it's gonna be a happy new year

Year 2002...what do you have in store for me? I haven't made any resolutions yet, but I've talked with friends a lot about a new mentality, and that already has created a sort of excitement for the new year.

Dec. 31...Dorc, Trish and I drove out from Sac, eager to spend our first new year's eve in the City. We didn't really have any set plans or expectations. I think that was even better than having the evening laid out for us, because it allowed for more flexibility. We took MUNI downtown and had a few hours of shopping before going to the Cheesecake Factory. I think half the city was in that restaurant, but we got in within a reasonable amount of time.

During dinner, under the warmth of a heat lamp on the patio, I spent the whole night eyeing a table full of 4 couples and one single guy and giving reports to Dorc and Trish who sat with their backs toward them. It was hilarious because there was one guy that Trish now fantasizes about, being her "ideal guy," and he really was the epitome of how she wanted "her guy" to look like. The more laidback one that was there alone was more my type, and the more sporty looking one was Dorc's. It was kind of obvious that we were observing them, but we didn't really care. What was there to lose? Where does one find your ideal guy like that, Trish wondered...wouldn't we like to find out.

Around 10:30, we finished dinner and roamed the streets of downtown, taking our time as we made our way to the waterfront. It had been so long since I had been in the neighborhood of my old workplace and it made me a little nostalgic. I was proud that I knew the streets so well, but a part of me also didn't miss what the Financial District environment could do to you. I ran into Ed, one of the security guards from 550 Montgomery, which was nice. He once told me that some of the best years of his life were spent in Brazil with the Peace Corps.

We finally made it to the waterfront, where a chunk of Embarcadero had been closed off to traffic. Families, teens, yuppies, roamed the street, and energetic music blared out of speakers set up along the street. "It's a party! We're finally at a party!" We pushed through some crowds and finally found an empty piece of sidewalk to sit on and wait for midnight to roll around. It reminded me of Castro on Halloween, except the crowds just seemed less crazed and wild, thank goodness.

I think it was easy to feel like you wanted that "special someone" right next to you, especially with all the couples around. But I also felt strangely content, knowing that the two people I was with were my best friends. Ten years down the line, a boyfriend may be gone, but I had no doubt that I would still be with these two people, reminiscing about all the new year's eves that we spent together.

Midnight came and went and we all counted down...a spectacular fireworks display followed and patriotic music accompanied. The fireworks were amazing! Smily faces, hearts, enormous glittery starbursts...I was mesmerized...but also trying to tune out the kissing couples around me. Ick. Right when the show ended, everyone headed toward the MUNI stations and we got stuck in a sardine-type crowd. Flashbacks of Castro came back, but luckily, it was still fairly controlled. Down in the MUNI station, guards were monitoring the amounts of people let into the station and luckily we were one of the first bunches to be let in. We got home around 2 and didn't sleep till 4:30 a.m., but it was all so worth it.