?  Yep!  Pretty soon I was WHOPPING it up with a TALL glass of vodka and ONE shot of orange juice.

Well folks, let me tell you.  After I don't know how many of those TALL glass of vodka with one shot of orange juice dispersing down through the clear vodka, which was entrancing sort of like a lava light in reverse, I DON'T REMEMBER A THING!

Seriously folks, I remembered nothing until I woke up the next morning on the living room floor, covered in a blanket with my head in a roasting pan.  And my head!  OMG!  My mouth.  OMG!  I felt like a whole platoon of soldiers with muddy boots had marched on my tongue.  My head felt like an anvil was banging around in it like a bell clapper.

Slowly, as I came to I saw Dave's wife standing over me.  I asked "What happened?"  She said "You got drunk."  Hmmmm.  I don't remember having a good time.  In fact I didn't remember anything until now where I was in a GREAT DEAL OF HURT.    

She said I was trying to kick out the TV screen of their floor model Philco.  OMG! Old Timid Ron in a Drunken Rage?  How embarrassing!  

She said she would call my friend Ron at the base and he would pick me up.  I tried to stand up.  I couldn't.  Everything hurt including MY HEAD.  I was starving but I just couldn't imagine anything going down my throat.  Just the thought of eating made me gag.  

Oh dear Lord, is this what they mean by getting drunk and HAVING FUN?  This WASN'T FUN!  

Long story short, it took me about three days to recover.  And folks, never again did I get that drunk.  Oh sure, over the years I've had a buzz or two (or three) but never, NEVER that  blind ass drunk.  I learned my lesson.  

So this year, with this terrible cold that I brought into the new year, I was think I'll always remember this New Year.  Just like I'll always remember that New Year's Eve fifty years ago.  

Me back at the barracks at Ft. Meade 1963 - sober with a cig hanging out my mouth (yes, I smoked too)

Laid Low

Where I will be in a few minutes - my bed resting before I go to work tonight

Still struggling here with this Zombie Cold folks.  I got through my shift at the hotel last night, without too much wheezing and sneezing. Under normal circumstances I would call in sick but these are not normal circumstances.  Just my luck this Zombie Cold  is hitting me at the end of the year.

I was hesitant to do another post about my cold but I just can't think of anything else.  I'm pretty sure this is the flu because I ache all over.  When I woke up this morning in my bed I could hardly move, every joint in my body ached.  Well, every one but one.  

Bill drove me down to the Rehoboth Walmart earlier this morning.  I loaded up on Cold Eaze, chicken soup, and Zicam.  I don't know if these cold remedies are really helping me or just prolonging my misery.

Hey folks, sorry to be such a wet rag with this constant complaining.  I can't wait until I'm up to snuff again.  I work tonight and tomorrow night.

  Happy New Year!

Me, on the floor, New Year's Eve - 1963