We'll Take a Cup of Kindness Yet.

I read somewhere recently about how silly it seems that we all make resolutions that are supposed to start on a day when the majority of us are tired, hungover, and hoarse from all of our antics and adventures the night before. I've also thought, seeing as I live in a chilly part of these United States, how much easier it would be if resolutions - particularly those involving exercise and the outdoors - started in say, June versus January.

So here we are, six days into the new year, and frankly, I would like to tell 2012 to suck it. I have been dealt two very upsetting, difficult to process, understand, and rationalize, plain old lousy events in this brand spankin' new year and if we're being completely honest around here? Well, I'd just like to go right back to 2011 and stay there thankyouverymuch.

Oh, rest-assured I have some hopes, some aspirations, some big goals for this year. And yes, I know all the rules about letting things unfold as they should, keeping my chin up, starting small, taking things one day at a time, blah, blah, white noise, etc.

And while I might not be able to turn the clock back in real life, I certainly can on this little blog of mine. So let's talk about the last day of 2011, when all was well and good, instead of the annoyances of 2012 shall we? New Year's Eve has always felt a bit over-rated to me. There's so much pressure about what everyone is doing, it's impossible to get a cab if you live in a city, it's usually frigid outside, and no matter what you end up deciding to do, it always feels like a bit of a let-down. Sure, I've had some fun New Year's...it's not like they're all tears and fights or anything dramatic like that...but New Year's Eve 2011? It just might be one of my all-time favorites, ever.

I flew back to Boston from Atlanta, where I'd spent Christmas with my Mom, on the evening of the 30th. Early, super early on the morning of the 31st I was up and heading back to the airport - just 12 hours after I'd last been there - to catch a flight down to the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia.



You know how the NHL pulls together the Winter Classic every year? Well this year, the game happened to be in Philly. And do you know what the NHL does a day or two before the actual Winter Classic game? They hold an alumni game, inviting retired players of all ages back to the ice.



This is both important and interesting as my current flame's father used to be a professional hockey player. Conveniently he played for the Flyers during his career, winning two Stanley Cups during his time with the team, in fact.

While the announcer was running through the line-up of players returning to the ice, I was snapping photos left and right. Moments before they announced his father, Zak leaned over my shoulder and said to his brother on my right side: "I saw it." I pulled my camera away from my face and asked, "Saw what?"

"You'll see..." was his reply.

And then, a half-second later, I did see. There was their Dad, heading out of the dug-out, with a fake mustache and wig affixed...ready to relive his '70's glory days. Because while it was a wig and fake 'stache on the last day of 2011, those long locks and that mustache had absolutely been the real-deal during his professional hockey career. Needless to say, the joke was a huge hit among the 45,000 fans in attendance.

And that's how I closed out 2011 - an afternoon with friends, 45,000 hockey fans and a Flyers win, followed by an after-party for Flyer's alumni and their families, and then a quiet drive back to our lovely, charming little hometowns, just my fella and me. We made dinner at his parent's house, while they continued to party like rock-stars in Philadelphia with all the other hockey players and their wives. We drank champagne and watched the ball drop together - content and warm, happy with full bellies, and giggly with bubbly. It was, without question, one of the nicest, no pressure, New Year's Eve's I have ever had.


Now listen up 2012. You need to take a few lessons from the year that proceeded you. Stop beating me up, stop hurling bad news my way...because right now? You're forcing me to play this song on continuous loop and mourn for the year that was. And what kind of resolution is that?